Table of Contents
Introduction
As kids grow, they will be curious to know about the reasons behind the changes in their bodies, i.e., physical, emotional, and mental development. When puberty hits, girls and boys go through several hormonal changes. As a result, girls experience the onset of the menstrual cycle, enlargement of breasts, etc. While in boys, their mustache will start growing, and their shoulders will tend to increase broader in size. As kids enter their teenage years, they must acknowledge the bodily changes and why they experience them. So, who imparts knowledge about all these aspects to a child? Parents and teachers play a crucial role in helping them understand new jargon, terms, processes, and several other factors associated with sex education.
Importance of sex education
Even now, there exists a stigma around speaking about sex education and topics related to the same. Moreover, people still think that sex education talks only about sexual intercourse and sexual desires within an individual. But, one shouldn’t confine the meaning of sex education to just two terms. It is beyond that. The subject matter deals with understanding one’s sexual organs, identifying one’s sexual identity, sexual intimacy, healthy relationships in sexuality, making healthy choices, taking safety measures while having sexual intercourse, and much more.
To toddlers and pre-school children, sex education starts with understanding the anatomy of the human body. In contrast, teenagers and school-going children will come up with specific questions regarding sex and sexual life. From the day they start going to school and interact with other students and friends, their life will be significantly influenced by their surroundings. And once they start expressing their curiosity and doubts regarding this, as a responsible parent, you must make sure to clear their clarifications instead of hushing them into silence. Only then will they understand the gravity of this subject matter. If we don’t clarify their doubts, these kids will resort to other means to gather information. It could be youtube, google, or other social media platforms.
Why educate your children about sex?
Quick access to information is one of the perks of living in this digital age. But not all information that circulates through the platforms of media could be authentic. So there are high chances that your kids may go astray as they try to dwell more into the world of sex education to satisfy their curiosity. It points to one prime reason why parents and teachers must educate their children regarding sex and all aspects related to the same, from a very young age.
Expect detailed questions.
Teach your children the basics of sex education according to the age group they belong to. Unlike toddlers and elementary school kids, middle and high school children will be more particular about their questions. They may not be well aware of all concepts but may have a vague idea about the same. Having misconceptions about different topics related to sex is quite ordinary. Therefore, it’s primarily important to understand to what extent your child knows about all these, after getting to know that, clear their questions one by one. At the same time, introduce to them the basic concepts they must acknowledge for their age. For instance, it could be topics like how people have sex, what menstruation is, what erection is and when it occurs, what masturbation means, and can people of the same gender have sex? etc.
Keep the communication channel open
Not every child would take the initiative to ask questions about sex. Some would be shy to discuss similar topics. Therefore, during such instances, parents must take the initiative to start a conversation about sex and essential aspects related to the same. It is one simple way to reinforce sex education at home.
Conclusion
It’s high time to create awareness about the significance of sex education in a society with a rise in the alarming rate of sexual harassment cases. Sex education is the critical tool to help a child understand the biological, social, and cognitive transitions their body goes through. It educates a child about what sex is and helps them take necessary preventive measures against sexual harassment and sexual abuse.
Also read : https://brainyline.com/healthy-dinner-ideas-for-two/
