Sexuality Edu. Links & Books For Parents & Young People

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Parents are doing a better job at talking with their children about sex, and of course shows like Teen Mom and social media like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and other social media sites provide a trove of ever-ready sex information. BUT... often, the information is incorrect or incomplete.  That's the point of this episode: Be the first person to teach your child about human sexuality and instill your values, not TikTok, not porn, not anyone else. Here's the link for the NIH data:

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2023/20230412.htm

No matter what age your child is right now, two or twenty-two, and no matter your values, whether they are conservative, liberal, or middle of the road, I urge you to visit: https://www.talkwithyourkids.org/. The photo to the left is from their website.

Here is a website that provides age-based recommendations for movies, TV, books, games, podcasts and apps: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

This site is loaded with media info, reviews, and explanations by age, by topic, by content limit, ie, sex, nudity, language, violence, etc, and by character strenghts and platform. Check it out!

No matter what your position is about porn; for it, against it, or neutral, I advise you to check out:
 Fight the New Drug .org. This site exists to raise awareness on the effects of porn using only science, facts, and personal accounts.

https://fightthenewdrug.org/

Again, start young! Here’s a great book for children age 2 to 7 or 8 that’s a great trust builder and conversation starter:

Body Boundaries Make Me Stronger: Personal Safety Book for Kids About Body Safety, Personal Space, Private Parts and Consent .Set the stage for building trust about having personal and private conversations with your child.

Body Boundaries Make Me Stronger: Personal Safety Book for Kids About Body Safety, Personal Space, Private Parts and Consent That Teaches Social Skills and Body Awareness

When is the right time to tell your children about sex? And how do  you introduce such a sensitive and sometimes awkward topic?  Award-winning authors Stan and Brenna Jones are here to equip you with  the strategies, tools, and insights for age-appropriate discussions with  your children.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QCN3K2B?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_sirpi

This sweet, straightforward exploration of gender identity will  give children a fuller understanding of themselves and others. With  child-friendly language and vibrant art, It Feels Good to Be Yourself provides young readers and parents alike with the vocabulary to discuss this important topic with sensitivity.    https://shorturl.at/GIC2s

Growing Up Great is a  body-positive guide to getting through puberty confidently by respecting  the body and all of its changes. From how to handle the physical  rollercoaster to coping with out-of-whack feelings, this book has your  teen’s back - so they can focus on all of the good stuff ahead. When it  comes to puberty books for boys, this one has it all: Growing Up Great!: The Ultimate Puberty Book for Boys

If you’re looking for puberty books for girls, Celebrate Your Body is a growing girl’s guide to facing puberty with confidence. Celebrate Your Body goes beyond other puberty books for girls, offering friendly guidance and support when you need it most. In addition to tips on managing  intense feelings, making friends, and more, Celebrate Your Body provides advice on:

• Girl power - Learn how to stand up to peer pressure, stay safe on social media, and keep the right kind of friends.
• Shape of you - Choose the right foods, exercises, and sleep schedule to keep your changing body at its best with advice you won’t find in other puberty books for  girls.

Celebrate Your Body encourages girls to face this whole puberty thing with excitement and empowerment. 

This curriculum provides an age-appropriate lifespan of honest, accurate, comprehensive sexuality education for use in both secular and faith-based communities.  There are seven curriculum books from grade Kindergarten through young adults, adults, and older adults, OWL: Our Whole Lives

The Care and Keeping of You 2: The Body Book for Older Girls. NEW release Jan. 2, 2024

Boys Will Be Human: A Get-Real Gut-Check Guide to Becoming the Strongest, Kindest, Bravest Person You Can Be

“Sex Talks, The Five Conversations That Will Transform Your Love Life.” by Vanessa Marin, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, and her husband, Xander Marin.

One of the many things I love about this book is that both Vanessa AND her husband wrote this book together, both of them had the same issues in their young marriage and both of them provide doable, pragmatic steps to kickstart all your fluid-producing passion rocket into overdrive! I like this book!