Talking to kids about sex, gender identity and everything in between…

Originally posted 17/08/2021

Research tells us that parents need to be the main educator for their children. 

That is why I provide parent sessions at every school I visit. It’s important to have the whole school community involved. I want everyone to be involved in a child's sexuality education and taking care of their wellbeing. This whole-school approach not only builds on teacher comfort and confidence, but also on parent involvement and acceptability.

Parents tell me sessions like mine are “...a must for ANYONE with children and young people in their lives...” My parent sessions help give you the tools to tackle new and more complex topics with your kids, and help you feel more confident doing so. 

I was thrilled to see this article and the impact one of my parent sessions had.

It is so rewarding to know that parents are leaving my presentation with a new perspective and a new way to approach these topics with their kids. Sexuality is a topic that we never stop learning about, even as adults. In every parent session I ask “How do you want your kids to learn about sex and sexuality?” and “Who do you want to be the main person your kids will be learning this from?” The answer from the parents is always: ‘parents’.  

This is why I have added parent resources to Virtual Classroom and provide free resources for parents such as my podcast. 

Parents should have access to these kinds of resources so they can be supported through their child's journey of growing up and being curious about bodies and sexuality. You never know what kind of questions they will ask or if they will even ask these questions at all, the evidence is clear - you should be giving this information anyway. If you don't provide their sexuality information and education, they will receive the information from the world around them, which is usually not the education you want them to receive. You want your kids to know that you hold a safe space for them for open dialogue and they can always come to you with these questions. Be the ‘askable’ and ‘tellable’ parent they need you to be. I created a parent guide book to help you. 

As the article highlighted there are always ‘teachable moments’ popping up, and these can be used to show these topics are important to talk about and we shouldn’t shy away from them. The more you read about these topics and how to talk to your young people about them, the more comfortable you will become, the easier it will be and the more your kids will come to you when they see or hear things that prompt questions about sex or sexuality. 

So continue to buy books and read up on these topics, and do it along with your kids! Get them involved! The earlier you start having these conversations, the sooner your child can make informed decisions about their body and continue to make these informed decisions. 

If you would like to watch my online presentation for parents, you can purchase it here.

Or contact us to book a parent session at your school.