The birds and bees

This week we had "The Talk" you know the one I mean, the reason Noah collected the animals by towzies. You guessed it, we had the sex talk in class, and the most interesting thing I learned was this; the way you talk to your children about sex is important. It is important that you talk to your children before they hear it from someone else, and it is important that you trust them with the details that they need to know relative to their age. This could start by explaining gender differences to a toddler and then lead up to the importance of privacy. It is important that your child is prepared to understand the gender and sexual issues that they will be exposed to at their maturity level. Children trust you to be honest with them, so don't let them down, and don't be embarrassed about it. If you make light of the issue they are more likely to do the same. the biggest don't of all is, Don't be punitive when they ask questions. an angry or embarrassed outburst will lead to a lack of trust and openness with the issue. parents who are punitive concerning sexual matters do their children a disservice and put them at higher risk to be abused or experiment at younger ages. if you don't talk to them about sexual issues, someone else will, and they will not give them the same message that you would teach. It is crucial to children's safety that they be trusted with enough information to protect themselves. above all else open communication on the issue will cultivate an attitude of trust and honesty on their end as well.