Teaching Human Sexuality
When it comes to sex, parents are often stumped as to what they should talk with their teenagers about, and what they can leave out. This type of talk is easy for some parents, but many have a very hard time talking about it. What parents should know is that the more teens know about human sexuality, the better they will understand why they have some of the feelings that they have, and what they should and should not do about them. Sometimes, just knowing what something means can take away some of the stress of growing up.
Teens that know little to nothing about human sexuality can become almost panicked when new feelings occur. They may think there is something wrong with them and that they are different from their peers. If they know why they are feelings as they do, and that it is something that everyone else goes through, they can then take what happens in stride. Think about a girl getting her period for the first time. If she knows what it is, she simply takes care of it. However, the girl that has no idea what is happening is going to have some major trauma, and may even think she is dying.
There is more to human sexuality than just the mechanics of what happens to the body as far as physical signs. There can be some shame involved with sexual feelings, especially when they are new. What parents say about this can determine how a teenager handles and feels about sex for the rest of their lives. If they are taught about sex, what sex means, and how to respect their bodies, they are going to make better decisions. Some will still make bad choices, but at least you gave them something to work with when deciding what to do about their feelings and human sexuality.
We are bombarded with sexual images all of the time. It would seem that the world revolves around sex, and that can be confusing to some teens. They may think that if they are not having sex, they are missing out. This is when human sexuality can be very confusing. Parents can’t decide for their children, but they can do all that can to help them learn what it is all about. There are some great books on human sexuality out there, and you may even be able to get some information on talking with your teens if you look around online. It’s never an easy talk to have, but it is one that you have to have.
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