Video Discussions Transcripts

Atlanta 2009: Health and Wellness — Our Children Are Growing Up

[Intro Music]

[My Black is Beautiful Logo]

SUPER: The Conversation Room

SUPER: Health and Wellness
Our Children Are Growing Up
Atlanta 2009

SUPER: How do we talk to our children about sex?

Monica Melton (Moderator): How do we talk to our children about sex?

Participant: I usually address sex, and the diseases that come along with them, during conversations while we're watching TV. Sometimes there's some shows that's coming on that's about a certain issue.

Participant: As soon as my son was 6 years old, he started asking. I believe that we should educate our children to call the names about our bodies the proper names. And when he became 10, I sat down and I talked to him about it. In fact, I bought a book called, "Where Did I Come From?"

Participant: Just the society that we live in now, you have to talk about it early, so that they know. And when you think that they're not thinking about it, they're thinking about it.

Participant: I think that part of the thing is we as parents are afraid to express and talk about intimacy with our children, because we think that maybe they'll go out and experiment with it. But, ladies, if we don't talk to them, they're going to experiment with it anyway. So, there's really no age, you just have to really know your children.

Participant: But say it to them in a way so when they're 7, you can build upon what you said when they were 4. When they're 12, you can build upon what you said when they were 10.

Moderator: At least when I was growing up, I don't know about you, it was always "the talk." So, it was like a one-time thing. So, now they're saying no, this is going to be a repetitive; age-appropriate; at 5, at 7, at 10, at 12, at 13, at 16 and a continuation, where you're just building upon, and building upon things in an appropriate manner.

SUPER: The Conversation Room

[My Black is Beautiful Logo]

SUPER: www.myblackisbeautiful.com

[Outro Music]