FINAL TSTO Lesa Dec 14.pdf - Flipbook - Page 38
4. LET’s TALK: Tips For Talking About Sex
1. Start early. Practice talking about sexual matters
before the children reach an age when they are
reluctant to discuss the topic.
2. Talk often. Cover the same subject lots of times.
A general pattern of openly ‘chatting’ about sexual
issues will stick and create a feeling of closeness
and comfort talking about sex.
3. Answer questions honestly and simply. Just a little
bit of information is OK because you can always
come back to it (and you should).
4. Do not wait for your child to ask questions. They
might never ask, but they still need to know. If they
haven’t said anything to you by the time they are
10 then shyness or embarrassment is likely to stop
them from this point on. Create conversations —
use books, characters in TV shows, stories from
your own life.
5. Good communication needs two-way talk, not
one-way lectures.
6. It’s never too late to start. If the kids and you are
feeling self-conscious, avoid eye contact and start
a conversation when you’re in the car, washing
the dishes or going for a walk.
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7. Practice saying these words out loud: vulva, vagina,
clitoris, penis, testes, scrotum, breasts, nipples. Get
used to using the proper names for sexual body parts
right from the start. That doesn’t mean you can’t use the
words ‘winkie’ or ‘willy’, but it helps you and your child to
be more matter of fact about these issues.
8. Increase your comfort with using words like gay and
lesbian. Inclusive language can open up conversations.
Regardless of your child’s sexuality, they may have
friends who are same-sex attracted or whose families
are.
