According to experts parents believe that young people have the right to accurate sexuality information and believe that those you get accurate information will delay having sex and use birth control when they choose to have sex.
When parents talk to and affirm the value of their children, young people are more likely to develop positive, healthy attitudes about themselves.
This is also true when the subject is sex. Research shows that positive communication between parents and their children can help South Carolina’s youth to be clear about their own values and to make healthy decisions.
Talking about the facts of life can be hard for parents if they never had such talks with their own parents. Sometimes, parents fear that they do not know the right answers or worry about saying too much. To help, the Parents' Sex Ed Center section of Advocates for Youth's Web site contains good information and resources parents need to begin talking with their children and teens about sex. Check out the articles below on the importance of parents as sex educators, or visit the sections on Growth and Development:
- Getting Started: Helping Parents and Children Talk
- Other Important Topics in Sex Education
- Advice from Parenting Experts
Parents as Sex Educators
- Are Parents and Teens Talking about Sex?
- Can We Talk about Abstinence and Contraception OR Is It a Mixed Message?
- Characteristics of Parents of Sexually Healthy Children
- Parents and Teens Talking Together About Contraception
- Parents and Their Children Learning about Sexuality
- Parents as Advocates for Comprehensive Sex Ed in Schools
- Sex and Sensibility: A Parent's Take on Advice from an Expert
- Talking With Kids Openly and Honestly About Sexuality
- Viewing Sexuality as Normal and Healthy and Treating Young People as a Valuable Resource
- Why Sex Education Also Belongs in the Home
