Thank you for this well-written, truthful and important post.
I do think it is important to talk with kids about all aspects of relationships, which does include sexual intimacy. And, as mentioned, the sexual responsibility talk is age-appropriate, and I think it is a misnomer that when we say "sex education" that this means "intercourse"! There are many more topics to discus with kids and young adults about intimate relationships that does not include intercourse: communication, trust, respect, hormones, feelings, emotional and physical intimacy. When we, as parents, finally do get to the physical intimacy part of the relationship talk, this is also a wide spectrum of topics; everything from abstinence, kissing, intercourse...and everything in between. The talk about STDs/STIs is one part of the overall picture, and I hope parents do take this seriously.
On a personal note, I had wished my parents had talked with me more about the emotional intimacy that happens in relationships, because I remember thinking that they don't understand what I was going through with my first love in high school. Those hormones are powerful...don't forget!
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Thank you for this well-written, truthful and important post.
I do think it is important to talk with kids about all aspects of relationships, which does include sexual intimacy. And, as mentioned, the sexual responsibility talk is age-appropriate, and I think it is a misnomer that when we say "sex education" that this means "intercourse"! There are many more topics to discus with kids and young adults about intimate relationships that does not include intercourse: communication, trust, respect, hormones, feelings, emotional and physical intimacy. When we, as parents, finally do get to the physical intimacy part of the relationship talk, this is also a wide spectrum of topics; everything from abstinence, kissing, intercourse...and everything in between. The talk about STDs/STIs is one part of the overall picture, and I hope parents do take this seriously.
On a personal note, I had wished my parents had talked with me more about the emotional intimacy that happens in relationships, because I remember thinking that they don't understand what I was going through with my first love in high school. Those hormones are powerful...don't forget!
March 1, 2009 - 6:34pmThis Comment
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