Dr. David McKenzie, a marriage and sex therapist in Vancouver, Canada and Washington State, provides tips to Fox News about how to talk with children about sex.

DO:

• Allow children to set the pace by answering their questions in an age appropriate manner. Sex education can really start at any time.
• Utilize good literature, such as story books, to read to children at a very early age (as young a four or five years) where human sexuality is explored in very simple, child-like ways

DON’T:

• Close the door to open and honest discussion early on, which happens when parents use “birds and bees” terminology, even though they have the best intentions. Use correct words for each body part, otherwise children will not be as comfortable asking questions about their bodies as they grow up. Concepts can still be simplified and accessible to children while naming body parts by their real name.
• Ignore questions from your child about sex. But do not give more information than the specific information they are asking for, unless necessary to answer the question.
• Miss an opportunity to teach by not answering a child’s questions at all. Every question is an opportunity to teach and, by not answering, children will think parents can’t be approached.

Additional resources for parents (including both some comprehensive and some abstinence-only guides) include Advocates for Youth’s online Sex Ed Center, parenting Web site Kidsgrowth.com, Dr. Spock.com and Notmenow.org.

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