5 Things Parents Do Wrong When Having THE Talk!
Is there a wrong way to talk to your kids about sex?
There are five things that parents do wrong all the time, and I don't want you making these same mistakes. Are you fully confident that when your child has questions about their body changes or how bodies come together, that they will actually come to you with their questions about sex? Did you know that there are really five things that parents do wrong all the time when they're having the talk with their child? What do you imagine that they might be?
I’d like to begin with a quick story as I actually remember one of the first questions I had about sex. I didn’t ask a parent though, I asked my oldest sister...I was about 5 years old, we were in the car, and I asked the most popular sex question, “Susie, where do babies come from”? Her reply, “Honey, I think we need to talk about that when you are a little bit older.” I may have been young and I know she thought so and maybe she wasn’t comfortable or sure how to share that information with me. Either way, I wasn’t happy because later that day I had a smart alack comment for her. She asked me, “Jenny where is my hairbrush?” my response, “Maybe I’ll tell you when you’re a little bit older!” I know right? Destined to be a sexual health expert at age 5.
Look, if you are lucky enough to get these types of questions from your kids, or any kid you’ve got to embrace them. It is okay if your answer is simple or even if you ask for some more time to get back to them, but what you don’t want to do is blow the question off. Don’t miss the teachable moment that just fell into your lap. If a 5 year old asked me this question I would say “Honey, that is a great question, what do you think”, I would listen then I would fill in the blanks with brief answers and wait for any more questions. Now as we move on to our next videos don’t worry if you are guilty of one or more of these 5 common mistakes parents make. I’ll teach you how to handle things even if it is after the fact. I look forward to seeing you in our next video on the FIRST think parent’s do wrong.
1. WAIT FOR THEIR KIDS TO ASK OR SCHOOL TO DO IT
If you are like most parents it’s easy to wait to have “The Talk” till there is a reason to talk about it. Growing up is getting harder and harder these days, and it’s happening a lot sooner than it once did.
Many times parents believe that conversations about the birds and the bees aren't necessary until a child has questions or has signs of physical development. The fact is however, that some kids simply will never ask these types of questions. Your child is getting a sex education daily from the media, television, internet, and their peers. You simply cannot be the only one not talking to them.
So many parents wait for their child to initiate this talk. It's so hard for us. And we expect our children to have the skills necessary to ask questions. It takes practice to talk about hard things, tough subjects. You're going to have to initiate a lot of those talks. And if you're waiting for school to do it well, frankly, depending where you live your school may or may not be doing it. And if they are talking about it, usually a lot of schools, it's the fifth grade video at the end of the school year. And the video is usually dated and not to mention brief. Typically less than 20 minutes long. Is that all your child needs to know? No, there's a lot more. So definitely number one is don't wait for school to do it, and don't wait for your children to ask you questions.
Instead look for opportunities to share your beliefs and values about sex and growing up in everyday life. Did you know experts actually recommend that kids receive age-appropriate sex education beginning as young as age 2 or 3. What, that’s crazy?!? But relax though. You can answer questions your younger kids may have honestly, but still answer simply. They don't need to know everything from A to Z all at once. It begins with using the proper names for body parts including the genitals, and teaching children about touching.
2. LIE
Like in my personal story that I shared, sometimes parents or adults believe children are too young to hear the real truth about sex, so they choose to lie or withhold information to protect them. Perhaps your child asked a personal question even like "Were you a virgin when you got married?" and you didn't want to tell the truth fearing it would give them "permission" to do it because you did. Try this instead, turn it into a teachable moment. You can explain the honest choice you made, what it cost you, and why now you can say you’d like them to make a better choice. If children find out you lied, it ruins your credibility and then they will discount anything you have to say about that topic.
If your child is young, try to simply answer a question without much detail. If it wasn't enough information, he or she will ask you a follow-up question. If not, conversation finished without a big fat lie you're sure to regret later.
3. FORGET THEIR POKER FACE
You know how you can look at your kid and know when something is wrong? Well your kids can read you too. They will know if a topic freaks you out, embarrasses you, or makes you angry. It's important to be open when talking about sex. That means trying not to overreact when you are shocked or concerned. Take a deep breath and try to think about how best to react. Let me give you an example from a parent I met years ago. She was cooking dinner one night and when her daughter came home she asked, "Mom, what does this mean?" as she demonstrated an oral sex gesture. Mom freaked out and in a strong tone said, "I told you not to hang out with those boys down the street!" Turns out that some boys in a truck made the gesture to the girls on the school bus that day. Meanwhile, her daughter felt like she was in trouble for asking a question. Mom unintentionally slammed the door shut on her daughter's innocent curiosity.
It would have been better to say something like this, "Huh, that's interesting sweetie. Where did you see that?" in as calm a tone of voice as she could muster. Mom needed more information before she answered. Then she could have said, "Honey, that was a vulgar or inappropriate gesture. Thank you for telling me that happened today and asking that question." Better to freak out about it later to her best friend or spouse.
4. USE FEAR, SHAME, OR ABSOLUTES
Research has shown that fear-based approaches are not always the best tactic. Fear can seem effective but typically only for the short term. Absolutes such as all boys just want is sex could shut the door of communication very quickly. Kids get stuck on absolutes, as part of their adolescent development is to challenge rules. Teens easily discount someone who uses absolutes like always, never, and all.
Shame is another tactic to avoid. Shame really has a negative effect on children. If you're using shame to get your kid to be "good" that is so hard to undo as an adult. They could have a lot of sexual health issues in the bedroom when they're in a loving, caring relationship and I know none of you want that for your children.
5. FAIL TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OR CREATE TEACHABLE MOMENTS
There are conversations that you are going to have to initiate with your kids. If you pay attention you'll notice teachable moments are around you all the time. For example, you are watching a movie or television show and a sexy make out scene is on. This can make parents and kids feel uncomfortable. Instead of changing the channel, maybe this is an opportunity to ask your child about what you are watching. Look at your child's reaction and non-verbal language. If they look grossed out ask "Why does that grossed you out?" You could have an interesting conversation about intimate relationships, feel out your child's values, and still your own.
And so those were the top five things that parents do wrong when having talks about sex with their children. If you're looking for more stuff like this, I have this free parenting course that you can have access to videos just like this and more for 30 days for free. All you have to do is sign up. Get your children to talk to you, about "it". Learn things like the toughest sex questions that kids ask. I give you scripts on video. There's also tips on how to handle some of the fears and hesitations parents have. There's literally directions of what you need to talk about at each age group and what kids need to know. All that is for FREE. Don't miss out on this awesome opportunity to get this free parenting advice.
