Sex positivity is a hot topic right now, but how, when, and why should you introduce it to your kids?
In this Romper article, Jamie Kenney argues that children should be taught sex-positive attitudes from an early age. “Sex positivity rarely exists in a vacuum. It’s usually part of a larger life philosophy that believes all people are entitled to happiness and respect,” she starts.
“As a parent,” she writes, “I am already doing my best to encourage sex-positive attitudes in my children, who are four years old and 19 months — despite the fact that they have absolutely no idea what sex is, and I don’t have plans to get into what it is with either of them any time soon. No, this is not a contradiction, and it’s not hard to do.”
The piece lists various great advice, such as teaching your child that their body belongs to them, naming all body parts accurately, and showing them that “love is love” regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Perhaps the most important sex-positive message a parent can transmit to a child is the last one on the list: “I am here whenever you need someone to listen.”
Parents are important resources for their children when it comes to self-love, sex, and relationships (romantic/sexual or otherwise). This means listening and answering questions honestly and openly, and it’s never too early to show your kid that you are nonjudgmentally present for all the curiosity and confusion that is ahead.
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