Talking To Young Kids About Sex

Talking to Young Kids About Sex doesn’t have to be complicated! Learn about a new and exciting way that it can be super simple, yet educational and eye-opening for everyone!

Disclosure: This post has been compensated through a partnership with AMAZE and Women Online. 

WHERE DO BABIES COME FROM?

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OMG! My four year old wants to take about SEX!

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LA LA LA LA LA! THIS ISN’T HAPPENING. NOPE! WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS.

HOLD UP A SECOND! Breathe! 

Let’s rewind 20,30, 40 years ago to when we were kids.  *Most* (not all) of our parents refused to even come close to this conversation. Our male and female reproductive organs had funny names like “sussie” and “pee-pee”. Babies came from storks. And you weren’t allowed to even date until you were 55. I know not all households were like this, but it describes mine and so many of those I know.  Shoot, my mother still gets uncomfortable when my now 3 and 5 year olds say penis and vagina. I remember getting my period and having no idea what was happening or how it played into the overall reproduction system. I remember any sexual exploration was a sin and not only wasn’t discussed, but was shunned. It lead to a host of problems over my teenage years.

I knew when I became a parent, things would be different.  And even though I only have a toddler and a pre-schooler, it already has been.  Both of my girls know that babies grow in your belly, but often times comes out of your vagina (unless an emergency). They know to call reproductive organs penises and vaginas, and that there’s nothing weird about those, just like there is nothing weird about a shoulder or leg. And they know that every month, I have a menstrual cycle and that one day they also will.

We literally teach our kids everything.  So, why should this be any different?

We teach them though play.

We teach them through physical actions and showing them.

And we teach them through conversations in a messy living room while doing everything else we have to do. About everything in life from how to treat each other to their ABCs to exploring sexuality.

It Still Hasn’t Been Easy

Despite me knowing that I wanted to do better, doesn’t mean that everything has been easy either.  I (and their dad) are trying our best to navigate this in ways that we weren’t taught. That means, however, they we have to break down our own stereotypes, misconceptions, and uneasiness. They are young, so we haven’t had a ton of questions, but they are starting to pop up more and more. “but how does the baby get inside a mama’s belly?” and “but I don’t want to bleed like you” are recent things that happened. I know that in the next few years, more exploration or their own bodies and more questions are going to happened. And they aren’t necessarily going to be any easier. So what can we do?

Insert AMAZE! 

Almost two years ago, AMAZE launched to help provide accurate and inclusive sex ed videos for 10-14 year olds. Backed by leaders in the sexual health space, it takes a look at the basics and more complicated aspects of sex ed. Some of the topics are gender expression, sexual orientation, gender identity, and puberty. The topics are explored in a series of short animated videos geared towards this age.

But what about my age kids?  I don’t want to wait until 10 to have these conversations.  I want them to start now and I want them to learn factual information. Also, by them learning now, and through their parents, it forces us to be the primary sexuality educators. It opens dialogue from an early age and then the hope is that our girls will come to us throughout the years for more information, questions, concerns. Always keeping that line of communication open that I didn’t have is the goal.

AMAZE Parent Playlist

This summer AMAZE has introduced the Parent Playlist geared for parents of children 4-9 years old. In a series of videos, it helps parents engage and answer young children’s questions in an open and honest format. And most importantly, an age-appropriate way.

Topics on the Parent Playlist include:

• “Where Do Babies Come From”
• “How Do you Talk to Young Kids About Sex”
• “Is Playing Doctor OK”
• What If They Don’t Ask
• and more

Here’s an example video:

There are currently 10 animated videos in the AMAZE Parent Playlist that help parents know how best to talk with children about sex, healthy relationships, and growing up.

It’s time to get over our fear and embarrassment to raise this generation in an easy way. I’ve already watched some of the videos and I’m already loving what I’ve learned, how to explain it age-appropriately, and that sometimes (MOST OF THE TIME) we are over analyzing the questions that we are being asked. I love that AMAZE gives me a different way to look at things and makes talking to young kids about sex so much easier.

 

Head over to AMAZE website and start watching the videos on the Parent Playlist. Or if you have older children, please let them watch the older videos! 

Please share this information and the website with your friends so they too can help feel easier about speaking to their kids!

You can also Follow @AMAZEParents on Facebook or @AMAZEorg on Pinterest