When people first think about talking to their children about sex most will imagine an older child and just one conversation. After a ton of research, my own personal experience and education, I can say this is not a good idea! Children are conceived as sexual beings and begin to explore their bodies even before they enter the world. Starting very young, when the child is starting to explore where different body parts are, we can arm our children with the best science ever… Body Science. The accurate names for all parts of their body, including the genitals, boosts confidence and self awareness and has been shown to be a major deterrent for sexual predators. That is enough for this momma! But there is more. When we start talking about sex and bodies at an early age we open a door for our children to trust us with this topic. They trust us to answer their questions honestly without embarrassment. As we keep talking about it, they keep coming to us to ask questions and we become an Askable Adult. I want my boys to have at least 3 or 4 askable adults in their lives, two of which will be myself and partner. Read more about what an askable adult is here: https://www.optionsforsexualhealth.org/education/askable-adult
While there are a great number of books on this subject the one I really fell in love with is by Meg Hickling called “Speaking of Sex: What your children need to know and when they need to know it”. She outlines what information is important to know by age groups and development. She seriously inspired me! I purchased her picture book for 5 year olds and the whole series of Its Not The Stork a series that was on The Today Show. I started talking to my oldest and was so excited by his curiosity and genuine need to know.
After 2.5 years of using this approach I felt a strong need to share this with others. I’ve begun offering introductory workshops for parents or caregivers on how to use the Body Science method for 0-5 year olds. Getting parents, caregivers, preschool teachers, daycare providers on board with this simple approach will have long lasting positive effects! I only teach what I love and this approach to body awareness and sex education is fantastic!
In my 2 hour Body Science Introductory Workshop I cover:
- What every child should know by age 5 and why
- Beginning resources for parents to start talking to their children
- How to handle difficult questions
- Building a culture of consent and using teachable moments
If you are interested please email me to set up a workshop!