Episode 18: Introduction to Sexuality Education
Talking to our children about sexuality is not easy, especially in today’s digital world.
But it can and should be done. In this episode we revisit some of the foundations needed for this conversation with our children, so that we can talk with them in a way that will form and prepare them for the challenges ahead, as well as help us bond more closely with them in the process. It also gives us an idea of what to expect in this mini-series on “Talking to our Children About Sexuality”.
Listen as a podcast:
In our videos and podcasts so far, we have covered the foundations and pillars of Catholic parenting, followed by a mini-series that discussed the ABCs of connecting with our children.
These foundational episodes provided us with the backbone, so to speak, of Catholic parenting. They helped us understand our role as priest, prophet and king in our family. They helped us appreciate the foundational role that Jesus has in our lives, both in our individual lives and our family lives.
Connection
We also learned about the importance of connecting with the Church through her teachings, support and sacramental life, as well as the importance of connecting with our spouse and children.
When discussing the latter, we shared about the ABCs of why and how we can bond with our children ever more closely through the following:
A for affirmation,
Be for being there for them,
C for communicating well with them,
D for disciplining them well,
E for being empathetic with them,
F for forgiveness,
G for being God centred in our family life,
H for honesty,
I for integrity, and finally
J for being joyful.
Without this strong foundation that I have just laid out, it will be difficult to connect well with our children, and share with them the values and virtues that matter so much to us, and which we know are necessary for their flourishing.
If you have not gone through those short videos or podcasts from episodes 1 to 17 yet, I would strongly urge you to do so.
Because it is with these foundational episodes as our basis, that we are now ready to launch into more specific topics such as chastity and sexuality education, management of the internet and social media, faith formation and so on.
Man and Woman He Made Them
Here I would like to introduce you to the next miniseries on Catholic parenting – sexuality education.
This is not an easy topic. My wife and I have made mistakes in the past as we tried to form our children in this area. I will share some of these with you in a later episode.
We have learned much from them. As mentioned in our introductory episode, it is our hope that you will learn from our mistakes, so that you and your children will be spared the same.
In this mini-series, the areas covered will include, though not limited to, topics such as understanding God’s plan for sex, what chastity is really all about, premarital sex, modesty, pornography and so on.
Why do we have sexual desire? Is it good or bad? How do we handle it? How do we prepare ourselves to form our children in this area? How do we equip our children for this intense and “hot” battle, so to speak? How do we help them overcome temptations in this area? How do we explain to them difficult topics such as masturbation and contraception, and others?
These are just some of the questions that we must, and will, cover as we dive into the next mini-series on sexuality education.
Next week, we will discuss how we can prepare ourselves for this challenging yet exciting journey ahead in sexuality education.
Resources
“The family has as its mission to guard, reveal and communicate love…” – Pope St. John Paul II, Familiaris consortio, #17
“It is an illusion to think we can build a true culture of human life if we do not … Accept and experience sexuality and love and the whole of life according to their true meaning and their close inter-connection.” – Pope St John Paul II, Evangelium vitae, #97
“Parents always influence the moral development of their children, for better or for worse. It follows that they should take up this essential role and carry it out consciously, enthusiastically, reasonably and appropriately.” – Pope Francis, Amoris laetitia, #259
“[the parents’] role as educators is so decisive that scarcely any thing can compensate for their failure in it.” – Pope St John Paul II, Familiaris consortio, #36
“Only if we devote time to our children, speaking of important things with simplicity and concern, and finding healthy ways for them to spend their time, will we be able to shield them from harm. Vigilance is always necessary and neglect is never beneficial.” – Pope Francis, Amoris laetitia, #260
“The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality” – Guidelines for Education within the Family, The Pontifical Council For The Family, 8 December 1995.