 | ||
|
| |    Raising Sexually Healthy Children: An Overview by Debra W. Haffner, M.P.H., F.S.A.M. reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Raising sexually healthy children is not about giving a single Big Talk when they become teenagers. Your job as a sexual educator actually begins when your children are very young. How you touch your babies, how you play with them, how you talk to them--even the clothes you pick out for them--teach them a little bit about what you expect of them as boys or as girls. By the time they're two years old, you can teach your children the correct names of the parts of their body. By three or four, many children exhibit interest in sexuality: They touch their genitals, they play doctor with neighborhood children, and they ask their parents where babies come from. By the age of eight or so, you can start preparing your children for the changes that lie ahead during puberty, and be sure that they understand the basic facts about sex and reproduction. You'll also need to help them make sense of the many messages about sexuality they're receiving from the media: movies, books, TV, music, and advertisements. By middle school, preteens need help dealing with peer pressure, body image, and sexual feelings. During the teen years, your children need your guidance on making good decisions about relationships, communicating sexual limits, and protecting themselves from unsafe situations. Family values and teachable moments All along the way, the most important thing you can do is to share your particular family values with your children. They'll learn many of the factsthey need in health or biology classes in school or in books. But only you can convey your family's values about a wide range of sexuality issues--gender roles, sexual orientation, abstinence, family roles, body image, and friendships, to name just a few. As you seek to impart these core values, the key is to look for teachable moments--those everyday times when you easily bring up important issues with your child and share your thoughts. For example, as you're giving your preschooler a bath or changing your toddler's diaper, you might name the parts of the body and talk about how wonderful the body is. Or perhaps you're watching television with your elementary school child and a couple on the show moves into the bedroom--you can talk about your values about intimacy and relationships. Or maybe you're in the car with your 11-year-old and there is a news story on abortion--a perfect time to share your beliefs about unwanted pregnancies. By taking advantage of teachable moments, you give your children little, easily digestible bits of information and let them know that you are a family that talks about sexuality. How to talk the talk I know that it's not always easy for parents to talk with their children about sexuality, but there's a three-part process that often makes everyone feel more comfortable and works for all ages:
Once you get used to using this three-part approach to educating your children about important topics such as sexuality, you're sure to find many teachable moments to talk to them in a natural and comfortable manner. And for more information and tips on this topic, be sure to check out our other articles on sex and sexuality--we're here to help you every step of the way as you fulfill your important role as your children's sexuality educator. More information:
| |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
