Over the years, discussing sexual issues with our children before they attain marital age is considered a taboo, because of our cultural set up. It was rare for anybody to see parents talking to their children about sexual matters.
But, Mrs. Julian Brown of Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) has advised parents to be bold enough to discuss sexual issues with their adolescent children, to enable them understand and appreciate its implications, before their minds are polluted by their peers.
According to her, children, particularly the adolescent ones, tend to learn a lot from their peers and colleagues most of the time, which invariably lead them into socio-economic crises.
She stated that if parents are able to educate their adolescent children on sexual reproduction, they will be better informed and shun what they will be hearing from outside.
“Many young girls, who could have become responsible adults and mothers to contribute their quota to society and national development, have had their lives derailed because of ignorance,” she explained.
Speaking at this year’s International Youth Day under the theme; “Investing in the youth-Involving regional strategies for effective adolescent sexual reproduction health service delivery”, Mrs. Brown advised that teenagers will be able to do the right things at all times, when they have been properly educated on matters that affect their sexual lives.
She bemoaned the situation where many parents see family planning as a taboo or a very harmful thing to do. She intimated that family planning has a lot of benefits for every parent and the country at large and, therefore, encouraged parents to practice it.
The Chronicle congratulates Mrs. Julian Brown for hitting the nail right on the head, because sex education is also part of open communication with our children.
Early, honest and open communication between parents and their children is very important, especially when the children attain the adolescent age.
It must be noted that if open communication is normal, children are more likely to speak with their parents about all the other trials they go through, including depression, relationships, abuse of drugs and alcohol, as well as sexual issues.
Beginning early conversation about sex with our children and continuing to educate them on the issue as they grow is the best sex education strategy.
The Chronicle believes this sex education strategy allows parents to avoid having to give one big and likely uncomfortable talk when the children attain adolescent age.
What it means is that when parents holdup early sex education for their children, they end up allowing them to be misinformed by their peers, which in our view, could be dangerous for not only the children, but also the family and the country.
When parents talk with their children about sex, they can make sure that they are getting the right information, as parents are supposed to be their children’s first source of information about sex. Sex education also provides an opportunity for parents to instil into their children family values, which would be passed on from generation to generation.
For example, if a parent comes from a family that believes sexual intercourse should be saved for marriage; this can be part of the discussions about their sexuality. Again, parents should not rely on the school system to teach their children about sex education.
Studies have shown that the more children are exposed to sexual images in the media, the more likely it is for them to engage in sexual practices at younger ages.
It is our contention that sex education does not lead to promiscuity, because children who receive sex education at home are unlikely to engage in risky sexual activity.
It is important to note that children are very private people, and therefore, speaking to them about sex early, increases the chances that they would approach their parents when they encounter difficult or dangerous things along the line.