Do you want to talk to your kids about sex with clarity, confidence, and purpose!
Hey, there!
I am Janelle (that’s me below with my son and Peter Parker) and I am so excited you’ve popped by for a chat. I’m on a mission to help parents talk to their kids about sex with confidence, clarity, and purpose. And I’m guessing you’re here because you care deeply about doing just that and raising sexually healthy and responsible children…
…but maybe you aren’t quite sure where to start or how to make it happen.
Well, if that’s you, have no fear, you are 100% in the right place!
And I’m here to help.
As the name Reimagining The Talk implies, my goal is to completely reimagine and reframe how parents talk to their kids about sex. The name and the purpose of my work come from a deep reflection on my own sexual health education while growing up (or lack thereof) and recognizing that I want something different for my kids (and for the students I teach)!
What I Learned About Sexual Health and Wellness as a Kid
Throughout my life, this is what my sex ed experience looked like:
- A talk about where babies come from (pretty sure it was based on a book with puzzle pieces to represent the biologically male and female bodies).
- Conversations at church and school about sexual purity and waiting until marriage to have sex. Oh, and reading a certain book about kissing dating goodbye.
- A few health classes about reproduction and STIs…I think…but I honestly don’t remember all the details.
As you can see there was much lacking.
There was no talk about holistic sexual health. There was no mention of sex beyond vaginal intercourse. Sex was completely framed within the context of reproduction and marriage. And the topic of sexuality and understanding how each and every human being has a unique brand of sexuality was a total nonstarter.
Any and all “sex education” I had came from hearing peers talk about what they knew (or thought they knew) about sexual health. Now I’m all for peer learning when it comes to things like the latest TikTok dance. But I’m not okay with my kids building an understanding of sexual health and sexuality based on what their friends think they know. And I’m really not okay with my kids just winging it out there in the real world.
Sex is simply too big of a deal.
The Sex Ed Experience I want for My Children
So when it comes to talking to my own children about sex, as well as the students I have the privilege of teaching Sex Ed to, I’m on a mission to reimagine how and what kids learn about sex. I want them to…
- Feel comfortable and confident in their body and feelings
- Understand how their body works and know how to take care of it
- Know what their personal values, wants, needs, and boundaries are and have the communication skills to exemplify each of these things
- Make sexually healthy decisions that enrich their well-being
Ultimately, I want my kids to have the knowledge and skills needed to navigate their sexual health and become epic decisions makers.
I also want to be my children’s go-to sexual health resource. Not because I know everything (I don’t). Rather, because sexual health plays a fundamental whole in our lives and I want to make sure my children are set up for a lifetime of health and happiness.
How do you want to talk to your child about sex?
What about you? What hopes and dreams do you have for your child’s sexual well-being? How do you want to reimagine The Talk in your household?
Whatever it is, I’m here to help.
