There is something that I have been thinking about for a while,
and something that is very important to me. It's something that is done
differently in everything family, or even not done in some families. As
you saw in the title, today I want to write about sex education! It might seem
strange, or even kind of awkward, but I believe that it's incredibly important
that parents teach their children about sexual intimacy and create an open
atmosphere in their home.
Here are some of the reasons
that I feel that sex should be talked about in the home and why I want to be a
part of their sex education:
- If we don't talk about sex
with our children in the home, who knows where they will hear about it?
They could hear about it from their friends in school. The media is also
more than eager to teach our children about what sex is and that it is a very
casual, non-committal thing. It is also possible that we wouldn't approve
of or appreciate the way that sex education is being taught in
schools.
- For me, it is incredibly
important that my children understand sex in the context of our family's
personal beliefs. I believe that intimacy is an important part of the
plan that God has for us, as it allows us to have a family and to share love in
a marriage. I do want to teach them that it is important to wait until
marriage to have sex, but I also want to teach them that in the right
circumstance, with the right person, it is a beautiful, important
thing. I don’t think it’s healthy if their only opinion is that “sex
is naughty;” I want to do my best to help them understand what it really is and
equip them with the needed information to make good decisions on their own.
-It is a massive priority for me that my children feel that they
can be open with me and my husband about anything. I believe that if I haven’t been open with
them and talked with them about sex, there is no way that they will be able to ask
me questions, talk with me abut any struggles that they may be having,
relationships that they are in, etc. I
don’t want it to be such a taboo subject in my home that nobody feels that they
can speak their mind.
There’s a book produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints called “A Parent’s Guide” that discusses ten principles to
keep in mind as we teach our children about intimacy:
1.
The
responsibility to teach should be shared between husband and wife.
2.
Parents
should teach their children by setting a good example for them.
3.
They
should be consistent in their own behavior and in the way that they teach them.
4.
Parents
should counsel with their children and let them talk with them when they need
to.
5.
It is
important for parents to teach children how to judge a situation and make decisions
on their own.
6.
There
should be a positive emotional climate in our homes.
7.
Parents
should take the time, once a week, to have a family night where relationships can
be strengthened and things can be discussed.
8.
Parents
should share their thoughts and feelings with their children. They, in turn, will feel that they can do the
same.
9.
Children
should always feel that their parents love them.
Sex education is done differently in every single family, and I
think that that is a great thing! It
probably depends on the child and on the family how it is done, but I know that
it needs to be a priority in any
family. I believe that these
conversations will protect our children, help them to be prepared for intimate
relationships that they will have in the future, and will ultimately strengthen
our relationships with them.
-Britt
