Parents are being advised to have honest conversations with their children about sexual health.
Saying schools should not be the only place giving guidance to youth about personal issues including their changing bodies, sex and reproductive health, Sexual Health Educator Sade Leon-Slinger said parents must be willing to engage in such talks with their offspring.
“It is important that you be approachable. If you are not, your child is not going to come and ask you anything. They will go to their friends and to people who are posing as friends because when they realise your children are vulnerable, they take advantage of them. So, if you are approachable, your child will feel comfortable coming to you and feel respected and that they will be heard,” she said.
She was addressing the Men Empowerment Network Support’s SAFE Zone 2023 Parenting Empowerment Series on the topic ‘Sexual Health and Adolescents. A Parent Approach’ at the St Leonard’s Boys’ School on Saturday evening .
The educator urged parents to speak to their children, especially boys about abstinence and the importance of valuing themselves and their bodies.
“I tell boys that they do not have to be out there sharing their parts with everybody, but to let their chosen partner earn it. Many women act hard to get, because we value ourselves and our bodies. It all comes down to this, how we value ourselves and our bodies. All of this is a part of sexual health,” she added.
Leon-Slinger also highlighted that discussions must centre around how to achieve goals and not just the end result.
“You have the responsibility to provide for your children … and nowadays everything is about brand and this is the message we send to them. So then in order to get the brand they will do anything, when in truth and fact we should be talking to them about achieving. When they see mummy and daddy working hard, take the time to say ‘this is what we need to do to survive and to provide for families, but we don’t talk or when we do talk it is aggressive,” she claimed. (JB)
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