Teaching sex education to our girls has become a matter of urgency both for the well-being of the girl child and for society.

More frequently than ever, we see almost a daily report on how the girl child is being sexually exploited by predators, more alarming is the fact that these abusers are household members known to the child.

If you as parents refused to teach your daughter sex education then you are leaving her at the mercy of sex exploiters who are ready to prey on your daughter’s ignorance.

Sex educating a girl child might not automatically wade off sex abusers from her, but it will empower your child to understand when she is being touched inappropriately, and also give her the willpower to speak up against sexual abusers and know who to talk to when the need arises.

Never assume your daughter is safe. Anyone can be sexually abused by anyone even by trusted family members and friends.

Sex talk in most cultures is a taboo; seen as a dark secret that should never be discussed with anyone, much more a child.

It is on this ‘taboo’ that a child abuser thrives, knowing such matters are never discussed in the home and that the girl child is powerless.

Some parents genuinely want to talk about it to their daughters but do not know how to teach sex education to their daughters because they weren’t taught.

How can Parents Teach their Daughters Sex Education?

1. Teach the Private Parts Areas
From a very young age, say between ages 3 and above start teaching your daughters about their private bodies – the mouth, the breast, the virginal, the tights and the stomach regions.

Teach them to point at these areas and tell why they are private. They are private because no one else is supposed to touch them not even a parent or a family member.

2. Use the right Names
Call the private areas by their real names. Don’t call the penis ‘Pepe’, or the vagina ‘wewe’ or some other type of pseudo names.

If you use pet names for these things, they might come off to the child as jokes, hence they won’t apply any seriousness to it. Inform them that their private parts aren’t a toy that they or anyone should play with.

3. Let them know who can touch their Private parts- when and why
Inform your girl child between ages 3-4 that you the mother or any trusted big female relative who lives with you can touch her only when cleaning her up. show her what right cleaning should be and shouldn’t be.

When the child gets to the age where she can clean after herself, inform her that neither you nor anyone has the right to touch her butt not even when they offer to clean her up.

When going for a routine visit to the doctor, insist to be in the room with your daughter and have them explain the procedures to you.
I believe from age 2, a girl child even boys should no longer do naked weight checking. That should stop at 12 months. this will help reinforce boundaries and teach the child is not okay to go naked before others.

How to teach your daughter sex education


4. Teach boundaries to your daughters
Some girl –child are easily exploited because they do not understand boundaries.

From ages 3 and upwards, you can begin to teach your daughter boundaries such as

– You don’t sit on anyone’s lap
– Sit with your legs closed
– Don’t go running about naked

– Avoid going alone into a live-in male relative apartment
– Do not go into a neighbour’s flat without first seeking your approval
– Don’t go through my phone or someone else’s phone.

This is to stave off the child from running into adult content.

– Don’t go about hugging people as a sign of affection. A simple “Good evening, sir” should suffice.

– Show boundaries for your children by not kissing them on the lips, instead give a peck on the forehead if you must show affection by kissing.

5. Teach them what to do
Teach your daughter what to do if anyone touches them inappropriately or attempts to. Teach them to refuse by screaming out a BIG NO! run away and report to Mum, Dad, their teacher or their grandparents.

6. Model expected behaviours in and outside the home

You don’t say A and do the opposite. If you teach your daughter about proper dressing, then you should dress well, too. When you teach about covering up private areas, let them see you cover yours. They are more likely to act like you than do what you say.

If you teach about respecting and keeping boundaries, let them see you do the same. Do for yourself what you want them to do for themselves



Who Should Teach the Girl Child about Sex Education?

The mother or the grandmother is often in the best position to teach the girl child sex education. This is because it makes both parties comfortable to speak and listen without being uneasy.

That doesn’t mean the father can’t step in for the mother and educate the child or reinforce what the mother or grandmother had taught.

It will do the daughters a whole lot if fathers can create close relationships with their daughters and not shy from educating their girls about sex.

Teach them, especially teenage girls what to expect from males and how to handle peer pressure. Let them see you as someone they can talk to, not some high and mighty dude who pays the bills and gives orders in baritone.

Be involved in your daughter’s life, there are predators ready to snatch your girl’s innocence if you don’t let in on what’s attainable outside.
Teach them about threats and keeping secrets
Exploiters often threaten their prey into keeping quiet by threatening to kill them. Let your daughter know about this ahead in the simplest terms you can use.
Teach them about not keeping secrets from you especially the ones that have to do with their private parts.

Sex Education Template you can use with your Daughter
Recite these lines together with her or come up with the one that suits you and your girl. Be girly about it, don’t make it sound like another school work that must be memorized. Play around with it but ensure the message sinks.

I am a girl with special body parts,

I have many private parts which are mine alone

My mouth is my private part no one should kiss me including my parents

My chest is my private part because that is where my breast is no one should touch or play with my chest

My tummy is my private parts no one should see or touch it

My vagina is my private part, no one should play with it. I must always wear my pant to cover them up.

I report to my mum or my Dad if anyone tries to touch me in my private parts.

https://raisinggodlyseeds.com/raising-girls/how-to-teach-sex-education-to-your-daughter/

Nice one.Many people don't know about sex education or they just chose to ignore it.Its better the child get knowledge of sex at home before some spoilt old fools introduce it to them.The teachers too should take it seriously.There are beasts(Paedophiles) out there waiting to spoil someone's child.The thing is getting rampant these days.