How, why and when to tell your children about sex is a question all parents are faced with. Many parents fear that lending knowledge to dampen their children’s curiosity will lead to heightened interest and experimentation with sex, but studies have shown quite the opposite - information does not encourage sexual activity. It shows that children who are well informed on the topic make better decisions, especially when there are open channels of communication between them and their parents on the topic of sexuality.

Unwanted/unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases had parents worried and they did not want to talk about sex with their children. Sex was made out to be something to be afraid of which could lead to scandal, disaster and ostracism. The rise of HIV infections in South Africa has added urgency to the problem of improper sex education. According to health24.com, the SABC and LoveLife released a conjoint report, stating “more than four million South Africans are infected with HIV. This number is expected to have exceeded ten million in the next eight to ten years”. The report also mentioned that teens in countries that maintained a conservative stance to sex education were more promiscuous than those who had information available to them about sexuality.

Recently, Mpumalanga’s MEC for Education Craig Paddayachee announced that 300 000 school children could die from AIDS in South Africa in the next ten years if something drastic is not done to curtail the spread of the virus. He also said this could become a reality if sex education in schools is not taken seriously by education authorities. Sex education in schools is also a problem, as a study by the US Kaiser Family Foundation suggests. Some schools cover topics such as reproduction, pregnancy and AIDS, but they lack skill-based instruction, dealing with topics such as pressures and emotions around sexual activity, talking to parents and getting medical help.

Health24.com reported that “A newly released study by the Alan Guttmacher Institute also found that sex education in public schools was often aimed at encouraging abstinence and that students are denied the information they need when they do choose to become sexually active. Indications are that this is also a trend in South African schools.” Some may argue that sex education is not only the responsibility of the schools, but also of South African parents. They must equip their children with the knowledge to make better informed decisions about their health and sexuality. Be a good role model, know your facts, encourage curiosity and self-confidence and be patient.

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