Parents and The Talk

Parents, What Do You Want Your Children to Know About Sex? 

I began to write this section with a focus on high school students; however, times have changed.  Students in elementary school are engaging in sexual activity.  It does not matter where they learned it,  the fact is, some children, as young as eight and nine years old are having sex.  Some elementary schools are even issuing condoms to fifth graders.  Early puberty is creating situations unheard of even 10 years ago.  Many parents feel that sexual education should be taught in the home; however, many students are not getting the information, and schools must make some difficult decisions as they struggle to education students who have babies and HIV/AIDs.

For some parents, sexual education usually comes down to  one simple statement: "Don't get pregnant."  Many boys don't even get that.  Therefore, schools must provide information to help students navigate this very sensitive issue.  "The Talk" is an awkward topic for many parents; and many health teachers have to be careful about how they present their lessons.  Health and sexual education teachers have a curriculum; however, some parents may not give their children permission to attend these classes.  

Parents and educators need resources to help young people stay informed about their bodies and their sexuality.  States are approaching this topic in different ways.