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How young is too young to have conversations with your children about intimacy and human sexuality? On this podcast, we get the answer from Dina Alexander, President and Founder of Educate and Empower Kids. In the digital age, where a couple of clicks can lead your child to a place he or she shouldn’t be online, it is increasingly important to protect them and educate them about this topic.
Dina addresses the need to start the conversation around sexuality and pornography early. In her books “30 Days of Sex Talks,” she outlines age-appropriate ways to broach these delicate topics. Additionally, having “the talk” should not be an event, but regular conversations that create environments of openness. When children know they can ask their parents about anything, they’re armed with tools and better ideas of how to respond when (not if) they’re exposed to immorality.
Some things seem like “no brainers” when it comes to intimacy, but so many evil things are being normalized and we need to make sure our children know what is right and what is not. Dina suggests you start where you’re at. If you have some catching up to do, that’s ok, but start the conversations now.
If you are in the Salt Lake City area this weekend, consider attending the UCAP, “the biggest conference in the country educating the public about the problems and solutions concerning pornography.” Dina is one of several experts who will be on hand and presenting; more information can be found at the Utah Coalition website. Visit EducateEmpowerKids.org to learn more about Dina and her organization. You can find information about her books as well as tips, articles and tools to educate yourself and empower your family to defend itself against the dangers of pornography.
This was well done. This topic is tricky for a lot of people,..leaders and especially parents.
I think the topic was handled tactfully by Ms. Alexander, and is EXTREMELY timely. It is true that children are exposed at young ages to pornography, but at the same time, discussions to help children be careful can also sometimes be delivered in ways that damage healthy sexuality.
For example, on a 5th Sunday years ago, a therapist who was commissioned in the Salt Lake County area to visit with local wards and talk about sexuality mentioned that the message parents often give their youth is: “Sex is sinful; it is disgusting to have those immoral thoughts; you need to suppress those thoughts and be spiritual…..you need to save all of that for someone you love.”
This example the therapist gave was stark, yet timely because when shame revolves around the topic of sexuality, it can have the unintentional affect of fostering addiction (which often feeds on shame), and at the same time poisoning healthy sexual relations which should exist in marriage.
Ms. Alexander did a wonderful job articulating her concerns; this was a good pod-cast.