Sex Education Course for Parents - Research Paper Example

? Sex Education to Parents Outline Introduction Sex talk is hard particularly between parents and children. Many find this experience mortifying as it is embarrassing and many parents are afraid it will encourage their children to explore their sexuality at an early age. Sex education, however, from the parent is important and should be conducted continuously through the years. Main points to be discussed:- a) Parent attitude towards sexuality b) Changing adolescent and puberty c) Sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS d) Contraceptives e) Communication Conclusion Sex education is a tool that aims at providing parents, youths and children with the current and the factual information in order to promote healthy sexuality in societies. This helps in combating sexual health issues such as sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. Abstract Sexuality form part of everyday life and it is important that all people acknowledge this. Parents, they have to realize that despite the age of their children, they too have a sex life. Instead of trying to suppress the children’s sexuality, parents should provide their children with information on sexuality. Children are more likely to act responsibly if they lean about puberty, contraceptives and sexually transmitted diseases from their parents and not through the media or friends. In order for parents to fulfill their roles as sex educators to their children, they require information that helps them understand and reflect on their attitudes and how they communicate their attitudes to their children. This is because parents’ attitudes affect the communication and more importantly, the message passed regarding sexuality. Introduction Talk on sex is never easy. It is an uncomfortable experience for all parties involved; particularly between parents and their children. On one hand, children are embarrassed and afraid that parents will think they are having sex. Teenagers are also under the impression that their parents will not understand. Parents, however also have trouble when talking about sex. Many do not want to seem as if they are encouraging their children to go off and have sex (Robert, 2008). Parents assume that by telling their children that sex is beautiful and should be enjoyed; they are likely to run off and discover this goodness at an overly young age. It is no wonder so many people end up with a distorted image of sex. They view sex as evil, immoral and something to be ashamed of. Research findings reveal that children are more likely to refrain from engaging in early sexual activities if they receive the sex talk from their parents; preferably from both parents not just the mother as is the case in many households (Robert, 2008). Parents however view the sex talk as a task to check off on their to-do-list. They talk to their children about sex only once and assume that they have passed all the knowledge their children need. In the real sense, talk on sex should be a continuous activity as the children go through the years and enter different stages in their lives. A 12year old will not view sex in the same way a 15 or 18 year old will (Robert, 2008). The purpose for this sex education for parents plan is to help parents offer quality and informed sex education to their children. The biggest problem for parents is communication. Many do not know how to broach the subject, what topics to cover at what age as well as how to handle matters dealing with contraceptives and sexually transmitted diseases. Material for education Young people who lack information about sex from their parents often turn to their peers and to some extent; the media. Lack of information from home creates a gap that may be filled with wrong and distorted information. Parents view sex education as a problem in itself because it encourages young people to become sexually active. Young people however, experience different things as they enter puberty such as menstruation for girls and ejaculation for the boys. This can be confusing as it naturally arouses their curiosity (Robert, 2008). This program for parents helps them to increase their understanding of the questions and concerns from their teenage children in relation to sexuality. The information offered by this program also provides parents with answers to their own questions when dealing with teenagers and sexuality. The objective of the program is to address the emotional, cognitive and behavioral aspects of sex education. The purpose is to encourage free and open communication between parents and their children through understanding and reflection. Parents’ attitude toward sexuality The first topic will be on parents’ attitude towards sexuality. The purpose of this topic is to get parents to gain more insight on their own understanding, beliefs, values and attitudes concerning sexuality. The topic also re-evaluates the parents’ level of comfort regarding sexuality. Under this topic, parents learn the significance of having a positive attitude and encouraging discussion with their teenagers. Parents’ attitude influence their role as sex and health educators in their children’s lives (Carroll, 2011). Understanding a parent’s attitude towards sexuality is important as it greatly influences the type of information passed on to their children during sex education. A genital-oriented focus on sexuality may lead a parent to overlook the emotional dimension of sexuality. A preventative approach could lead some parents to ignore the positive aspects relating to sexuality including their teenager’s needs. A more pleasure-based outlook may make some parents to overlook some risky sexual practices. An approach based on physiological or biological changes may limit an adolescents understanding on different sexuality concerns (Carroll, 2011). Its only when parents have a sound understanding on their own views on sexuality that they are able to offer an all inclusive sex education. Young people base their approach to sexuality depending on what they observe in their parents. In order to develop a positive attitude towards sexuality, a healthy attitude from the parents is required. Reviewing parents’ attitude towards sexuality will help them identify their shortcomings and correct them before passing any information to their teenagers. Parents should be able to present sexuality positively as an interesting and stimulating part of life. Secondly, parents should learn to avoid judgments and giving lectures while discussing sexuality in terms of diseases. This way ,they will enable their teenagers to have a healthy sex life instead of basing it on fear. In addition, parents learn to be direct, honest, simple, use correct terms and avoid vulgarity. This exercise will also help them realize that their teenage children are sexual beings instead of pretending they have no concerns regarding sexuality. Parents should also be more tolerant and available in case of any questions from their children (Helen & Holgate, 2007). The changing adolescent and puberty The purpose of this topic is to enable parents to better understand their children and offer guidance during puberty. After this topic, parent will reflect on the changes experienced by their children at this crucial stage of their life; hence equipping them with information concerning puberty. Information obtained under this topic helps parents to identify that children are not only changing physically but also emotionally. Their changing bodies’ scare them and may make them to act in a different manner than they are used to; hence the mood swings. In addition, during this stage, teenagers are forming their identity and in the process, they may rebel against everything they are told by their parents. They are also more self-conscious, experience sexual desires, confusion and pressure in making complicated decisions that might affect their future. When a parent understands all that teenagers are going through, they are better placed to answer any sexual questions. They are also more aware of what they say and how they treat their teenagers (Clint, 2009). Parents are more honest when they understand what their child is going through as they can tell what they can or can not comprehend. Moreover, information on puberty helps against parent frustration if the child is not always acting as expected or shows interest in the opposite sex when he or she should be concentrating on education. Understanding children will assist parents in helping them to strike a balance in their life even as they go through this confusing stage (Clint, 2009). Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS Presentation of sex education course to parents with school children will help them to have higher knowledge about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infection. Through this education, they will acquire necessary tools to approach the subject to their adolescent in a comfortable way. As a counselor in school, it is important to allow parents participate in various activities during the presentation of sex education in order to understand and become knowledgeable on the dangers of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. This will make them learn on the symptomatic and asymptomatic nature of these diseases. Through this presentation, parents will also have a greater understanding of the mode of transmission of these diseases (Pequegnat & Bell, 2011). In addition, having these parents as the main participants in this workshop, will give them a chance to reflect on levels of risk in their children and their own sexual practices. Sex presentation suits parents well because they a have higher understanding of sex and know various obstacles that teenagers undergo through in their journey to adulthood. They also understand the issue of STDs and pregnancies among teenagers (Pequegnat & Bell, 2011). Although sex education is a lifelong process beginning at the birth of an individual, parent education is the fundamental development task of the adolescents’ welfare. This is because achieving sexual health education requires integration of psychological, cultural, physical and societal factors. In addition, sexual health education encompasses reproductive health, sexual development and ability of an individual to maintain interpersonal relationships. Sex education should also be appropriate to parents because their age will allow them to express affection, intimacy and love in a way that is consistent with their own values. In an effort to ensure sexual education prevails in societies, parents should be educated about sexually transmitted diseases for them to pass the same to their children. This is because as much as parents agree with their children’s action or not, they cannot disagree on the fact that many teenagers in societies engage in sexual behaviors (Pequegnat & Bell, 2011). Based on medical health perspectives, some of the teenagers’ behaviors pose them at a risk of getting pregnant or getting infected with sexually transmitted diseases. Out of these realities, young people in societies need to be given information, access to services and skills that will allow them make responsible decisions about their sexual behaviors (Pequegnat & Bell, 2011). Offering sexual education to parents on dangers of sexually transmitted diseases will break the contradictory attitude about sexuality in societies. This will diversify parents to not only view their own sexuality but also sexual behaviors of their children. Addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases to parents will help in breaking the perception that talking about sexual issues to children is wrong. This will create confidence to parents for them to easily talk about sex health issues. This is because parents are the primary sexuality educators to their children and thus they should develop open communication with them. They should caution them on the dangers of engaging in sexual activities since it can result into either getting sexually transmitted diseases or early pregnancies. Parental education on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases is therefore, important in their roles of encouraging and supporting their children’s sexual health (Pequegnat & Bell, 2011). Contraception The main goal of this topic is to educate parents on the different methods of contraceptives in order to avoid pregnancy. In this topic, parents will have a chance to explore various contraceptives that are beneficial in offering dual protection. Educating parents on contraceptives available will enable them help their adolescent children in making the right and appropriate choice for birth control. In addition, this education will also help parents on understand the importance of sex protection in order to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies among the youths (Bekaert, 2005). The topic is associated with various activities that offer greater knowledge to parents on the importance of using contraceptive in their sex activities. Moreover, it creates a chance for them to know how to educate their children to use contraceptives as health measures in case they cannot abstain from sex (Bekaert, 2005). The topic will comfortably suit parents because it comprehensively discusses contraceptives as a way of preventing pregnancies and spread of STDs in the societies. They will get detailed education on various contraceptives such as condoms and pills that have been declined in societies. The underlying facts in this topic will make parents see the need to educate their children on how to use contraceptives in order to protect themselves. At the end of education about contraceptives, parents will understand that abstinence until marriage among children is not effective. Therefore, the most effective way of reducing teenage pregnancies is creating awareness to their children on using contraceptives. In addition, parents being the most trusted adult families should develop free communication with their children. This will help in providing the necessary education about contraceptives to their children in an easier way so as to foster their sexual responsibility(Bekaert, 2005). Communication This is a topic that will help parents develop better communication styles with their children on sexuality subjects. During the presentation, parents will be allowed to participate in various activities that will allow them to have better understanding on the dynamics of having communication with adolescents (Kroodsma, 2008). This topic will suit parents because they have a higher capability of understanding principles that will ease dialogue with their children on sexuality issues. Addressing the issue of communication to parents will help them have the awareness of their strength and limitations when administering sexual education to their children. This is because most parents find it difficult to communicate with their children on sexuality topics. Communication education helps parents learn the verbal and non-verbal messages that convey lessons on sexually related issues. This is in an effort to overcome their difficulties of providing sex information to their teenagers. The sexuality communication program on communication will thus encourage parents to express their sexuality values to their adolescents by providing honest and accurate information on sexuality. Open communication, therefore, makes it easier for the youth to turn for support and help from their parents (Kroodsma, 2008). Conclusion Sex education aims at providing parents, youths and children the current and the factual information in order to promote healthy sexuality in societies. In addition, it also helps in preventing unplanned pregnancies and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases among the youths. As a counselor in a school, the best group of people to address and give sexual education is parents because they are the pillars of morals in the society. Giving proper education to parents will ensure the same is transferred to children because they are the primary educators in the society. References Bekaert, S. (2005). Adolescents And Sex: The Handbook For Professionals Working With Young People. Abingdon: Radcliffe Publishing. Clint E. Bruess, J. S. (2009). Sexuality Education: Theory and Practice. ontario: jones and bartlet publishers. Carroll, J. L. (2011). Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. Belmont: cengage. Helen S. Holgate, R. E. (2007). Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood: Global perspectives, Kroodsma, L. (2008). An Educational Workshop for Parents of Children with Asperger Syndrome. Michigan: ProQuest. Issues and interventions. New york: routledge. Pequegnat, W., & Bell, C. C. (2011). Family and HIV/AIDS: Cultural and Contextual Issues in Prevention and Treatment. New York: Springer. Robert Crooks, K. B. (2008). Our sexuality. Belmont: cengage. Read More