4 minutes 4 change – Sex talk

MOST people on planet earth right now are here because of one act, the act of copulation – otherwise known as sex. I say ‘most’ because some women are able to have babies through artificial insemination. Even though most of us are products of the ‘sexual act’ some adults clearly have a serious issue about imparting the knowledge of sex and reproduction to their children although it really is such a natural on-going process. Babies are born, grow old and die and we make more babies to replace them.It is so easy to want to say to adults who find it hard to talk to children about sex, ‘Get over it! This is 2016, the average 10 year old probably knows more about sex than you do’. But the truth is, if you were brought up in a household where sex or anything associated with it was a big ‘taboo’ then you probably need some help in getting your mind and thoughts into prospective. And if you have children, the day will come when you will need to have that ‘all important’ conversation, about the ‘birds and the bees’ as it is often classically portrayed.

Here are some pointers to help you:
* Be open with your child from very young; answer any questions your child may ask about reproduction or their sexual organs in a child-friendly, child-appropriate way. Don’t fob them off with excuses or through embarrassment.
* There are several child appropriate books or web sites where parents and children can find out about reproduction and parents can learn how and when to approach the subject . The concept is only as ‘taboo’ as you make it.
* Having an open discussion with your teenage child, doesn’t mean that he/she will automatically want to have sex. But it does show that you care enough about your child’s emotional, psychological and physical well-being to make sure they have accurate information.
* Be aware of the natural progression of a child’s body. Some children are slow developers, while others have a growth spurt and seem to mature overnight. If relevant information is imparted in a timely manner, the child will understand why and how their body is changing and preparing for its reproduction function.
* Explain to your child that this stage of their life is for learning and developing. Once they are fully grown and established they can then make informed choices about a life-long partner, and intimate relationships.
* You must put things in prospective for your child, firstly to respect his/her developing body, secondly to value their education and cherish these developmental years and thirdly to realise that the sky is the limit, they can achieve anything in life that they put their mind to.

Young people and children need to be guided, as sexual lyrics, sex in movies and sexual paraphernalia seem to be everywhere we turn, and we can’t brush it under the carpet. Sex is part of our physical make up, we have sexual organs and at one point or another during our lifetime we will use them, but parents need to hit home the fact that the time for sexual activity is not during developmental or adolescent years.
So we are calling on fathers and mothers, not excluding grandparents and caregivers to let us make an effort to inform our children at the appropriate time, in the correct way, so they will make the right decisions in life for the good of their health, their sense of well-being and for a positive future.

If you are concerned about a child you can call the CPA hotline 227 0979 or email chilcaregy@gmail.com

A Message from the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ministry of Social Protection.

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