Will you teach your kids about sex?

[Chexley]

I happened to walk into my mother's office yesterday and saw a replay of Oprah and how she and her crew were discussing how far should parents go when it comes to teaching their children about sex and feeling good.

Well, there was a follow up this morning where the majority of the audience said that it's a lot easier to have it brought indirectly so they can ease into it. One of the women on the panel had her six-year-old daughter walk in on her and her husband making love. She said her husband was tickling her while her husband explained they were having sex.

I'm curious as to how my beloved ATG would react to that: if their child (currently or hypothetical) wanted to know about sex and what parts of the body control it, etc.

I, myself, never had the sit down with my parents. I'm sure I will here soon, but that's not the point. xd I learned sex through romance novels and health class. After a while, having grown a bit older and curious about pornography, I would watch the Playboy channel every now and again. Everything I want to know, I have to look up on the computer because my parents are uncomfortable telling me about these things (at least, that's what I'm assuming).

So, I want to know what you guys have to say about this. You can go off onto tangents, I don't mind. Just have fun with this; don't get too serious~  

[Taeryyn]

My mom's idea of "the talk" was to hand me a medical encyclopedia with certain pages bookmarked.

I do not ever want to have children, so I sincerely hope this is never something I have to deal with. =/ I wouldn't have the first clue what to say.  

[Chexley]

Lol, I would love to have an encyclopedia. I don't.

It was a serious pain when I wanted to learn about the reproductive system in biology and what not with all the other kids giggling behind their hands.

I would totally sit my kids down and tell them about stuff. I don't want to hide things from them.  

[124-C]

"Sex is for after marriage only, as such there is no reason to discuss it."

...I learned about it on my own...  

[Chexley]

That's one of those things that irritated me. I'm sure my parents would LOVE it if I waited to have sex until I was married. I got bitchy with them once and said that because I would never get married, that I would never have sex. They laughed and were like, "Alright!"  

[Taeryyn]

I think my mother would be mortified if I asked her about sex.

Especially since I'm 22. x3  

[lazycommie]

If they asked, yes. I'd be frank with them, maybe even pull out my medical encyclopedia.

if they didn't ask, then no.  

[Kalstolyn]

I never had the sit down awkward lecture from my parents. I did, however, get a lot of information from them, like when I was young, I had a general idea of where babies came from, and I knew my hamster couldn't have baby hamsters unless there was a daddy hamster, because my mom explained that to me when I was like... 4. The mechanics of sex, I learned about mostly from talking to kids on the playground -- there is a lot of underground mythology and speculation surrounding sex among school-aged children.

My parents have always been very open and willing to answer any questions I might have regarding sex. they of course don't want me to have sex until I'm married, but they have always thought the best way to encourage that would be to demystify it so I wouldn't need to find out via experimentation. On the other hand, they never told me anything I didn't ask to know. Unless I brought up the subject, sex wasn't really discussed.

I like my parents' approach. Were I to have children, I would probably do the same thing they did.  

[Chexley]

Ah~ The wonders of hamsters. whee  

[Erverain]

I don't think I'd be able to comfortably talk to kids about this sort of thing. If it was a boy, I'd probably just tell him straight out when he hits puberty. If it's a girl, I say leave it to their mother. I would feel far, far too awkward. Guys just don't like talking about these things...  

[Taeryyn]

Why Tae will never be a father

Dear Daughter:
You're uh...growing up now, so we need to have...uhm....a talk. You may notice things will start changing. Like, body-wise...

In regards to that...I would suggest visiting Tampax.com or whatever. Yeah. Or uhhh. Just Google it, on safe-search, 'kay?

Now, about guys...
Just...no. Keep your legs closed. If you absolutely...must...get involved...with someone, well...

I hear lesbianism is really cool! What with the low pregnancy rate and all...

So yeah. Just uh...if you have any questions...uh....remember that website. 'Kay? 'Kay!

 

[Sanzoskitsune]

I will probably take my parents approach to the sex talk. Sit my child down when they're about 12, tell them about the mechanics of sex, tell them all I know about safe sex and remind them that if they wish to have sex they can, as long as they come to me first so we can have a long discussion to see if they are ready.... Funny enough that has kept me a virgin for the last 11 years xd

Seriously, my parents open approach has kept me.. well pretty informed. I even beat one of my guy friends on this mini-quiz they were giving us at a health fair about how someone can catch AIDS. I was spouting the correct answers one right after the other without pausing while he was standing there hesitating at each one. It was kind of funny. I know what gets you pregnant, what doesn't and to some extent how useful protection can be. Obviously, never having done the deed, I don't know that area of stuff very well. I know where the pleasure points are supposed to be... Yeah I know too much xd  

[invisible-weirdo]

My parents never talked about any of this with me. (Then again, I never asked, but I doubt they would've told me anything anyway.) The closest to any sort of 'talk' I received growing up was when my dad told me (in a fairly serious voice >.>) when I was like....10 or younger that if I ever get a boyfriend, he'd hunt him down and kill him. stare Good ol' Dad. But yeah. When the time finally came that sex had to be addressed, my mom really just assumed that I had learned all this from somewhere at this point (which I did. Like Kals said, you learn a lot from classmates...) and pretty much only said, 'While I would prefer you to wait, I know that it's not my decision and I can't really do anything to stop you.' She then proceeded to set up appointments for me so I can get a birth control prescription.

If I had kids, and they asked me, I'd probably try my hardest to avoid the issue either by saying 'you're not old enough just yet' or 'ask your dad.' But if they really wanted me to tell them, then I would. Once they're past a certain age though >.> Probably when they're nearing high school....maybe.

(Hell, my little brother asks me to explain sexual innuendo so he can get the joke, but I always tell him '.....It's not my place to explain that to you.' >.>; )  

[Surazal Dloc]

I agree with Erv, If I had a son I think it would be easier to tell him then if I had a daughter. But I'd also throw in a threat to make sure he doesn't hurt any girls etc.

And there is this double sided thing. Some people believe children should have sex explained to them so they have more knowledge of it and are less likely to have sex, or at least be safe about it. And then there are those who believe that teaching them about sex tells them that its ok to hvave sex as long as they are safe about it and genrally jsut gives them the idea to have sex, whereas if they didn't teach them about it they wouldn't have any idea what sex is and therefore not do it, but even if that were the case, someone who does no about sex would probably approach this person showing them what a "good time" it would be and then and basically manipulating that person. So it hard to know what to do.

I found this interesting news report on this topic actually.  

[Sanzoskitsune]

That was freakin awesome Laz xd I highly approve of that video.

Anyway, my problem with the mentality of "don't tell them about it and they'll never do it" is that well.. they WILL find out about it and get wrong information. If it really was that simple then well it would be an okay approach to take but kids do always find out about sex. I dunno, that approach always seems kind of... misguided, naive and obviously not fully thought out.