Sexual education is largely misunderstood as being all about giving instructions to children and adolescents on anatomy and the physiology of biological sex and reproduction, while it is not just that. It covers wide perspectives like those of healthy sexual development, gender identity, interpersonal relationships, affection, sexual development, intimacy, and body image for all adolescents, even adolescents with disabilities, chronic health conditions, or other special needs. They may be differently abled, but are as much adolescents as the other ones.
In our society the largest influence on the adolescents’ decisions about anything especially sex lies within the hold of the parents, and parents do tend to underestimate the impact of their decisions on their children. For most parents and children, the prospect of talking about topics related to sexuality creates anxiety and apprehension, and this is believed as one of the major reasons of avoidance of these discussions.
Parents should begin teaching children, the age-appropriate words for body parts and their functions as timely as possible.
Evidently, using anatomically correct words—such as penis, scrotum, vagina, and vulva—has been observed to be beneficial for children’s early development of body confidence, self-empowerment and safety.
“Healthy sexuality includes the capacity to promote and preserve significant interpersonal relationships; value one’s body and personal health interaction with both sexes in respectful and appropriate ways; and express affection, love, and intimacy in ways consistent with one’s own values, sexual preferences, and abilities.”
Educate yourself first. A parent can try to pay attention to what their child is seeing and hearing in the media (television, movies, video games, social media posts, music, and so forth). Monitoring social media use and limiting internet access to common family spaces as much as possible; can be equally helpful for any parent. In fact, the parent can take advantage of the many teachable moments from the media considering the state of mind of the child is right. Checking in regularly about what your child is feeling, seeing, hearing, and experiencing is extremely important for any part of the child development.
Most importantly; a parent needs to listen and share their own experiences, successes, and mistakes.
Understand that what one does is the most important message about their values.
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