Number of teens receiving sex education drops by 10%. Here’s how to talk to your kids about sex

The highlight of the study was the fact that the number of teenage girls who were formally taught about birth control has reduced from 70 percent to 60 percent.

By: Poorva Chavan | | Updated: April 19, 2016 11:15 am

Sex education is one of the most neglected subjects in India. Neither is taught properly in schools nor are Indian parents keen about raising the topic with their children. One of the biggest drawbacks of this negligence is the curiosity and the confusion that is never sorted which further gives rise to unhealthy and unsafe sex practices. Also, the silence around it propagates sex as a taboo.

A recently released American report by the non-profit organisation Guttmacher Institute says that sex education from parents and schools has significantly dropped than a decade ago. The report found that 21 percent girls and 35 percent boys did not receive any information about birth control. Neither from their parents nor from their school. The highlight of the study was the fact that the number of teenage girls who were formally taught about birth control has reduced from 70 percent to 60 percent. Also, the number of girls that were taught about STDs dropped from 94 percent to 90 percent and those were taught about HIV/AIDS dropped from 89 percent to 86 percent. In boys, the number that was taught about birth control reduced from 61 percent to 55 percent.

Even if these numbers showcase the American scenario, we can only imagine what would be the situation in India. Not all schools teach sex education, parents are usually awkward talking about it, plus they are unaware about to initiate the conversation.

It is important for schools and parents to realise the importance of sex education in teenagers. Sex education can prevent unwanted pregnancies, teach teenagers about avoiding STDs and maintaining and above all it also improves their overall health.

Parents should not brush the topic aside because it is awkward or uncomfortable. Instead of both the parents doing the talking, the father should talk to a son and the mother should talk to a daughter. Bring up the sex in the conversation and make your child comfortable while talking about it. Also, only when you have spoken about it once before, should both the parents talk to the kids about it together.

Another important thing is to choose the right timing. Talk to your child in private. Don’t make the mistake of raising the topic in front of someone else. Also choose a time when both of you are relaxed for example initiate the conversation while watching something on TV that brings up how important it is to be a responsible adult.

Before you jump to conclusions that your child knows the basics, ask him/her about how much she knows. There are high chances that they have Googled it already.

Want to know more about how to sustain the conversation and what you should talk about while teaching your child about the birds and the bees? Click here.

Image source: Shutterstock (Image for representational purpose only)

Published : April 19, 2016 9:58 am | Updated:April 19, 2016 11:15 am

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