We have already mentioned in the article “Talk to your child about sex, he didn’t pay for it.” Sex is a part of our life. Parents need not worry that it is too early to communicate with their children on the topic of [sex].
Before starting a conversation with preschool children, Parents need to make some preparations. However, don’t try to prepare answers to all the questions. The most important thing is to listen carefully to the children asking what questions and help them find answers with an open and tolerant attitude. To let children know that [sex] questions are not [bad] questions, you can ask your parents.
What questions do preschool children ask about sex at different stages? What [sex] knowledge should they know? The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that preschool children must know:
Correct organ name
Functions of various parts of the body
The difference between boys and girls’ bodies
Children between eighteen months and three years of age
Children at this stage are still very young, but children have begun to understand their bodies through touching. Genitals are full of sensory nerves, and children will feel comfortable after touching them. This is different from masturbation in adulthood and adolescence aimed at satisfying sexual needs.
During this age period, It is important to tell your child the correct name for each organ. If you take a secretive attitude to explain it to your child, you may send the wrong message to your child, that is, there is something wrong with these organs or these organs are not important. If you want your child to have a full sex life, you must let your child know your body.
In order to protect your child, you can also tell your child the difference between private parts of your body and other parts at the same time. Private parts are the places where bathing suits are covered and cannot be touched by others. Let your child understand that understanding your body is a healthy behavior and this is your right. But you should also tell your child that there are time and place requirements for doing this behavior.
Children between the ages of four and five
Compared with before the age of four, Children at this stage will be more curious about [sex], They will want to know how their bodies work and whether they are different from other children. They will wonder about the difference between boys’ and girls’ bodies, and perhaps children at this time will not understand why parents say they cannot touch the [secrets] of other friends hidden under their clothes.
Faced with these doubts, Your task is to continue to correctly tell your child about sex, For example, where they came from, Their own unique organ name. At the same time, Let the child know where the boundaries are. For example, at home, the child may be able to run around without clothes, but the child should know that it is not allowed to do so in public or formal occasions. Or, let the child know that it is normal to touch his sexual organs in private occasions, but it is not allowed to do it in public.
Preschool sex education, as sex enlightenment education, is the basis for the next stage of education. If your child has entered the school age, then don’t worry. Next, we will talk to you about how to talk about [sex] with school-age children.