Is it time that you had the talk with your children about sex, puberty and even relationships? But it seems that you keep stalling the process and are struck with fear about the whole situation.
Parenting on Female First
It seems that you are not alone as four in ten parents admit that they don’t talk about the birds and the bees with their children, a new study revealed.
The study carried out by lil-lets.co.uk found millions of parents struggle to broach topics such as puberty and the challenges of growing up with their children because they find it ‘awkward’, ‘don’t know what to say’ or even because they think their child is still too young to hear about it.
The study of 2,000 Brits revealed that more than 60% of parents find it difficult to talk to their children about sensitive subjects with many finding common excuses to escape the talk.
Many parents have admitted to pretending to have not heard their children, faking a phone call and even staying at work late to avoid being on their own with their inquisitive child.
Some admitted they are hoping their kids learn what they need to know elsewhere to get them out of ‘the talk’, with others even relying on the Internet and older siblings to pass on the life lessons.
Over half also revealed they were dreading the day when they first had to talk to their children about an awkward subject, with more than one in five claiming they have been worrying about these conversations since their child was as young as four years old.
Parents concerns around broaching tricky topics have led to hours of discussion between mums and dads about when, how and who should broach the subject of sex or puberty, with a third admitting they have rowed about it.
41% argued with their partner about who should be the one to do it, and 40% over whether or not their child was even ready for the conversation.
Dr. Lih-Mei Liao, a consultant clinical psychologist who worked with Lil-Lets, commented: “Many parents feel they are on borrowed time with their children and there’s nothing like puberty to remind them just how brief that time is. But it’s important for parents to remember that puberty and periods don’t suddenly make an adult. The idea of talking to a child about puberty can feel a little strange but as children approach their teenage years there are subjects they need to be made aware of, even if parents feel they are being propelled into unknown territories.”
Mary Young, Head of UK Marketing at Lil-Lets, added: ‘‘Raising topics such as puberty and periods with your children can be daunting but with a bit of preparation, both you and your children can get through it with as little embarrassment as possible. Lil-Lets offers a teens starter pack, containing a selection of products ideal for a girl’s first period along with a Becoming a Teen booklet that’s full of help and advice, perfect for starting some of those conversations.”
Despite the embarrassment, more than half of parents admitted that sitting down and having a frank conversation brought them closer to their children.
For more information visit: www.lil-lets.co.uk/Parents