Press Release
Have you talked to your kids lately about the “birds and the bees?”
In celebration of this year’s seventh-annual Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day (Feb. 12), the Northwestern Health Unit encourages parents, caregivers, and family members to talk about sexual health information with their children and youths.
Talking with children and youths about sexuality and their sexual health can be very difficult and uncomfortable for some adults. But parents are in an ideal position to have a positive influence over the lifestyle decisions of their children.
Any age is a good time to start teaching children and providing them with sexual health information what will allow them to make good choices.
Parents can take advantage of “teachable moments” to talk to their children. By using the lyrics in their music, scenes from movies or TV shows, or articles in magazines, parents can create sexual health learning opportunities.
Open communication between parents and children can help build a trusting relationship that can last a lifetime.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (2008), sexual health is a major, positive part of personal health and healthy living. Sexual health education should be available to all Canadians as an important element of health promotion programs and services.
The goals of sexual health education are to help people achieve positive outcomes such as self-esteem, respect for self and others, non-exploitive sexual relations, rewarding human relationship, and informed reproductive choices while avoiding negative outcomes such as sexually-transmitted infections, unintended pregnancy, or sexual coercion.
The Northwestern Health Unit invites adults, parents, youths, teachers, community leaders, and health professionals to an open house this week (Feb. 9-13) to explore their sexual health and get the answers to their questions.
The health unit offers confidential, accurate, and non-judgemental sexual health clinic services and resources for parents, teens, and teachers.
To obtain more information, contact your local Northwestern Health Unit office or visit www.nwhu.on.ca
