2. Why do Children Need to Know
About Sex and Sexuality?
0 Helps kids cope with their feelings and peer pressure
0 Helps them take charge of their lives and have loving
relationships in the future
0 Better to get factual information from parents at home
0 Develops and early understanding and promotes a
healthy attitude of their own body
3. When’s the Best Time?
0 When they ask (but don’t assume they will ask!)
0 Find teachable moments
0 Be aware of opportunities
0Things on TV
0Neighbor or friend might be pregnant
0Things in the media that might make us think about our
bodies
4. Some Conversation Starters
0 Do you know the names of all your body parts?
0 Do you know why girls look different than boys?
0 Your aunt is pregnant. Do you know what that means?
5. What should I tell them?
0 It’s better to be factual. Brief explanations about
intercourse are appropriate for a 5 year old.
0 Confuses a child if they are told magical stories about
“storks, fairy godmothers, babies found on doorsteps,
etc”
6. Age appropriate
0 At ages 3-4 most kids will want to know things like –
“how does the baby get out of the mommy?”
0 Around 5 they will want to know “how the baby get’s
in”
0 It’s OK to say “I’m not sure about that! Why don’t we
look it up together later?” if you aren’t sure what to say
or you’re caught off guard, or in the wrong environment.
7. What should I tell them?
0 When deciding how much detail to give, rely on what
you know about your child’s level of understanding.
0 Age appropriate books are good for explaining the
basics. Some have illustrations to help children
understand.
0 Be open and calm, how you express yourself
nonverbally is important.
8. Books for Children
0 Books for all different ages available
0 Ideal way to break the ice and start an ongoing
discussion
0 Children will benefit having the books at home when
they have questions
9. Recommended reading
0 It’s Not the Stork! A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies,
Bodies, Families and Friends, by Robie Harris (for ages
4 and up)
10. Recommended Reading
0 What’s the Big Secret?: Talking about Sex with Girls
and Boys, by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
(ages 4-8)
11. More Books
0 It’s So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth,
Babies, and Families, by Robie Harris (ages 7 and up)
0 It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing up,
Sex, and Sexual Health, by Robie Harris (age 10 and up)
