This is a sponsored post with AMAZE and The Mission List. Any opinions in this post on “sex education from a mom’s perspective” are 100% my own.
Sex Education from a Mom’s Perspective
Back in May, my 5th grade son brought home a note. THE note.
Dear Parents,
On May 25th your son or daughter will begin Sex Education.
My daughter went through sex education class 5 years prior, but this was different. This was my son and while I know how it all works, I didn’t quite know what to say to him. My stomach high jumped into my throat and I was wishing it as 5PM and not 3:35PM. I was wishing the note came with tips for talking to your son about sex education, but it didn’t. So, our conversation went a little something like this:
Me: “So this note. You know what it’s about?”
Son: (head lowered smiling) “Yes mom.”
Me: “Is there anything you want to talk about before you watch the video?”
Son: “Mom! NO!”
Me: “Okay. Well let me know if you have any questions after.”
Son: “Okay.”
Me: “Oh, and no giggling during the movie. You know they will fail you in 5th grade for that, right?”
Son: “Really? I won’t. I swear.”
Okay, so I fabricated a bit on the failing 5th grade part, but the note did specifically mention behavior during the class. He’s 11 and laughs at the word fart so you can understand my concern. That concern quickly jumped from his giggles to “what the heck do I say to my son about sex education?” because this is happening.
We’ve talked about how babies are made and my son is slowly starting to take interest in girls. That’s about the extent of it, until the note came home. Yes, it was probably time but I guess I didn’t realize my little boy was growing up so fast. I didn’t realize he was going to ask my husband about “hair growing down there” last week. Seriously. It’s not just sex education, now it’s puberty too! Oh the conversations. What’s a mom to do when her little boy starts going through puberty? First, she stops calling him her little boy. Second, she heads to AMAZE.org to get more info and make it less weird.
Now that two of my kids have gone through sex education, I can tell you how important resources like AMAZE are. Resources that will help us navigate the conversations we have to have with our children. AMAZE produces engaging sex education videos for 10-14 year olds, that cover puberty, relationships, gender identity, consent, and more. The second I learned about AMAZE I did three things. First, I told two friends about it who also have tween boys because that’s what friends do when they find the best resource for moms of boys. Second, I told my husband about AMAZE and all the ice-breakers they offered, so he could find ways to have these talks with our son as well. Third, I spent a good hour under the parents section at AMAZE.org and walked away feeling confident and comfortable talking to my son about his current and upcoming stages in life.
I, the mother of a boy, am comfortable talking to my son about what to do with his sheets as he goes through the stages of puberty, and the difference between healthy vs unhealthy relationships. With him starting middle school and beginning to go through puberty, I’m aware that girls are becoming more appealing. I don’t want my son to feel awkward talking to me about girls, and I don’t want to say the wrong things. The struggle is real but AMAZE.org has given me great ideas on getting my son to open up and continue to talk to me without freaking out about the topic.
While my son went through sex education at school, I am his primary sexuality educator and AMAZE is helping empower me to be that. It can empower you to be that, with videos that inform and advice on how to spark the conversations.
Like the AMAZEparents Facebook Page for more fantastic info to help you maneuver through parenthood with a tween and teen.
Amanda says
I love this! It’s so strange how taboo this is, no one really talks about it in a way other than joking about it. I love that there is a place for parents and kids that operates in a way that’s better than Birds and Bees pamphlets made in 1986!
robin rue says
My kids learn all about it in school, which is just fine by me. I have all boys, but their dad did have a talk with them about it before they heard about it in school.
Nichole says
I don’t have kids, but know most learn basic sex ed at school. I did many, many years ago. It’s always good to have open communication with your kids, however.
Brandy says
I try to have that talk about it with the boys, but man it’s much more difficult. My sons find humor in the conversation and I can’t even get a few words out without them giggling or saying words over and over. I hope that they do have some education in school for it, but so far the school education side really is brief and opens more questions for kids it seems. I just keep an open communication policy in the home, no topic is off limits and now I have these resources that will totally help me so thank you!
Emily Erson says
Fail the 5th grade if you laugh. That’s some good stuff. Looks like the program has a different approach! I have a 7th grader. I think I will give this a shot.
Heather Johnson says
I am kind of amazed that schools do not start sooner. We homeschool and begin sex education basically from birth by using correct terms for body parts. My 5-year-old probably knows more correct facts about where babies come from than so many older kids. We do not mince words here lol!
jenny says
I had that conversation with my daughter last year!! It is amazing how fast the kids know before we think they do as well.
Annemarie LeBlanc says
This was one of the most difficult conversations to engage your child in. That awkward feeling of discussing how babies are made. My kids learned sex education at school and that is perfectly fine with me. However, I told my kids that they can talk to me if there are things they don’t understand.
Janella Panchamsingh says
this is such a difficult conversation to have without disclosing too much for their little brains but you did great