Dr. Eva Goldfarb: Sex Education Doesn’t Have to be Awkward

Dr. Eva Goldfarb, Public Health Professor, is quoted in a BBC article about why a conversation about sex education between parent and child doesn’t have to be awkward.

Dr. Goldfarb states, “Start earlier than you think. Even with very young children you can talk about names of body parts and functions, body integrity and control.”

This includes talking about issues that parents may not even think about as sex-related, but that are about relationships more broadly: “Nobody gets what they want all the time, it’s important to treat everyone with kindness and respect.”

In fact, parents tend to find it easier to talk to their children about sex when these conversations start at a young age and come up naturally, separate research suggests. Answering young children’s questions openly and honestly can set a positive pattern that makes it easier to talk about more complex issues later.