Sex Education is the need of the hour !
Though its an age of sexplosion,where sex has entered every phase of life,from books to magazines,TV to cinema,music to internet and even in the common lingo,true knowledge of sex amongst kids and youngsters is far from adequate,and infact abysmal
(Lets talk About Sex Education-STOI,21 Dec,2008)
There is a significant lack of sexual awareness,even about the basic essentials like,the anatomy,physiology,sexual changes,sexuality,reproduction and contraception,and shockingly this is not only amongst the children of the rural background,but even amongst the educated,gown -ups,marriageable or even married people,who have access to all the books,literature and the net
And we all are to be blamed for this,as we cannot decide the extent,to which the children are to be made aware of issues pertaining to sex.And we are still debating on issues like,what has to be told to whom,when and by whom!
When denied adequate information,the child,out of sheer curiosity or need,resorts to whatever means available,to obtain sex knowledge The various avenues of information available to the child,are pornographic literature,friends and internet,which at most times are far from adequate or satisfactory. And it is this incomplete and superficial knowledge, that is more dangerous as ignorance or inadequate knowledge leads to more problems.And that is what most of the teenagers or even youngsters have today
Sex education is the need of the hour,and the best people to impart it are parents,teachers or elder family members of the same generation,but has to be done judiciously and cautiously As it is very important to decide, what has to be told, when.
Sex education has to be phased and timed in a manner to enable the child to handle his or her sexuality without anxieties and without getting carried away by the information available on the net or from pornographic literature,and to discourage them from premature experimentation
Since charity begins at home,it hence becomes imperative for us as parents, to impart sufficient and timely sex-education to our children to enable them to handle their sexuality carefully and to be able to take the correct decision at the correct time
Dr Sanjay Kapoor Lucknow