What is sex? A naughty word to giggle at when you are a child, or that awkward conversation starter for your parents to discuss with you as you reach adolescence. Everyone is sure enough to come across the word at one point in their life, whether it's the term or the act itself, 'sex' is constantly evolving as it is everchanging from the act of intimacy or reproduction to a way we can use to describe or express ourselves.
Normalising the topic of sex
Young people are introduced to the topic of sex through their peers and older siblings, causing them to misunderstand and potentially lose out on informative sexual education. Young people need to receive correct information, either through school or a responsible adult they can trust. The failure to receive this can damage a person's attitude towards sex, leading to inappropriate behaviour and inaccurate views of themselves and others.
By having a parent or adult they can confide in, young people can feel safe in asking for advice which will help provide support if they are ever troubled, or ask questions that could help prevent any feelings of shame or embarrassment. Parents tend to find it beneficial to sit down and talk about sex and masturbation with their children as they believe it is best to learn from them rather than finding out about it from anywhere else, therefore being able to ensure the information provided is accurate and correct.
However, when is the right time to teach your child about sex? This can be a careful balancing act of wanting them to be as prepared as possible but not wanting to take away their innocence too soon. Is anyone ever ready to have "the talk" with their child?
Sex and the Adolescence
From around twelve, my mother introduced me to the show ‘Sex and the City’ which still to this day can be seen as controversial. I used to enjoy the fashion, plotlines, and the fact that it would allow me to bond with my mother. Once I got past the cringing of seeing women moaning on TV, I knew I could always ask questions regarding sex.
Watching a show which was slightly less age-appropriate with someone I could trust allowed me to see things from a different and less-formal perspective. Learning about sex should not be black and white, everyone has their views on it, and normalising the topic of sex within a conversation allows us to open up about our own experiences.
Summary
Everyone is different, especially as some people may mature sooner than others or show much more curiosity towards their body but a wonderful way to start may be by teaching your child from a much younger age the correct words for their anatomy and discussing age-appropriate knowledge, especially as it allows them to feel more open to talking about their body and can help protect them. My mother knew I was mature enough to start introducing me to the topic of sex as she was similarly aged when she had "the talk" and speaking to me first-hand allowed me to be aware of the pros and cons of sexuality.
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