In the article 5 Ways Comprehensive Sex Education Makes a Difference, I shared why sexuality and relationship education is important to our lives, the lives of our children, and our society as a whole. In response, many of you have asked, “but how?” How do you talk to your child about sex, relationships, and their body?
Reading is a great way to introduce sexual and relational health talks with your child, but there are many resources available beyond a library of books. I’ve compiled a collection of learning tools from my personal library and the recommendations from my colleagues and team.
The list includes books, articles, and online tools for parents and youth to learn and become more comfortable and confident in their bodies and connection to others. Use this list to create a sexual and relational health toolbox of your own.
- Online Resources - Parents
- Online Resources - Teens
- Reading List - Early Ed + Elementary Age
- Reading/Watch List - Middle School + High School
- Reading/Watch List - Late-teens + College
ONLINE RESOURCES FOR COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION - PARENTS
AMAZE Parents | AMAZE Jr.
AMAZE envisions a world that recognizes child and adolescent sexual development as natural and healthy, a world in which young people everywhere are supported and affirmed and the adults in their lives communicate openly and honestly with them about puberty, reproduction, relationships, sex and sexuality. AMAZE takes the awkward out of sex ed. Real info in fun, animated videos that give you all the answers you actually want to know about sex, your body, and relationships. Amaze has sections for teens, parents, and young children.
Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education 3rd Edition - Written by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) Task Force
Sex Positive Families
Strengthening sexual health and body awareness talks between parents and children through education, resources, and supportive services. The website has a wealth of free downloadable resources, blog posts, and an active Instagram page.
The Porn Conversation
Feminist porn producer, Erika Lust, in consultation with sex educators, created this porn-education website for parents. The Porn Conversation believes that prohibition and shame is not the answer, instead, they believe in education and conversation. By choosing to shed light on the debate about online pornography, they are campaigning for more equipped and alert young beings, who are ready to make better choices; driven by knowledge, and not by fear. The Porn Conversation links to research and articles and provides practical tips for parents.
ONLINE RESOURCES FOR COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION RESOURCES - TEENS
AMAZE
AMAZE takes the awkward out of sex ed. Real info in fun, animated videos that give you all the answers you actually want to know about sex, sexuality, puberty, reproduction, and relationships.
Roo
A free sexual health app created by Planned Parenthood to connect curious users to facts. Roo answers all your awkward questions about sexual health, relationships, growing up, and more. Chatting with Roo is free and private, so go ahead and ask the things you don't want to ask out loud.
Scarleteen
Scarleteen is an independent, grassroots sexuality and relationships education and support organization and website. Scarleteen provides inclusive, comprehensive, supportive sexuality and relationship information for teens and emerging adults.
Sex Etc.
Sex Etc. is sex education by teens, for teens. Sex Etc has helped teens with answers to their questions about sex, relationships, pregnancy, STDs, birth control, sexual orientation and more.
READING LIST - EARLY ED + ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Preschool Age
- What's in There?: All About Before You Were Born (Let's Talk about You and Me)by Robie H Harris
- What Makes a Baby by Cory Silverberg. Free readers guide here.
Elementary Age
- It's Not the Stork!: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friendsby Robie H Harris
- It's So Amazing!: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families by Robie H Harris
- It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health by Robie H Harris
- Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg
Parents
- From Diapers to Dating- A Parent’s Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy Children from Infancy to Middle School by Debra W. Haffner
READING/WATCH LIST - MIDDLE SCHOOL + HIGH SCHOOL
Book list courtesy of Sex Esteem® by Sari Cooper
Teens
- Sexual Decisions: The Ultimate Teen Guide by L. Kris Gowen
- Sex Made Easy: Your Awkward Questions Answered for Better, Smarter Amazing Sex by Debby Herbenick
- The “What's Happening to My Body?” Book for Boys: A Growing Up Guide for Parents and Sons by Lynda Madaras and Martin Anderson (for ages 8 to 15)
- The “What's Happening to My Body?” Book for Girls: A Growing Up Guide for Parents and Daughters by Lynda Madaras and Marcia Herman-Giddens (for ages 8 to 15)
Parents
- The Hookup Culture—Expert View: How to Talk to Your Teen by Sari Cooper
- Beyond the Big Talk, A Parent’s Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy Teens (starts off where From Diapers to Dating leave off developmentally) by Deborah Haffner
- For Goodness Sex: Changing the Way We Talk to Teens About Sexuality, Values, and Health by Al Vernacchio
- How Can We Talk About That?: Overcoming Personal Hangups So We Can Teach Kids the Right Stuff About Sex and Morality By Jane DiVita Woody, Ph.D., M.S.W.
- Sex and Sensibility, The Thinking Parent’s Guide to Talking Sense About Sex by Deborah M. Roffman
- Ten Talks Parents Must Have with Their Children by Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D. and Dominic Cappello
- Third Base Ain’t What It Used To Be by Logan Levkoff, MS.
- Sex Education - a British TV series on Netflix
READING/WATCH LIST - LATE-TEENS + COLLEGE
- S.E.X., second edition: The All-You-Need-To-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties by Heather Corinna
- Come As You Are by Emily Nagosky
- She Comes First by Ian Kerner
- Sex Education - a British TV series on Netflix
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