Why don't parents talk to there kids about sex?

Question

My college professor is asking me to give a speech on this subject. need as many responses as possible.

Answer 1

I honestly don't know!!! Its not a taboo in my family. i mean, we don't discuss our turn ons and such, but I knew from a very young age (4-5) how babies were made. I do the same with my kids, no cabbage patch or stork.

Answer 2

Most parents have blinders on when it comes to their children. They don't want to believe that their kids are doing drugs or having sex. The parents that do have the talk are often very uncomfortable so they kind of just rush through it, and the child doesn't ask questions because they are uncomfortable too. If parents have an open and honest dialog from a young age it wouldn't be so much of an issue and easier for both parties.

Answer 3

I have three sons & my ex & I both talked to our sons about sex. Many parents are too uncomfortable about talking about it to their children. Why? Perhaps because their parents treated it as though it was a taboo subject to dicuss with their children, not realizing that as parents, they needed to talk to their children, especially when they begin to ask questions. If parents treat the subject of sex as though it was something dirty & disgusting, the children will think that way as well. They'll hear about sex from their friends who may have heard it from a friend, etc. I can tell on Yahoo Q's & A's, that many young kids & adolescents posting questions, have no idea about sex, especially when it comes to how to get pregnant or how they got pregnant. It's so sad. Parents should be teaching their sons & daughters about the facts of life & teach them morals & self respect, but so many opt to avoid the subject. Parents need to wake up & realize that sex education starts at home not at school. Those same parents will raise holy heck when their children come home from school & tell what was taught in Sex Education classes. Children will ask questions at an early age & their parents should answer them by saying just enough to satisfy their curiosity. More of their questions will follow, the older & more mature they become. Many times, young children will ask where they came from & are told that the "stork" brought them or they were found in the cabbage patch, or they came from the hospital. When the child grows up & finds out the truth, that gets the child wondering why his parents lied to him, thus thinking that sex is a bad/dirty thing. Fathers & mothers need to talk to their sons & daughters about puberty & what changes take place inside & outside of the body. Gals need to be told that once they begin having their periods, they can now get pregnant. Guys need to be told that once they go through puberty, they can get a gal pregnant. Until that happens, there will be more & more young gals pregnant & young guys asking how did that happen.

Answer 4

My mother had two "conversations" with me about sex. The first one was after sex ed in 6th grade. After the week of school sponsored instruction my mom asked me if I had any questions. I said no (who talks to their parent about THAT--I was 11) and she dropped it. 9 years later I was getting married the next day and she said there would be pain and her first time she thought her period had come.

To answer you question, for some it is a lack of understanding about sex. No one educated my mother before she got married and she didn't really understand what was happening--and I don't think ever enjoyed it much. So for her to explain it to her 5 kids (4 boys and myself) was too much for her. I think a lot of people are very uncomfortable with discussions about sex and find themselves putting it off until it's too late. Also, most parents I think feel they don't know the right way to go about the discussion.

Here is your child. They are the most precious thing to you in the world. You want them to make good choices and stay away from harmful situations and practices. If you present yourself in your child's life as always being approachable--someone they can talk to--then they are more likely to be open to a discussion about sex. This has to be done from infancy. You can't go through their childhood never asking questions or being involved in what they think and feel and then suddenly spring this very awkward conversation on them.

Another issue today's society has is divorce. One parent assumes the other has done it and so forth, and the child is never educated. My husband was married before and first brought up the sex discussion with his daughter when she was 9 or 10. Probably a little late but she wasn't comfortable talking to him about it and told him so. They agreed that they would discuss it by the time she was 12--it gave her power over the moment and also showed a measure of trust. As it turned out her mom did eventually step up and have the conversation with her so my husband just went over it lightly again to be sure she understood.

We find sexual education of our children to be important. I don't think learning about sex encourages a child to have sex. I think they need to understand and be taught that they have a great responsibility to themselves and to others and to never take sex lightly.

Answer 5

I wish I knew. I taught 8th grade in an urban district, and the parents did not talk about sex. Those kids asked the Health teacher questions constantly, and listened to urban legends like douching with Dr Pepper to prevent pregnancy. I plan to teach my kids all about sex before someone else does. Easier said than done, right?

Amber waves of grain--it's funny because it's TRUE!!!!!!

I wanted to add that my own dad gave me the proverbial talk once: my brother, sister and I were all in the car with him. I don't remember where we were going, but I remember his words verbatim: "Kids, your mother and I waited. You will too." It was already too late for me. I was 16.

When I was in college, my mom was sitting on the couch watching her soap opera. She said "Belinda, if you get pregnant, you are NOT having a wedding."

I just shared those stories because I think they're funny!

Answer 6

i've got have been given a 5 3 hundred and sixty 5 days old son and despite if i've got no longer defined the finished info of intercourse to him I even have taken books from the library approximately making toddlers which we've study jointly. despite if he incredibly knows it or no longer i do no longer understand yet yet he's familiar with the thought it takes a guy and woman to make a toddler and the place the toddler is grown for the duration of being pregnant. I completely agree jointly with your factor that it incredibly is basically organic and could be stated (which i visit do whilst he's slightly older) yet i think an outstanding style of father and mom locate it confusing and awkward, my journey of intercourse ed from my father and mom replaced into receiving a e book for christmas elderly 12 entitled 'permit's communicate approximately intercourse' and as you could think of i replaced into extraordinarily embarrassed! i think of an outstanding style of father and mom in basic terms rely upon the college device to instruct their teenagers yet it incredibly is many times no longer adequate, i do no longer think of issues will exchange that lots, childrens will never end getting pregnant and human beings will never end getting std's yet making your guy or woman teenagers clever and conscious is all you're able to do.

Answer 7

I would say there were a number of reasons:

Depending on the age, it is not a subject they need to know about until older.

It crosses a line never to be crossed between parents and children. Because of the taboo concerning incest, to discuss it is almost to step towards that.

It's embarrassing for both parties.

It conjures up mental images that neither party particularly wants to visualise.

It could be seen to be condoning an act which by its very nature is frowned upon by parents when carried out by their children. "Good girls don't" etc.

Answer 8

I think parents figure if the don't bring the topic up in the first place, maybe the kids arn't thinking about it. Which is usually the opposite. I think if you talk to kids about sex, give them options and consequence situations, it makes them think about not doing it more.

Answer 9

Most parents are afraid of the topic. I think they assume that with information their child will be more likely to pursue sex. Or, they provide them with incorrect information.

Children are naturally curious. At this day in age, they will get their answers from somewhere. I would personally prefer that source be ME to my children.

Answer 10

Embarrasment. Maybe not comfortable about the subject themselves. What would be interesting is to find out how many parents who can't talk to their kids also can't talk to their spouses about sexual needs.