It’s never too early to talk to kids about sex

Sex might be a topic some people take for granted and even joke about. But I wonder; do they find it that funny when it comes to talking to their kids? All that so called experience they thought they had goes out the door faster than a speeding bullet! Parents are supposed to be the kids’ first teacher. Everything that a child learns in life should be passed onto them by their parents and then teachers. It’s a great way to bond with them and also save them the trouble of being asked, ‘Didn’t your mama teach you anything?’ On one of Oprah Winfrey’s shows, she talked about kids and when the right time to talk to them about sex is. You’ll be shocked by how much a six-year-old knew. The simple truth is you can never be too early in talking to kids about sex. If your four-year-old wakes up one morning and asks you why she has a different organ than her brother, be prepared to answer. Don’t ever let them grab you unawares because contrary to what most people may think, kids are not stupid! Every time you squirm when they ask you a question, they know it’s either something you don’t want them to know, or something they don’t want to hear! I think you can never be too early because the earlier the better. I mean, at what age should you tell your daughter that if some boy at school wants to check out her lady business, she should run as fast as she can to the nearest teacher and expose the rotten boy before she tells you later so you can kick the daylights out of him? It can be a little embarrassing to do but at the end of the day, it will save you a lot. Whoever said it’s better to be safe than sorry knew what they were talking about. So borrow a leaf from someone who has done this before, sit down with that kid and speak to them as it is. This is your child’s life here, so what is so embarrassing that you’d be afraid to keep them alive? Tell the much younger ones as early as you can that their privates are exactly that - private! No one should confuse them into sneaking a peek because from there it will be sneaking a touch, I can assure you. As they grow older they begin to understand things much better and therefore it becomes easier for you. Don’t lay back and think they will figure things out on their own. That’s why we have teenagers literally trying to figure things out and getting knocked up! If it is really that hard for you to explain to them the dangers of pre-marital sex then have a friend who is not shy about these things to help you out. There’s always someone out there that can help. You do not have to go through it alone. Just don’t wait for their rebellious stage because at that point, there’s not a thing you can say that will make sense to them. They will ask you to your face who in this day and age waits to get married to have sex? Trust me; you will not have an answer. So save yourself the trouble and pump it into them as early as possible. There are loads of books, sex education videos and the internet that can also help. Do not feel like you have run out of options because there is always a way out. And try to talk to them on a regular, just to keep the point intact. Sometimes things fly in as fast as they get out. The whole point is helping them understand life and how they cannot afford to live it recklessly. If a few words can change their lives for the better then that’s the way forward. cjanzi83@yahoo.co.uk