We’ve all been making major adjustments during our COVID-19 quarantine, and that means not just helping with homeschooling, but also using this time to create teachable moments. If you’ve been dreading that birds and the bees conversation, having extra togetherness time in quarantine gives us an unprecedented amount of time to talk about those tough subjects like sex ed.
No matter what their age, this is the time to talk about everything from body basics to teaching tweens and teens about consent, body image and more. “We know that parents are a huge influence in helping young people navigate sex and relationships,” says Dr. Sara C. Flowers, Vice President of Education at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Honest, ongoing conversations with parents and caregivers help children foster healthy relationships and make informed, thoughtful decisions about sex throughout their lives. As we support our kids as they adjust to online learning and connecting we want to keep the lines of communication open.”
Flowers says Planned Parenthood’s digital education resources are aimed to help people of all ages access information they need during the pandemic. “No matter what, young people deserve age-appropriate, medically accurate information and answers to their questions about sex and relationships, without being shamed or judged,” she says.
Here are some of the resources you’ll find:
- Sexual and reproductive health information is readily available online 24/7 at plannedparenthood.org, in both English and Spanish, for teens, parents, and educators.
- Planned Parenthood’s video series on how to talk with children about sex and relationships is a resource for parents and caregivers who want to address relationships, health, and decision-making.
- Parents and caregivers can show their middle and high schoolers how to use Roo — Planned Parenthood’s sex ed chatbot — to get personalized health information instantly, any time.
- Young people and parents can also have live conversations with trained health educators via Planned Parenthood’s Chat/Text program to help teens make informed decisions around sexual and reproductive health.
Before you tackle a tough subject, be sure to read Planned Parenthood’s top 5 tips from experts on how, when and where to teach Sex Ed homeschool lessons.