Talking about sexual health with your children

Can We Talk? This October Hill County Family Planning sponsors “Let’s Talk Month” to encourage parent/child communication about sexual health.

Parents are the first and most important sexual health educators in their children’s lives. However, not all parents are comfortable with or have the resources to discuss sexual health with their children. Often, parents want to talk their son or daughter about this issue, but are afraid that they will not have the right answers and do not know where to get them. Sexual development is natural, normal and healthy.

“Let’s Talk Month” is a national public education campaign celebrated every year in October, coordinated by Advocates for Youth, to help parents and their children navigate a path to a healthy life where young people can make healthy responsible decisions around sex. ‘Let’s Talk Month’ equips parents with facts, advice and tips so parents can take advantage of the teachable moments that occur every day. Watching a T.V. show, the birth of a child, or a song with suggestive sexual lyrics are all moments parents and their children can use to discuss sexuality and reinforce the family’s values and religious beliefs.

Not only is ‘Let’s Talk Month’ helpful to parents about speaking to their children about sexual health, but it also encourages youth to feel comfortable about bringing up the topic with their parents on their own. In order for young people to make healthy choices about sex, they have the right to open and honest, age appropriate information and to have a trusted adult that they can talk to. Studies show that youth whose parents are open and comfortable about sex were less prone to engage in sexual risk behavior. However, there are some parents that don’t want to believe that their child is having sex. The facts tell us that 60.8 percent of Montana high school seniors report having had sex.

Throughout the month of October, Hill County Family Planning will post quick tips on how to be an “askable” parent and other facts on the Hill County Health Department Facebook page. Parents and their children are encourage to join the conversation using the hash tag #LetsTalkMonth.

Jessica Kennedy-Stiffarm, RN

Hill County Health Department

Public Health Nurse