How to talk to children about intimacy

Talking about intimacy and sexuality with children is an important part of their upbringing. Despite the sensitivity of the topic, parents should understand that their attitude to this issue shapes the child's future perception of intimate relationships. After all, questions about sexual life can appear as early as at the age of 3-4, and it is important to prepare for them in order to ensure that the child understands correctly.

One of the key mistakes that adults make is avoiding direct and honest answers to children's questions. Parents often believe that it is better not to tell children about sexual life, scaring them with unnecessary information. However, in fact, it is important to be frank with children, answer their questions in an accessible form, without hiding reality behind fairy tales about "storks". This contributes to the formation of a healthy and adequate perception of adult life.

Child sexuality is not just a matter of physiology. Throughout history, scientists and psychologists have said that children already have elements of sexuality from an early age, albeit in a different, less complex form. Psychologist Sergei Agarkov notes that an important stage in upbringing is teaching a child to understand the differences between the sexes. At the age of 3-4, children begin to show curiosity about the structure of the body and realize that they are a boy or a girl. Such conversations should be honest, but simple and not frighten the child.

When a child asks questions, for example, about where he came from, it is important to answer them truthfully, but taking into account his age. Simple and clear answers without unnecessary details will help to avoid misunderstandings in the future. You should not be disingenuous and mislead, because children begin to realize early that the information received from their parents does not always coincide with reality, and then trust in their parents can be undermined.

In addition to talking about biology, it is also necessary to tell the child that closeness between people is not only physical attraction, but also an important part of a relationship that is built on mutual understanding, respect and love. These values ​​should be instilled from childhood so that in the future the child can form a healthy attitude towards relationships with other people.

In addition, it is important to limit children from receiving information about sex from unreliable sources, such as the Internet, where distorted or inappropriate information is often presented. Parents should be the ones who first explain the basic concepts and give the right guidelines for further perception of the world.

Thus, openness and honesty in matters of intimate life, respect for children's curiosity and attention to the formation of correct relationships with the opposite sex - all this contributes to the creation of a healthy and harmonious personality.