Did you know that every day, you’re providing sex education by helping children recognize the various parts of their bodies, or by asking them to close the door when they go to the bathroom, or even to be respectful of others? In addition to what you’re already doing, you can teach them concepts that will help prevent sexual violence.
Sex education begins by naming all the parts of the body. This helps children learn about their anatomy and break the taboo against talking about sexuality.
Explain to your child that all the parts of their body are important and each has a purpose.
Invite them to name their body parts: head (hair, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, etc.), shoulders, arms, hands, chest, stomach, back, buttocks, legs, feet, toes, and so on.
Ask them where there private parts are. Explain that these are the body parts that are hidden under their underwear or bathing suit.
Many children find it funny to talk about private parts, but they’re body parts like any other! Don’t be shy to correctly name girls’ and boys’ private parts. Girls’ private parts are: breasts, buttocks and vulva. Boys’ private parts are: buttocks and penis.
Sexual violence prevention consists mainly of opening the lines of communication with children about sexuality, teaching them self-protection skills and helping them identify trusted adults around them. However, prevention cannot depend solely on children’s ability to master self-protection skills. Adults must also protect them.
It is important to remind children that grown-ups are not allowed to do certain things to children:
1. Nobody is allowed to touch your private parts.
2. Nobody is allowed to look at your private parts.
3. Nobody is allowed to kiss you on your private parts.
4. Nobody is allowed to take pictures of your private parts.
When you talk about privacy, you can recognize various kinds of interpersonal relationships, identify personal space (boundaries), and learn how to ask for those boundaries to be respected. This also gives adults the opportunity to reframe some of their child’s various sexual behaviours.
Find out about conversation topics to bring up with your child
Explaining to children that there are different types of relationships requires teaching them that we don’t share everything with everybody, and helping them identify trusted people.
When we’re babies, we want to be with people we know very well and see often, like our parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents and so on. This is family love. Invite the child to talk about their family and what they like to do together.
When we get a bit older, we start to become interested in other people around us. We like spending time with boys and girls of our own age, and in places other than at home. We like to play, talk, laugh, and do things with these people. It makes us feel happy. This is friendship. Invite the child to talk about their friends and what they like to do together.
When we become teenagers, and then adults, we may have very strong feelings for another person. Our heart, our head and our body want to be close to this person. This is falling in love.
Remind the child that a grown-up cannot fall in love with a child.
Beyond family, friends and love, you are also in relationships with other people whom you see often and who take care of you. All these people like to teach you new things and take care of you. This is affection from a grown-up.
Psychosexual development is part of the overall development of young children. Learn the difference between normal behaviour and sexual behaviour problems.
When you talk about privacy, you can recognize various kinds of interpersonal relationships, identify personal space (boundaries), and learn how to ask for those boundaries to be respected.
Sexual violence, even without physical contact, leads to devastating consequences for children and teens.
Learn how to receive a sexual violence disclosure and report a situation.
