What do we teach kids about sex?

Many parents mistakenly think that sex education primarily is about providing biological information. No wonder we shy away from the task! We’re not experts in sexuality and biology, so how can we even get started?

We can start because giving our children information is only part of the job. Sex education, above all else, is about shaping a child’s character. We must shape the values, attitudes, and world view of our kids, particularly shaping their moral understanding of sexuality and how it is to be used. We must provide children with the emotional strength they will need to make godly decisions and instill in them the skills to implement the good decisions they make. Most importantly, their behavior will spring from their hearts, which will be formed by their personal relationship with and devotion to God, so influencing their spiritual growth is a top priority.

In the next chapter, we will give you a way of thinking about your child’s character that will help you understand how to shape that character, and we will build on this throughout this book. How your child responds to pressure to experiment with sex at age fourteen or to view pornography at age eleven will have less to do with the biology they know and more to do with their moral character and strength. The job of building their character belongs first and foremost with you as the parent.

Some content taken from HOW AND WHEN TO TELL YOUR KIDS ABOUT SEX, by Stan and Brenna Jones. Copyright © 1993, 2007, 2019. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. To purchase books in the GOD’S DESIGN FOR SEX book series, go to www.navpress.com.