Naturally Healthy Parenting The parent's guide to a healthy family
As your children grow, you occasionally have to have conversations that might be uncomfortable for both of you. Even if you’re able to be completely open and adult, it’s unlikely your kids want to talk to their parents about puberty, safe sex or drugs and alcohol. However, these big conversations are essential to ensure that they’re educated. Although they may claim to know everything from school, their peers or the internet, many teenagers are misinformed about important issues. One of the most vital things to talk to them about is safe sex, even if you both feel awkward talking about it. If you don’t know how to approach the subject, here are some suggestions for how, when and why you should talk to your children about sex.
When Should You Talk About Sex with Your Kids?
Many experts recommend that you start talking about sex with your children from a young age, when they first ask about where babies come from. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to explain the finer details right away. You can keep explanations age-appropriate, adding in more of the technical stuff later on. It’s up to you how much information you reveal, but you may start off with a very simplified version of a sperm and an ovum mixing, without any details about how they meet. As your child grows and asks questions, you should revisit the talk.
Who Else Can Talk to Your Children About Sex?
There are other people who can also discuss safe sex with your kids, and with whom they might feel more comfortable. For example, they could talk to your family physician or health care provider, a teacher or relative. If they don’t feel comfortable talking about it, or even listening, information from books or the internet can also help.. However, if they get their information from the internet, you should make sure it’s from a reliable source.
How Can You Make Sure They’re Having Safe Sex?
You will never be able to make 100% certain that your teenagers and young adult children are having safe sex. You can’t make their decisions for them or be there to prompt them to use precautions. But you can help them to get the right attitude towards sex so that they care about their own sexual health and respect their bodies. You can encourage them to be open about sex, and be open with them about it too. Remember that safe sex is about more than just pregnancy and diseases. One important thing is making sure they feel comfortable visiting a STD testing clinic at one of the many locations up and down the country. Although they should have the knowledge to practise safe sex, they also shouldn’t feel embarrassed if they do make a mistake and need to have a test. You can also provide them with condoms and other safety measures to ensure they’re safe.
An essential thing to do to make sure your kids are educated about safe sex is to educate yourself first. You might think that you know it all, but it could turn out that your information is out of date. Refresh your memory, and perhaps learn something new, before you pass any of your knowledge on to your children.
