Just looking for any advice from Moms on approaching the "Sex" talk with my 11 year old daughter. I want to approach it in a positive manner. I have heard "Start Talking" would be a great book. Any other suggestions?
While I do not have any girls, a friend just used the book
"The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls (American Girl Library)" by Valorie Schaefer and Norm Bendell. She really liked the way it handled that sensitive subject. I know they have it at Amazon.com.
Good luck!
Hi K.. The only thing I would like to add is to make sure you keep the conversation open. Let her know that if she has any questions she can come back and ask you. It is actually an ongoing conversation. My daughter is 16 and she still asks me about things. Make it as comfortable for her as possible. Also, I've always believed that if they're old enough to ask, they're old enough for an honest answer. I would also explain not only that she should wait for marriage but why she should wait. Her virginity is a precious special gift for her husband only, and his for her. God bless!
My daughter is also 11 and we started a year or so ago with the American Girl book,"The Care & Keeping of You, The Body Book for Girl" It makes it easy to have discussion and for them to ask questions. I am also doing Secret Keeper Girl which is 8 mother/daughter dates to discuss "the power of true beauty and modesty". www.secretkeepergirl.com It comes with a diary book, cd and objective for the date. We had our first one this week lunch at a tea room and had a great time. It is worth checking it out.
My mom bought the book "Where did I come from?", and we read it together when I was about that age. I still remember it, and I think it presented everything in a serious yet light hearted manner. I still remember my mom and I giggling at some of the cartoons :). Cute addition to the story, my mom gave me the book on my wedding day :)haha, and of course my bridesmaids and I all got to enjoy the book together :)!
All I know is you have to do it NOW. Take her out for Ice Cream or go for a walk. Figure out what she knows and go from there. I just had my dausghter who is going into 2nd grade come to me and tell me her friend(same age) told her what it was. We had a long talk. Make sure to make it comfortable for her. Listen and Let her ask questions.
There is a book called "How You Are Changing" by Jane Graver. It's for kids 8 - 11 and tells her everything she needs to know for her age.
I did alot of research on this subject, and believe it or not...most books suggest that you begin talking to kids at age 8 because they are curious and not embarrassed at this age. Begin with age appropriate, and the questions will come. I went to Barnes & Noble and a lady there suggested a book called "It's Perfectly Normal". Keep talking because things are happening about 2 years earlier than when we were growing up!
I must admit that I am not at that point in my parenting yet but I do have a place to recommend! I used to work at Jeresy Village BAptist church in the student ministy. They have a great program that is on Wed. nights in August at 6:40pm for each grade (finished 6-12) on Sex. You could call them and get more details if you would like. This is a SUPER curr. that ?I will send my kids to when Ig et to that point. They anser more questions than I could even think of based off topics they hear in school and then at home you could answer more and re-inforce what the church was saying. Hope this helps!
Casey Neighbors
Special Projects Coordinator
The Women's Fund for Health Education and Research
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K., if you are in Houston, the organization above has a book named "what about me?" I used it with an abstinance
class I taught last year. It's a book for the girl herself.
It's free, at least they happlily provided 20 for my class.
They also offer many other services and information for women.
Since one in 4 Americans have herpes and HPV is even more common, it's is so important that we educate our girls early.
Good for you.
