When does sex education start? How to teach children sex education

Sex education is an area that everyone avoids in our daily lives. However, sex education for children is a very important cognition in their growth stage. So, when should sex education begin? How to teach children sex education?

When does sex education start?

Maybe one day, your child will ask, "Where do I come from?" or "Why do I have to pee standing up?" Perhaps you will find such questions difficult to answer, feel embarrassed, and then stammer and change the subject.

However, sex education is a compulsory course for growth. So when should we start to explain the knowledge about "sex" to children? As you can imagine, the earlier the better. In mid-November, Shandong University Affiliated Primary School was invited by Shandong Xingzhi Education Expert Director Liu Dongyan to give a lecture on adolescent sex education to all fifth-grade children. I was honored to participate in the lecture. When faced with the question "Where are you from?", some students responded "picked up from the garbage dump or downloaded by my father". When a classmate told the teacher "It is the combination of father's sperm and mother's egg", the whole class laughed and said "too yellow". When they heard "the mother carried the baby for ten months and gave birth to the baby", the children sighed at the wonder and charm of life.

Because children eat a lot of junk food, the hormone content in their bodies increases and they enter puberty early. Faced with the changes in their bodies during puberty, they are nervous and shy, and it is difficult to tell their parents. Then they will learn the secrets of their bodies through online media. The Internet is a double-edged sword. While bringing knowledge to children, it seems to push children to another extreme. Because of curiosity, they will suffer physical and psychological harm after eating the forbidden fruit, or they will not escape legal sanctions. I saw a news report some time ago that a ten-year-old girl was sexually assaulted, and her parents did not find out until she was five months pregnant. While angry, I was more heartbroken. If parents frankly explain the physiological changes of puberty and tell her how to prevent assault, will there be another outcome?

At the lecture, Director Liu asked the children to draw a boy and a girl, and use red, yellow and green pencils to mark the red, yellow and green light areas of the body. Through the brief drawing, they had a deeper understanding of the boundaries of the body. After listening to the lecture, I benefited a lot and also reflected on when to start sex education and what methods would make it easier for children to accept it.

I think when children ask where they come from, they mainly want to confirm the connection between their parents and themselves, to confirm whether their parents will always love them, and to build a sense of security through asking questions. So you must tell your children: Mom and Dad have you because they love each other, and you won from hundreds of millions of contestants to become our child. In this way, children will not only feel safe, but also be encouraged by their parents.

Before that, you need to understand the basic laws of children's sexual psychology. For example, from 0 to 2 years old, children begin to recognize body parts including genitals, and can distinguish between men and women. From 2 to 6 years old, children will strengthen their gender awareness, and they will like some toys and games that match their gender. At this time, as long as parents educate them, children will understand some basic knowledge about sex. Generally, children over 6 years old have a basic understanding of both sexes. The main purpose of giving children the right sexual enlightenment in their childhood is to help them find the connection between themselves and their parents, build a sense of security, and convey love. At the same time, it also tells children how to protect themselves as they grow up.

I hope more parents can realize the importance of sex education and be able to support their children and grow together.

How to teach children sex education

There are tips for sex education. Don't go to places where you can't get help alone; don't stay alone in secluded places; get your parents' consent before going out; try to avoid going out alone at night; don't trust strangers easily; don't go out with people you don't know... These are the basic contents of family safety education, but family sex education must involve the scope of gender and privacy, which is the weakest link for parents. Parents should educate their children in this regard when they are young.

1. Sex education starts at the age of two

Dr. Guo Jia from the Child Psychology Clinic at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University said that in daily life, parents should help their children establish gender awareness and let them know the difference between men and women. Huang Jialiang, chief instructor of Zhonghui Education Consulting Center, said that sex education can start at the age of two. When parents take a bath with their children, it is the best time to teach children to distinguish between men and women and how to protect themselves. For example, tell the children that these organs belong to girls and those organs belong to boys, and that they cannot touch others or let others touch these private parts. "I generally recommend that parents tell their girls that they have a little sister who is very fragile and needs their protection."

2. Let children understand the body

Parents should help their children understand their own bodies. Some parents feel embarrassed and speak vaguely. "In fact, not only should children have a correct understanding of these key parts, but they should also be told that these places cannot be seen or touched by anyone except when parents help them bathe or when doctors examine them," said Guo Jia. "Also, children should be told that as long as it involves private parts of the body, not everything that adults or teachers say is right, and teachers' requirements do not have to be followed completely," Huang Jialiang reminded.

3. Tell your child what inappropriate touching is

Parents should discuss with their children the differences between different types of touch, and help them distinguish between good touch, inappropriate or harmful touch, and some touches that are not sure whether they are good or bad.

Good touch is what children like, such as a hug from their parents or holding hands with their friends; inappropriate (or harmful) touch is what children want to stop, such as hitting, slapping, kicking, or touching their private parts; touch that is not sure whether it is good or bad is touch that makes children feel confused or uncomfortable. Teach your children that when they encounter touch that makes them uncomfortable, they should leave quickly and run to a crowded place.

4. Talk about sex openly

When parents tell their children about how to prevent sexual assault, Dr. Guo Jia recommends that parents try to use scientific language to tell their children some common sense, and not be vague, evasive, or hesitant. This way, children will naturally accept the knowledge, have an open mind, not feel ashamed, and will not feel that the topic is unspeakable.

Tips for parents to talk about sex

1. The younger you start, the better: the best time is from 2 years old;

2. When describing, use special nouns directly (such as breast, penis, etc.). It is most convenient to talk about it during bathing, so you can let your child know about adult organs first.

3. Let children observe their own bodies, recognize their bodies through mirrors, and be able to accurately name them.

4. Teach children how to touch private organs. It is natural for children to touch their own organs. When children touch them, do not stop them, but guide them and tell them that they cannot touch private organs because their hands are dirty because they will get hurt and become sick.