How to talk to your kids about sex.

This past Saturday we held a discussion time with parents to explore ways to communicate more effectively with our children about sex. We looked at sexual development throughout childhood, from birth to age 18, as a reference point to help us meet our children at their specific developmental level. We spent time discussing our own experiences learning about sexuality from our parents and other sources, noting the helpful and unhelpful aspects we encountered. For most of us the information we received was insufficient and we were left to ‘figure things out on our own.’

Our discussion’s conclusion was that as parents we want to offer more to our children regarding information and support than we received as children. Our discussion also encouraged parents to identify their values around sexuality and to consider how to communicate these values to their kids in meaningful ways. Several parents shared their struggles with helping their children engage in dialogue about sexually explicit song lyrics. There were some great ideas offered about encouraging kids to consciously engage with sexual messages in their lives rather than mindlessly consuming those messages. We discussed sexual abuse and safety in our culture and tools to reduce the chances of our children experiencing victimization. Our time ended with some takeaway tips for approaching communication around sex.