October has been designated THE month to talk about sexuality with your family. So jump on the bandwagon, folks, and be the coolest person on your block by talking about sex with your teen!
A wide range of organizations set aside the month of October, now that everyone is settled back into their school routines, as a great time to talk about whatever issues around sex or sexuality need to be addressed in your family. Maybe you’ve been avoiding this discussion, whether it be about homosexuality, masturbation, condoms and safe sex, how to say no to a potential sex partner, or a whole range of other issues. Well now is the time to stop putting off that discussion!
Here are a variety of sources for you to reference for help in having that conversation:
- How to gut it out…A Top Ten List for Talking To Teens About…Well, you know.
- Planned Parenthood’s materials for parents
- SIECUS’s (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States) Families Are Talking project
- About.com’s extensive information for parents on adolescent sexuality and sex education
All of those sites could keep you busy reading for some time. But only poke around on those for a little bit – then turn off the computer and go start talking with your family!
It occurs to me that I haven’t taught my toddler the words for her genitals. I haven’t consciously avoided teaching her, but I haven’t done it either–she knows the names for all her other body parts. Hmm.
October 7, 2007 @ 4:22 am
I don’t have a PhD but I just wanted to say it’s good that you are doing this blog because it sort of gives people some free tips on certain things that their adolescent kids may be doing in this day and age that they’re not aware of.
Example is the other comment that she didn’t teach her kid the name of her genitals yet the kid knew it. It’s surprising that parents don’t know what’s happening out there.
October 7, 2007 @ 2:46 pm
I said that my kid doesn’t know the names for her genitals, she knows the names for all her other body parts.
I pretty much know what’s going on in my kid’s life at this point. 🙂
October 7, 2007 @ 11:00 pm
(It should be noted that Alice’s kid isn’t quite two yet.)
October 8, 2007 @ 12:12 am