Importance of sex education for children • hello healthy

Reporting from the BKKBN, the results of a survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics in 2012 revealed that the teenage pregnancy rate at the age of 15-19 years reached 48 out of 1,000 pregnancies. The high rate of teenage pregnancy is one of the contributors to the number of maternal and infant deaths in Indonesia.

According to the Ministry of Health's HIV / AIDS Infodatin data, the incidence rate of HIV at 15-24 years of age reached 4,400 cases in 2014. Based on risk factors, unprotected sexual intercourse between men and women is the main cause of HIV infection in the past five years. In 2015, HIV infection due to unsafe vaginal penetration reached 46.2 percent.

Sex education is not pornography

Unfortunately, until now sex education in schools continues to be rejected by many. The reason is that sex education is suspected of being counterproductive and leading to pornography. In fact, the lack of formal access to sex education in Indonesia makes children and adolescents tend to satisfy their curiosity through other channels, such as the internet, pornographic films, and peers, which are generally inappropriate and can be dangerous.

In fact, comprehensive sex education will be effective in overcoming promiscuity. Quoting from Advocates for Youth, comprehensive sex education and HIV / AIDS prevention programs that are effective show an effect on behavior change and / or achieve positive health impacts, including delaying first sex, reducing the incidence of unsafe sex, increasing use of condoms and contraception, and significantly lower rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

This is where the role of parents is needed as primary educators of children, to involve them in discussions of sexuality and reproductive health. When parents talk about sexuality with their children, you can make sure that the information they get is accurate information. Parents should be children's first sources of sexuality and sexuality.

When children are curious about sex, discuss it. Don't be considered taboo.

Studies show that the more often children are exposed to sexual images in the media, the greater their involvement in sexual activity and / or behavior from a very young age. Even so, the real sex education will not lead children to promiscuity.

Curiosity about sex is a natural step from growing a child to learn about his body. Sex education helps children to understand more about their bodies and helps them love their own bodies.

Discussing sexuality is an important part of open communication with your child. Open, early, and honest communication between parents and children is important, especially when they are young.

The lines of communication that are always available between the children and the parents will allow the child to open up and talk directly with the parents about all the problems of life of teenagers, including depression, dating, use of alcohol and drugs, and sexual problems. Also, it allows parents to avoid giving one long 'talk' that teenagers don't feel comfortable with. Let your child express all their questions and opinions so that talking about sex becomes a discussion, not a one-way talk.

Sex education also provides an opportunity for you to instill your family values. For example, if you and your family believe that sexual relations should be undertaken after marriage, this could be a topic of discussion with your child. If these things have never been discussed before, there is a high chance that your teenager will not receive this message.

Research shows that children who have received sex education at home from their parents are less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior.

How do you start sex education at home?

When talking about sex with children, make sure that the discussion is age appropriate. Explain the topic in simple language so that your child understands it, and don't just give a "general lecture" on a variety of topics at once. Children tend to express their curiosity about pregnancy and how babies are made, rather than the mechanism of sex itself.

Since childhood, children must be able to know and distinguish body parts, including genitalia. Avoid ambiguous names such as "er" or "milk" to help children learn to understand their own bodies, and so they can identify problems precisely when you suspect sexual abuse has occurred to your child. So, use the correct terms from the start: breast, chest, nipple, penis, vulva, vagina, testicles.

If your toddler asks where the baby comes from, you can provoke him by asking back, "What do you think?" to find out how well he understood. You can explain in simple language, such as, “The baby lives in the mother's womb. When the baby is grown, it comes out of the birth canal, which is called the vagina. "

Of course you can modify your description of sex and pregnancy according to the age of your child. By the age of 6-10, you can begin to explain what sex is (“sex is when a man's penis enters a woman's vagina”) with good explanations and language that is comfortable for you and your child.

Another important thing is puberty. Introducing to children about the concept of puberty and how the physical body changes due to puberty is a good idea to do from an early age, even before the child reaches puberty. For example, “Deck, let's look at the older brother. Now he's a beard (or has breasts) and his voice is big, right? Everyone is like that. When you grow up, you will be like that too. Hair will also grow on your penis / vagina, and under your armpits. "

Different ages, different ways of conveying

When talking to teenagers, convey not only facts and information about sexuality, but also your feelings, opinions and attitudes about certain issues, such as oral sex or issues of sexuality in general, in the context of family values, religion, or your personal. Be objective about the risks of each condition, including from an emotional point of view, infectious infections, and unwanted pregnancies. Explain the importance of contraception, especially condoms, and also that oral sex is not a safe solution to vaginal penetrative sex.

If your teen is watching porn, don't panic. Don't scold him either. Use this opportunity to start a discussion about what he has seen and tell him that being curious about sex is normal. As a parent, you should take this opportunity to straighten out the "fantasies" and real world risks that pornographic films may have, and that sex is a personal and private matter for adults.

A variety of factors such as peer pressure, curiosity and loneliness, for example, lead some teens to early sexual activity. But, there's no need to hurry. Remind your teenager that sex is adult behavior. Until then, there were many other ways to express affection, by chatting, walking, holding hands, kissing, or hugging.

Also explain that no one should feel obligated to have sex based on coercion or fear. All kinds of forced sex are a form of rape, regardless of whether the perpetrator is a stranger or they know well.

Always emphasize to your child that no is no, and the influence of alcohol or drugs will undermine their ability to make decisions about sex, and can lead to sexual violence.