A father realizes that he should have done his homework before trying to talk to his son about the birds and the bees.
With summer starting to wind down, many people are getting into the back-to-school mindset. Think back to your health/sex ed class days. What was it like? What messages did you receive? Over the decades, there have been some big shifts in the way we approach sexuality. “Non-binary, agender, intergender, FTX, gender fluid people. There’s more than just boys and girls now, Dad. And they’re not girls; they’re women.”
I love this clip from Comedy Central’s Alternatino. While I do not believe talking with your child about sexuality is just one conversation, this clip is a great example of the generational differences that can pop up when we have conversations about this topic. We have a lot to learn from each other. However, the main message is that we are all sexual beings and have the right to comprehensive, medically accurate, and age-appropriate sexuality education.
Also, major studies report that good parent-child communication around sexuality results in positive effects for children, including:
- delayed initiation of sexual intercourse
- increased self-reliance and self-esteem
- lower sexual risk behaviors
- and better contraception use
We are here to help since we know that talking with your children about sexuality can be a difficult task. Check out our 4-module online course, Talking With Your Kids: Developmental Disabilities and Sexuality, which offers a nuts-and-bolts approach to discussing sexuality and responding to behaviors. Like so many others, you will come away feeling more skillful, comfortable, and confident.