Blog 2 - The Birds and the Bees

I am not a parent, yet alone a parent of a teenager. However, I remember growing up, my parents talked to me about sex and how it was a special gift to be shared only between a husband and wife. My parents and I had a very open relationship and I could to talk to them about anything. Like my parents, I don’t believe in just sitting my kids down and having “The Talk” about the birds and the bees. I believe it should be a continuous topic of conversation throughout childhood, adolescent years, and into the teenage years.  Many factors go into raising a child and a child’s perception on intercourse, sexuality, and body image. Not just the conversation, but your actions and what type of values you instill in your children will all determine how they view it. Will they view sex as something to be taken lightly or not? However, the only way to be able to do this is to have a respectful, close relationship with your children. Allow them to feel safe and remind them constantly of how beautiful they are. They should never be ashamed of their bodies.

It’s extremely difficult these days to shelter children from ‘adult’ material because of the age of technology we live in. Even if your child doesn’t have access to a smart phone, TV, computer, tablet etc. at home or for personal use, they are almost guaranteed to have a friend that does in addition to ‘sexy’ images being thrown in their faces by billboards, TV advertisements, or simply walking around a mall. In my opinion, it’s best children learn about this personal, highly important topic from their parents. High schools talk about practicing safe sex and the dangers of unprotected sex but this whole process starts at a much earlier age. We’ve heard of girls getting pregnant as early as 9 years old and to me, it’s so important to first talk to children as soon as 5 years old about their private parts and how this is an area that should never be touched by anyone. Around 7-8 years old, I think talking to children about kissing would be the next step. And soon after this age, maybe 10 and up is when the topic of sex may be introduced. Being able to speak to your child in a safe and comfortable environment is necessary, like a bedroom or living room. Children are curious and full of questions. I think it’s  important to never lie to them about this so choosing your words wisely is also key. God made each one of us unique and beautiful!