Should Parents answer their children's question about sexual topics honestly?

[Aloe Crane]

I grew up in a society where parents are never free to discuss the topic of sex with their children. It was difficult for me to ever discuss such issues with my parents. I agree with the author that parents should teach their children about sex at an early age. This also protects children from sexual abuse as they will feel free to discuss the issues with their parents.

Yes!!! That's the main point of educating children!!! If children are aware that they can be taken advantage of, wouldn't they be more likely to talk about it to someone if they know it's wrong?

[Aloe Crane]

I agree that parents should be honest in answering their children's questions about anything, including sex. One of the things I like about this book is the first chapter which clearly describes the physiology of male and female reproduction and the process of creating a pregnancy. As adults and parents, we know how it goes, but how many of us can honestly say we have a sound knowledge of all these details? Understanding the technology of sex makes it much easier for us to be honest with our children and provide reasonable answers that won't confuse them.

That's true! It explains it in a relatively good way, mostly facts.

[Aloe Crane]

Parents should be indeed honest, but in no way be explicit in their explanations. A child may be curious as to how the human reproductive system works, and parents may give their children a summary of the function of the system. However, the major problem arrives when your teen daughter asks you if she's old enough to have sex. How can one, that is a father, have the courage to sit down his daughter and give her a lesson on the dangers of adolescent sex without saddening her?

I guess that's up to the parent, though it is a really difficult problem to discuss. The best thing you can do in that situation is educate them on how to be safe if they DO decide to have sex. Teach her how to have safe sex, avoid teenage pregnancies, and how to say no in many situations. This would probably make her feel like she can come to you as a parent and source of information and comfort. If you want to completely bar her from having sex without reasoning, it'll likely make her want to more, or just in secret. For this reason, for our children, we have to be honest in our reasoning. I've heard the saying that children are adults, just without the experience. Children are a lot smarter than we give them credit for! Again, the best thing a parent can do, is just to be there for your child and not judge them harshly.

[Aloe Crane]

I think you did what you ought to do as a parent. Lying to them or refusing to engage them with such questions will lead to seeking the anders somewhere else, and what they learn outside may be destructively dangerous. Again, their confidence in discussing other issues will decrease.

You have a major point! This can make it dangerous in the long run, right? Because then as a parent, they have no trust in you.

[Alex Reeves]

That's absolutely right. Thanks for your contribution.

[Itz Savaga]

I grew up in a household where nothing about sex was hidden from me and my siblings, and that, without a doubt, helped us make informed decisions about sex and our bodies in general. Peer pressure go nothing on us because our parents already taught us from home, so yeah, I agree that parents should answer their children's questions on sex honestly.

[Nyam Bura]

Yes!!! That's the main point of educating children!!! If children are aware that they can be taken advantage of, wouldn't they be more likely to talk about it to someone if they know it's wrong?

Exactly! Nothing would be painful to a parent like knowing that your child was taken advantage of, but they could not talk about it with you. We can all avoid this if we were open from the beginning. People forget that a child's mental health is better catered for when they are young.

[Akshi Porwal]

People have a lot of questions while growing up. In today's world, kids will find multiple sources online that might provide them with the wrong information so it is necessary for the parents to provide the correct information.

[Annas Felix]

I think answering sexual questions from children requires wisdom. Books like these can help parents come up with smart strategies to talk about sex with their kids.

[Crs webco]

I believe that parents should absolutely answer questions from their children on all topics, especially about sex, as honestly as possible. Their children will get the answers to their questions somewhere else if their parents don't answer....peers, friends, co-workers, "the street". All of these other sources of "information" can be real or can perhaps lead to catastrophic results for young lives.

[Donna Walker]

I absolutely believe that parents should speak with their children about sex proactively, and then they should answer questions as they arise. My mother tried to teach us, and ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I mean, we learned, but it was awkward. HAHA!

Same with my mum! It was sooooooooo awkward! I remember 11-year-old me looking at my mum while she tried to teach my sister and I about "the birds and the bees" and bluntly saying, " Mum, we have Sex Education class at school. Please stop." She definitely approached the subject a year or two too late.

[Brenda Creech]

I do agree with this, although age also does play a big role in this. At a too young age, I also believe this can create n curiosity that shouldn't be there yet, although, in today's life, children sometimes know more than I do as an adult. So honesty is definite, but look at how you word it.

Absolutely! But, children are probably going to be asking at earlier ages based on what they are being taught in schools today! But, I agree with you on looking at how you word it! Thanks for commenting!

[Brenda Creech]

I absolutely believe that parents should speak with their children about sex proactively, and then they should answer questions as they arise. My mother tried to teach us, and ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I mean, we learned, but it was awkward. HAHA!

Same with my mum! It was sooooooooo awkward! I remember 11-year-old me looking at my mum while she tried to teach my sister and I about "the birds and the bees" and bluntly saying, " Mum, we have Sex Education class at school. Please stop." She definitely approached the subject a year or two too late.

My mother didn't sit me down and actually explain anything to me! She was very shy. I had three older sisters, so she must have thought I would learn by watching and listening to them!

[Brenda Creech]

I believe that parents should absolutely answer questions from their children on all topics, especially about sex, as honestly as possible. Their children will get the answers to their questions somewhere else if their parents don't answer....peers, friends, co-workers, "the street". All of these other sources of "information" can be real or can perhaps lead to catastrophic results for young lives.

Absolutely! I am a firm believer that the information should come from the parents! Thanks for commenting!

[Hubre De Klerk]

I do agree with this, although age also does play a big role in this. At a too young age, I also believe this can create n curiosity that shouldn't be there yet, although, in today's life, children sometimes know more than I do as an adult. So honesty is definite, but look at how you word it.

Absolutely! But, children are probably going to be asking at earlier ages based on what they are being taught in schools today! But, I agree with you on looking at how you word it! Thanks for commenting!

I agree with you, but not only for that, most of today's kids are plastered on TVs, tablets, and phones. Unfortunately, these aren't always monitored and this also has an effect on children's early curiosities.