1. Children ask so called sexual questions more out of ‘curiosity’. They are less ‘sexual’ in nature. Never kill their curiosity
2. Never avoid answering. That will provoke him to ask the question to a wrong person.
3. Never give false or unscientific answers. They will lose trust in you when they discover correct answers.
4. Be at ease while discussing sex with child, like you would discuss any other topic. Information about sexuality is as important as food, shelter, and loving care.
5. Avoid lecturing about sex in one go, to get over your anxiety about the topic. Avoid giving excessive information. Young Children may not have sufficient attention span to understand you. Plus they need to be encouraged to ask questions while they are learning.
6. Sex education must not be limited to biological aspects. Child must learn about values, emotions, responsibilities and decision making that goes with sex education
7. For parents, educating their child at different phases of their life and making correct advice available at the right time is a major responsibility
8. Do not worry about telling “too much”. Children usually absorb only what seems essential to them or worries them.
9. Never scold or punish if child asks you a so-called sexual question or you notice him touching, exploring, and pleasuring his or her genitals.
10. If your child is using abusive or vulgar sexual language, never laugh. Stop them immediately, by telling them these words are not used by people who desire respect.
11. Teach your child correct terminology for their private parts, like Penis, Vagina etc. Avoid slang.
12. Take help of trained sex educator to teach your pre-school child to say “No” to adults or friends.
13. To benefit your child better, discuss puberty before it sets in. Ideally at the age between 9 and 10 yrs
14. Inform boys about girl’s anatomy, menstruation and reproductive system and girls about male anatomy, erection, reproductive system and wet dreams. Most children are deprived of information about opposite sex even until their marriage, which may cause serious problems in relationship.
15. Don’t leave topics like homosexuality, sexual perversions and pornography because they hear about them on TV or newspapers and may get curious to find out from inappropriate sources.
16. Encourage your child to ask questions about sex as and when they arise. Never avoid them or brush them off by saying, “You are too young to understand it now”. If a child has become old enough to ask, then they are old enough to get proper answer.
17. Ask for time, if either you don’t know the answer or you don’t know how to give the answer. Take help of your family doctor to explain the facts.
18. After answering the child’s question, check if they have understood it. Do check if what you have told them is what they really wanted to know.
19. Never relate the answer to your personal experience.
20. Don’t be afraid! Education about sex does not encourage young people to be sexually active.