Fourth Grade - Starting Early: Sexuality Education for Preteens

Fourth Grade - Starting Early: Sexuality Education for Preteens
photo by: Mychal Stanley
Iowa State University Extension

During the preteen years, children define and refine their values, beliefs and knowledge about sexuality. Your factual information and open discussion will help your child develop healthy and responsible sexual attitudes. This involves more than just one talk. It's an ongoing process of sharing information.

Preteens often confront life with a newspaper approach. They want to know about everything - who, what, when, where, why and how. These questions are opportunities for you to pass your values and beliefs as well as accurate information to your child. If you don't talk to him, your child will continue to seek information from any source available. The information in magazines, movies, music and the Internet; in jokes or on bathroom walls; and from friends is rarely the picture parents want their children to have.

Research indicates that parents are still more influential in conveying values and beliefs than media and peers if parents are indeed doing the job. Purchasing or checking out from the library a few good resources and attending a class on becoming a woman or man are great places to begin.

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