- Many youth want to talk to family members about
sexuality
- Crucial elements:
- availability of family members
- attitudes and knowledge
- communications skills
- Programs needed to help parents learn necessary
skills and information
- Family members can support youth in seeking services
and information
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In many cultures, youth may want to talk to their family members
about sexuality. Where culturally appropriate, family members
should begin communication about sexuality as early in their
child's life as possible. Crucial elements in family involvement
include: parental availability and approachability, attitudes
and knowledge, and communication skills.
Programs are needed to help train parents to discuss with their
children their strongly held family values, as well as information
about sexuality and contraception. One technique that youth
projects have used effectively involves having a young person
discuss sexuality with an adult who is not his or her parent.
This encourages more frank discussions, and both youth and parents
gain skills in communication. Also, if culturally appropriate,
teachers can give assignments that involve communication with
parents about sexuality. It is often very difficult to involve
parents, however, because of work demands, cultural norms and
emotional biases about their own children's sexuality.
Family members can also support youth in seeking counseling
and services. It is important that parents do not block their
children from receiving the services that they need. Parents
also may be in a position to advocate for the availability of
good information and services. Parents and other family members
can serve as positive role models, teaching values and attitudes
through their own behavior.
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