Sex education with my children
When I was growing up my Mother never talked about sex. Not once. The question is, how did I learn? Well my sex education was learned in my local woods or park! Practising seemed a much better way to learn and in truth a lot more fun.
Did I know about safe sex and STI’s though? No, my god that was never mentioned.
My school? Well we had the standard sex education lesson held in the school hall for the entire year which was told to us by a very nervous teacher looking very uncomfortable while 200 children sniggered every time he mentioned penis or vagina and it lasted about 20 minutes. It elt more like a biology lesson. Loads learnt there then, back to the local park for a real lesson!
With my older children I decided that as soon as they were in high school I would be very open about sex and probably didn’t hold anything back because it appeared to me that nothing had really changed in sex education lessons.
Personally I think being open with my older children has paid off because they come to me to talk about anything. I have always talked about the consequences of unprotected sex and never held back because ultimately you cannot and will not stop your children at the age they decide, so it’s important that they are prepared with all the knowledge.
Unfortually we live in a world with some very evil people and we believe as parents it’s very important that our four year old twins are educated about sex the way we believe it should be.
My wife was having a conversation with them the other night and talking about body parts and as I was listening I was fascinated. My wife was talking about their boobies, foo’s and bums and that nobody is allowed to touch them except themselves which I have to say I think they had a possible understanding of what my wife said.
The conservation carried on and my wife asked the girls do you know what the real real name for foo is, of course neither did so she said well it’s called a vagina to which R said isn’t your birthday in vagina?!
I was sitting in the the lounge and the girls came into the room dancing around to a very loud chorus of vagina, vagina, vagina! It was very funny, but also a good way to learn about their bodies. Plus by using words like vagina teaches the girls that it’s a normal word and they shouldn’t be embarrassed saying it.
But at the tender age of nearly four, a little information about their bodies is good grounding to start and we can gradually talk to them about sex as they get older.
Would love you to know what you think.
9 Comments
Katie Davies
February 15, 2016 at 7:46 am
Very honest post
I think it's always best to be open and honest so you gain that good relationship where they can feel like they can talk to you about anything
Mrs Tubbs
February 15, 2016 at 11:59 am
It's good to start teaching them these things when they're young as you can share more information as and when as they get older. 🙂
This Mum’s Life
February 15, 2016 at 1:51 pm
This is a really great post, and definitely one that I agree with, and think others can learn from! I really agree with early sex education, and especially normalising words like penis and vagina in very little ones! My 2 boys, at 3 and 2, still insist on accompanying me to the toilet, so I'm already answering questions about the differences in our bodies! My mum pushed the safe sex message with us from a very young age, and I always felt I could ask her anything, and I want the same for my boys. I did chuckle a little that you learnt from practicing in the park! But it looks like both of our families will have a little more insight when the time comes!! Great topic to post about, and your family are super gorgeous! Thank you for linking up to the very first #bigpinklink!
Michelle Kellogg
February 15, 2016 at 3:00 pm
I started talking to my kids about their bodies at about 4 or 5 years old. I felt that it was important for them to know their bodies so that they aren't ashamed (I have boys and maybe boys aren't taught to be ashamed but I wanted to make sure) and I taught them about good touch/bad touch, a technique I learned while studying child development in college. I think it's important to teach our kids as young as we can but it's also equally important, as you did with your oldest kids, to keep the communication lines open. My boys know they can come to me and to their father. Great post! Popping over from #thebigpinklinky
Sarah Howe
February 15, 2016 at 8:38 pm
I agree totally. It's so important. If my daughter asks me, I will explain and be open. They need to know and like you have been lucky with; your children have been open and come to you for advice. I hope I'm the same xx #bigpinklink
elainem
February 15, 2016 at 9:33 pm
Love the vagina dance! I giggled at that – I totally agree that the way to introduce things to our children is in a casual conversation rather than sitting down and having "that talk" I didn't get that talk or any talk very similar to yourself.
Anita Cleare
February 17, 2016 at 8:03 am
The NSPCC has a great campaign called PANTS which is all about how to talk to young children about this stuff. I absolutely agree that children should know the real words – you might not use those words every day but it's important they know them. #bestandworst
thebutterflymother
February 17, 2016 at 9:35 am
"Isn't your birthday in vagina?" Ha ha ha!
I completely agree though. I plan to be as open as possible with my son from an early age – especially about STIs and unwanted pregnancy etc. Want him to feel able to talk to me. Thanks for sharing #bestandworst
Sarah Howe
February 17, 2016 at 8:35 pm
Back from #bestandworst xx Thanks!