(07-08-2012, 12:09 AM)kandrathe Wrote: The Super-Sexualization of Children: Time to Take Notice by Fred Kaeser, Ed.D., is the former director of health for the NYC Department of Education. He is the author of What Your Child Needs To Know About Sex (And When).
From the above:
Quote:Remember two very important facts: One, your voice as a parent IS more powerful than your child's peers and the media; and two, talking about sex and sexuality with your child will NOT increase their interest in sex; only help them act more responsibly. It really is this simple.
As a parent of three teenage girls (15, 16, and 18), I can tell you that this is exactly true. Don't let anyone (usually your church, but not always) tell you that you shouldn't give your children information about sex and sexuality. The bolded section in the quote is exactly true. Give them all the information they ask for (sometimes more than they ask for), and make sure they understand about actions and consequences, and you won't have the issues with it that many parents have with sex and sexuality.
The vulgarity part works much the same way. Give kids the information, and they'll be able to function in today's vulgar society, without necessarily becoming part of it themselves. If you shelter them from everything, they *will* run into things on the Internet/TV/other that you probably didn't want them to see, even by accident, but, if they have the information they need, or can get it from you, they can process almost anything without harm, and put it in perspective.
TL;DR: With the way society is today, trying to shelter your kids from sex and sexuality, and by extension, vulgarity, rather than helping them understand it, is not doing them a favor. As has been said in other things, information is power. So it is here.
--Mav