Talking To Kids About Sex
Most parents are uncomfortable thinking about the word “sex” in relation to their children. But sexual health is just part of being a healthy human being. We all want our children to grow into adults who find pleasure in their sexuality and are responsible in their sexual lives. Unfortunately, we live in a very sexualized culture, and protecting our kids from outside influences is almost impossible. Our job as parents is to correct misinformation, help our kids maintain positive feelings about their bodies, and process any feelings that come up for them when they get messages about sex that are unhealthy. With a little thought, we can help our children develop a positive view of sex and of their own bodies, learn what behaviors are socially appropriate, and learn respect for the bodies of others.
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Talking to Kids About Sex: Age by Age Guide
Most parents don’t want to consider the word “sex” in relation to their child. But protecting kids from abuse means giving them information about their bodies, about sexuality, about your values. It means making your family a safe place to ask questions and share their worries and experiences.
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What Every Parent Needs to Know to Keep Your Child Safe From Sexual Abuse
Most parents worry about how to protect their children in a world that sometimes seems so dangerous. As with any other danger, protecting our kids from risk starts with understanding those risks.
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Porn-Proof Your Child
It's upsetting for parents to hear, but if your child has online access, they will eventually see porn. Statistically speaking, most children stumble across porn by the age of eight, and certainly by the age of eleven. So before that first exposure, you need to be sure you have adequate parental controls on your devices, and you need to educate your child about porn.
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What To Call Child's Genitals?
Dr. Laura,
We have a 22 month old daughter who has begun exploring her body. What do I call her body parts - specifically her genitals - private parts, girly parts, vagina? What would be best for her psychologically?
Is 6 Year Old's Sexual Behavior Inappropriate?
Hi Dr. Laura. I am having some issues with my 6 year old son. He is all about being inappropriate lately. His new word is nipples, and he has gotten himself into trouble a few times at home using it incessantly. The other day he went so far as to say he wanted to kiss his sister's nipples! He will come up to me and pat my butt or my boob, and when he hugs me sometimes I notice he will strategically put his face or hand on my boob. Last year in kindergarten he got in trouble for pinching a little girls butt, and this year a boy on his bus gave him a drawing of two naked people that said "I love sex" on it. This is all really uncomfortable for me, and I am not sure how to handle it, or if it's even normal behavior. I would really appreciate any advice. Thanks, Erica.
4 year old boy prefers girly clothing
Dr. Laura,
My son is going to turn 4 in a week. He's always had a very active imagination. Our concern is that he is still pretending that he is a girl characters at times. I recently picked him up from daycare and he was wearing a princess dress and some of the older kids were making fun of him. He does also pretend to be different superheroes such as Thor etc. He also wants to play with princess dolls etc. I'm just not really sure how to handle all of this and my husband is having somewhat of a rough time with it. He is doing the best he can with it. I love my son no matter what, but it breaks my heart when I hear other kids making fun of him. We did explain to him that some boys don't want to play with girl toys and so when he is with the neighbor boys he plays superheroes and soccer.
Thank you!
-Clav
Mom discovers child has been sexually abused. What now?
Dr. Laura,
I recently discovered that a relative has been abusing my elementary-school age son for some time now. We are seeing a counselor but I'm wondering how best to help my son deal with his experiences, how to support my husband who is devastated that he did not protect his child from abuse, how to stop blaming myself, and how to provide a positive environment for my younger children while dealing with this trauma. Thank you.
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Janina-Madalina Dobrescu
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Dana Questad
