Four in 10 British parents have no intention of talking to their children about the birds and the bees!
TheBabyWebsite latest survey, of 2,000 parents of five to 15 year olds, shows that a quarter of parents are far too embarrassed to discuss things such as sex, biology, time of the month and relationships.
Incredibly, one in 10 parents honestly believes it is up to their child to educate themselves about sexual relations. And a fifth of mums and dads are confident their offspring will learn everything they need to know at school. In fact, 10 per cent of adults find it difficult talking about sex, and eight per cent aren't even sure they know everything themselves.
Nigel Crawford, co-editor of TheBabyWebsite said:
'It sounds ridiculous, but however well you know your child, and however close you are, the subject of sex is always an awkward one. The fact of the matter is that parents never really know how much their children have been exposed to - what they have already heard via friends, school, classmates, and even read in magazines.
'I guess the best way forward is to assume that the child knows absolutely nothing - and take it from there. It is so important for a child to know they have parents who are willing to be open and talk to them about everything and anything. And if that means getting a little bit embarrassed about the subject matter along the way, so be it.'
The study shows one in 20 parents think their children will find out everything they need to know using the internet. And the same percentage reckons their children don't confide in them about personal issues so it would be impossible to corner then for a 'talk'. A further one in 10 people are hoping their other half takes responsibility for educating the children about all personal matters.Avoiding Conversations About SexWhile 41% of parents like to believe that by avoiding all conversations about private parts, sex, and gender differences they are preserving their little one's childhoods. The research also revealed 18 per cent of people think the birds and the bees talk is the worst thing they would have to face as a parent.
A third don't believe it is important for a child to hear all about sex from their parents - claiming it would be more appropriate to discuss the birds and the bees with friends or other relatives.
Nigel Crawford continues:
'It is silly to think that children could possibly benefit from learning about the intricacies of sex, biology and personal development from anyone other than mum and dad. While other people and resources might be able to complement what mum and dad say, surely such life changing and informative issues should be discussed with your nearest and dearest.'
The survey shows 35 per cent of parents with children aged 14 and 15 still haven't bothered talking to their kids about sex. Of those parents with children aged five to 15 who HAVE have had the talk - 63 per cent said it went really well.
More than a third of children on the other end of the talk responded really well and talked about everything in great detail with their parents. And 92 per cent of parents who plucked up the courage to talk about the birds and the bees with their children admitted they were glad they made the effort.Where Responsibility Lies - According To ParentsSchools
Friends
Magazines
Siblings
The internet
They should find out themselves
Grandparents
By experimenting themselves
Newspapers
Godparents
February 28 2011 | 
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