It's never too early to talk about sexual health.
Did you know that discussions on sexuality can and should begin with children as young as 2 years of age!
Natural curiosity at this early age about the names of body parts and where babies come from are common questions. Most importantly, your response to these early questions indicates to your child weather or not you are willing and open to talk about other important aspects of sexual health. Being comfortable with early talks help to pave the way for easier discussions on the changes of and life decisions common at puberty.
Lifelong Process
Sex education is a lifelong process of building a strong foundation for one's sexual health. Sex education involves more than sexual development and reproductive health; it encompasses interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy, body image, values and gender roles. Education on sexuality can come from a wide range of sources including home, school, peers, media and religious institutions.
Of major importance is the sex education that takes place in the home. Parents are a child's first source of sexual health learning. This important role begins in infancy and as children go though each stage of growth and development, parents can provide the vital education and guidance that is needed to make healthy sexual choices.
Observation plus conversation
Sexuality education involves more than conversations. It includes observations of parents' interactions with the child, each other and other adults. Infants and toddlers learn about sexuality though interactions with their parents, such as the way parents talk to them, dress them, cuddle them and play with them. During these interactions, a parent’s action or expression lets the child know how the parent feels about the body. Positive attitudes lead to learning that the body part and function are normal and natural. Even if the biological aspects of sexuality are not discussed at this stage, these early interactions are important for setting the stage for future sexual learning in which the child feels comfortable coming to the parent with questions.
For pre-school children, curiosity about body parts and their functions becomes evident around 2 to 3 years of age. The use of everyday occurrences in which the child’s natural curiosity leads to questions is an excellent opportunity to begin talking. Such occurrences are bath time, getting dressed or the parents or a friend’s pregnancy. During these talks the use of correct names for all the body parts, including the reproductive ones is vitally important. Words like penis, vulva and breast should be used the same way as eyes, elbow or stomach. Correct words help the child become comfortable with their bodies and trust the parents to provide accurate sexual health information.
Children want you to talk to them
When asked, many young people want their parents to be their most important source of sexual health information. Unfortunately, many parents reserve the initiation of sexual education until adolescence rather than beginning at a much younger age. It is usually difficult for parents to have comfortable conversations on sexual topics with their adolescent children if open lines of communication on sexual matters have not been well established during childhood.
Resources
The Thunder Bay Teen Pregancy Coalition conducted a Sexual Health Survey Result 2003
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit's Sexual Health Program offers support to parents/guardians in their role as primary sexuality educators of their children. The following resources are available through the Health Unit's Audio-Visual Library:
"Sex Spelled Out for Parents" - a series of 3 videos designed to assist parents in talking to their children at each stage of sexual development, suitable for ages 3 to 14.
Pamphlets to help parents communicate more effectively with their child at each stage of growth and development, starting at age 2 to 15.
In addition, Public Health Nurses are available for any questions you may have.
Contact the Thunder Bay District Health Unit at 625-5976 for more information.