 | ||
|
| |    Creating a Sexually Healthy Family by Debra W. Haffner, M.P.H., F.S.A.M. reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Parents want their children to grow up to be healthy, happy, and financially secure adults. Part of this challenge includes raising a sexually healthy child, a responsibility that often is not openly discussed and for which parents receive little, if any, expert guidance. At drSpock.com, we want to help you raise your children to be sexually healthy adults: adults who feel good about their bodies, make responsible decisions about their sexuality, and have satisfying emotional, spiritual, and physical relationships with their life partners. Sexuality and family life Sexually healthy adults begin as children who are raised in sexually healthy families. In such a family, parents understand that teaching their children about sexuality--in the broadest sense--is just about as important as teaching them about safety, religion, and healthy decision-making. Each member of a sexually healthy family is treated with dignity and respect, and family members can discuss sexual issues in a comfortable and frank manner. Become an askable parent Sexually healthy parents are askable parents--that is, their children know that they can ask them anything, even about such intimate topics as sexuality. Askable parents reward their children's questions by giving them honest answers, and they let their children know that they want to help with difficult issues. Askable parents also seek opportunities to talk with their children about sexuality rather than always waiting for questions. They are always on the lookout for teachable moments when they can offer a little bit of sexual information or impart some of their morals and values. Askable parents are knowledgeable about sexuality, but they also seek out additional information to better guide their children. Sexually healthy parents remember that learning about sexuality is an ongoing process. They provide age-appropriate information, beginning with basic information about body parts, privacy, and decision-making in the preschool years and continuing through discussions about contraception and HIV/AIDS in adolescence. In this way, sexuality is discussed little by little throughout a child's life. The importance of family communication Many characteristics of sexually healthy families are not explicitly about sex or sexuality, but are about how each member of the family interacts with each other. Sexually healthy parents demonstrate that they value, respect, accept, and trust their children--and that they expect to be treated that way in return. They listen to their children, and seriously try to understand their points of view. They regularly share their values, stay actively involved in their children's lives, and are not afraid to set age-appropriate limits for behavior. Model sexually healthy attitudes Sexually healthy parents also remember that actions speak louder than words. They model sexually healthy attitudes in their own relationships, and they are appropriately affectionate in front of their children. Their children learn that men and women can treat each other with respect because they see the important adults in their lives treating each other with respect. They learn that people can disagree and still love each other. One of the best things parents can do for their children's future sexual health is to nurture their own relationship as a couple. That means trying to keep the romance alive, as well as building a solid friendship and partnership. This not only provides children with a sense of security in their family, but also gives them a model for their own adult relationships. Talk about:
| |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| About Us |
Contact Us |
Our Partners Privacy Policy | Ethics | Advertising Policy | Terms of Service © Copyright 2004 The Dr. Spock Company. All Rights Reserved. THIS SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. The information drSpock.com
provides is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for
professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your health care
professional if you have a specific health concern. Mention or advertisement
of any product, service, or brand does not constitute endorsement, guarantee,
or recommendation by The Dr. Spock Company. Please read our full
Terms of Service. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
