How Can Parents Teach Their Children About Sex?
The Bible’s answer
Who should teach children about sex? The Bible assigns parents this responsibility, and many parents have found the following suggestions to be helpful:
Don’t be embarrassed. The Bible is frank about sex and the genital organs, and God told the nation of Israel that “the little ones” should be taught about such matters. (Deuteronomy 31:12; Leviticus 15:2, 16-19) You can use respectful terms that do not treat sex or the body’s private parts as shameful.
Educate progressively. Rather than having a onetime big talk about sex when your child approaches puberty, share details progressively as your child is able to understand them.—1 Corinthians 13:11.
Teach moral standards. Schools might provide some sex education for children. However, the Bible encourages parents to instruct their children in not just the physical aspects of sexual matters but also the right attitudes and conduct regarding sex.—Proverbs 5:1-23.
Listen to your child. Don’t overreact or jump to conclusions if your child asks questions about sex. Instead, be “swift about hearing, slow about speaking.”—James 1:19.
How to protect your child from sexual predators
Teach your child to resist if he or she is ever faced with a molester
Educate yourself. Learn how a typical abuser operates.—Proverbs 18:15; see chapter 32 of the book Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, Volume 1.
Stay involved in your child’s life. Don’t just put him in someone’s care without determining if that person is trustworthy, and do not allow your child to be “let on the loose.”—Proverbs 29:15.
Teach a balanced view of obedience. Children need to learn to obey their parents. (Colossians 3:20) Yet, if you teach your child that he must always obey any adult, you make him vulnerable to abuse. Christian parents can say to their child, “If anybody tells you to do something that God says is wrong, don’t do it.”—Acts 5:29.
Practice simple protective steps. Help your child to learn what to do in case someone tries to take advantage of him or her when you’re not there. Acting out brief scenarios can give your child the confidence to say “Stop that! I’m going to tell on you!” and to get away quickly. You may need to remind “your children over and over again,” since they can easily forget.—Deuteronomy 6:7, Contemporary English Version.
