STRONGER FAMILIES
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Preschool
Saltz, G. (2005). Amazing You! Getting Smart About Your Private Parts. New York, NY: Penguin Group.
Jenson, K. & Poyner, G. (2016). Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-proofing Today’s Young Kids. Richland, WA: Glen Cove Press.
Harris, R. (2008). It’s Not the Stork!: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (2019). Let’s Talk Pants.
Saltz, G. (2005). Amazing You! Getting Smart About Your Private Parts. New York, NY: Penguin Group.
Jenson, K. & Poyner, G. (2016). Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-proofing Today’s Young Kids. Richland, WA: Glen Cove Press.
Harris, R. (2008). It’s Not the Stork!: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (2019). Let’s Talk Pants.
Grade School
Jenson, K. & Poyner, G. (2016). Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-proofing Today’s Young Kids. Richland, WA: Glen Cove Press.
Brown, L. & Brown, M. (1997). What’s the Big Secret? Talking about Sex with Girls and Boys. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Jenson, K. & Poyner, G. (2016). Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-proofing Today’s Young Kids. Richland, WA: Glen Cove Press.
Brown, L. & Brown, M. (1997). What’s the Big Secret? Talking about Sex with Girls and Boys. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
PreAdolescent - Girls
Natterson, C. (2012). The Care & Keeping of You 2: The Body Book for Older Girls. Middleton, WI: American Girl Publishing.
Natterson, C. (2012). The Care & Keeping of You 2: The Body Book for Older Girls. Middleton, WI: American Girl Publishing.
PreAdolescent - Boys
Natterson, C. (2017). Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys. Middleton, WI: American Girl Publishing.
Dunham, K. (2019). The Boys Body Book: Everything You Need to Know for a Healthy, Happy YOU! (5th ed.). Kennebunkport, ME: Cider Mill Press Book Publishers.
Natterson, C. (2017). Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys. Middleton, WI: American Girl Publishing.
Dunham, K. (2019). The Boys Body Book: Everything You Need to Know for a Healthy, Happy YOU! (5th ed.). Kennebunkport, ME: Cider Mill Press Book Publishers.
Teens
Fortify: www.joinfortify.com.
Fortify: www.joinfortify.com.
For Adults
Culture Reframed. Building Resilience & Resistance To Hypersexualized Media & Porn: www.culturereframed.org.
Penner, C. & Penner, J. (1992). Sex Facts for the Family. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group.
Roberts, B. & Kolb, H. (2018). Digital Natives: Raising An Online Generation. Gresham, OR: Pure Desire Ministries International.
NetSmartz Workshop and Disney have teamed up to offer a self-paced, online training program to help you teach Internet safety and prepare kids to be better digital citizens: https://www.netsmartz.org/Training.
Internet Matters. Helping parents keep their children safe online: www.internetmatters.org.
CovenantEyes Screen Accountability: www.covenanteyes.com.
Focus on the Family: www.focusonthefamily.com.
Culture Reframed. Building Resilience & Resistance To Hypersexualized Media & Porn: www.culturereframed.org.
Penner, C. & Penner, J. (1992). Sex Facts for the Family. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group.
Roberts, B. & Kolb, H. (2018). Digital Natives: Raising An Online Generation. Gresham, OR: Pure Desire Ministries International.
NetSmartz Workshop and Disney have teamed up to offer a self-paced, online training program to help you teach Internet safety and prepare kids to be better digital citizens: https://www.netsmartz.org/Training.
Internet Matters. Helping parents keep their children safe online: www.internetmatters.org.
CovenantEyes Screen Accountability: www.covenanteyes.com.
Focus on the Family: www.focusonthefamily.com.
AGE-APPROPRIATE TIMELINE OF TOPICS ON SEXUALITY
Here is a general list of topics that could be discussed and a timeline of when they might occur.
0-2 Years Old
- Teach your child the proper names for genitals
- This helps them develop attachment, trust and security
- Teach your child the proper names for genitals
- This helps them develop attachment, trust and security
2-5 Years
- Teach your kids boundaries around nudity, touching their own or other people’s bodies and privacy
- Your genitals have a second layer of clothing on them because they are special and people should not see them
without mom or dad around.
- This may be a good time to discuss “tricky people” (a different word for stranger danger) and uh-oh or bad feelings.
Most abuse is done by people children know so they should be aware of having a feeling in their stomach
that “isn’t right”, stating what they are not comfortable with, even with adults, and coming to a parent
when they don’t feel right about something. They need language for this to be able to communicate with us as parents.
- This is also the beginning stages of reproduction.
- Teach your kids boundaries around nudity, touching their own or other people’s bodies and privacy
- Your genitals have a second layer of clothing on them because they are special and people should not see them
without mom or dad around.
- This may be a good time to discuss “tricky people” (a different word for stranger danger) and uh-oh or bad feelings.
Most abuse is done by people children know so they should be aware of having a feeling in their stomach
that “isn’t right”, stating what they are not comfortable with, even with adults, and coming to a parent
when they don’t feel right about something. They need language for this to be able to communicate with us as parents.
- This is also the beginning stages of reproduction.
6-9 Years Old
Conversations about technology & expectations:
- Seeing nudity
- Receiving or sending pictures online
- Know the dangers of talking to strangers online
- Know the dangers of pornography
- Continue talking about personal privacy and modesty
- They may have curiosity over where babies comes from
Conversations about technology & expectations:
- Seeing nudity
- Receiving or sending pictures online
- Know the dangers of talking to strangers online
- Know the dangers of pornography
- Continue talking about personal privacy and modesty
- They may have curiosity over where babies comes from
9-12 Years Old
- Kids will begin to experience puberty and become curious about the mechanics of sex.
- This is a great age to read a book about puberty with your child.
- Teach you kids about the development of male and female body and how hormones are creating changes
the changes they are experiencing
- Menstruation
- Wet dreams
- Body changes
- Masturbation
- Body images becomes a key contributor to self esteem, confidence, social acceptance.
- Continued conversation about pornography and messages from culture will help them during this transitional period.
- Kids will begin to experience puberty and become curious about the mechanics of sex.
- This is a great age to read a book about puberty with your child.
- Teach you kids about the development of male and female body and how hormones are creating changes
the changes they are experiencing
- Menstruation
- Wet dreams
- Body changes
- Masturbation
- Body images becomes a key contributor to self esteem, confidence, social acceptance.
- Continued conversation about pornography and messages from culture will help them during this transitional period.
Teenagers/Young Adults
- Teach on healthy relationships
- Bonding and intimacy without becoming sexual
- Normalize sexual feelings
- Move from immaturity to maturity by taking responsibilty for their sexual behaviors or decisions
- It’s imperative that they learn how to manage their sexuality as a single person
- Teach them what sexual intimacy is about and what it is to have a healthy sexual relationship in marriage.
- Teach on healthy relationships
- Bonding and intimacy without becoming sexual
- Normalize sexual feelings
- Move from immaturity to maturity by taking responsibilty for their sexual behaviors or decisions
- It’s imperative that they learn how to manage their sexuality as a single person
- Teach them what sexual intimacy is about and what it is to have a healthy sexual relationship in marriage.
Marriage
The goal isn’t just to get our kids to wait for sex until marriage. It is to prepare them for a strong marriage relationship that includes:
- Using good communication and conflict resolution.
- Moving toward the ability to have sexual fulfillment with their spouse.
- Communicating their desires and needs.
- Learning how to always have respect for themselves and their partner.
- Giving and receiving pleasure—allowing this to be a strong enjoyable bond in their marriage, rather than a burden.
The goal isn’t just to get our kids to wait for sex until marriage. It is to prepare them for a strong marriage relationship that includes:
- Using good communication and conflict resolution.
- Moving toward the ability to have sexual fulfillment with their spouse.
- Communicating their desires and needs.
- Learning how to always have respect for themselves and their partner.
- Giving and receiving pleasure—allowing this to be a strong enjoyable bond in their marriage, rather than a burden.