Actress Alfre Woodard on Talking to Her Kids About Sex
The Sex Talk
October 26, 2012 at 4:08 pm
by familycircle
In honor of Planned Parenthood‘s Let’s Talk Month, award-winning actress Alfre Woodad shares her experience about talking to her kids about sex.
When it comes to talking with my kids about sex, I’ve always thought that not talking about it would be like not talking about your hand: it’s a part of your body, so you need to know how to take care of it.
It’s why I started talking with my kids about sex and sexuality when they were young—putting it into context and letting them know how it relates to real life. In fact, my kids didn’t think it was weird to hear their parents talk about sex until they learned that their friends thought it was weird that our family talked about it.
We know our kids are going to hear about sex—it’s impossible for them not to since it’s in nearly every song they hear, TV show they watch, book they read, or website they surf—and I was determined that I was going to be their main source of information, particularly when they became teenagers. As a mother, part of my job is to make sure my kids have the guidance they need to decide when they’re ready for a sexual relationship and the information they need to prevent STDs and to prevent pregnancy until they are ready to become parents. We can’t leave our kids unprepared.
But if I’m truthful, every conversation with my teens hasn’t flowed like honey. Some of them have been challenging ones to have. I realized a long time ago, however, that parenting is an art of practice: you get better at it and more comfortable with it the more you do it. That’s definitely been true for me when it comes to talking with my kids about sex. Teens, especially, aren’t always brave enough to ask questions even when they want and need answers. That’s why as parents it’s important that we don’t wait for them to start asking questions, but that we take opportunities to start and continue talking with them about sex and relationships even if it seems like they’re uncomfortable or hesitant.
A few months ago, I was taking my son off for his first year of college, and I realized that talking about sex really has become a natural part of the conversations we have as family. We were driving and listening to pounding rap music that was full of sex. I used it as an opportunity to remind him of all of the conversations we’ve had over the past few years. I gave him the same information I always do—think of women as equals. They are just as strong and smart. They have their responsibilities, but so do you when it comes to sex. I told him to always have his own condoms so that he knows that they’re safe to use. I brought this up as a reminder along with other reminders that I’ve given him over the years: remember to stay hydrated because it’s hot in the desert, eat something green every day, and use your own condoms!
As parents, we have to be willing to be bold and to remember that our kids’ abilities to be healthy and make good decisions about relationships outweigh any discomfort we may feel when talking with them about sex. As moms, it might help to remember that we’re the ones who taught them how to wipe their bottoms and brush their teeth, and we’ve picked stuff out their noses. These frank chats about sex are just an extension of that commitment.
Note: Check out Planned Parenthood’s Let’s Talk Month flipbook to see what actors Alfre Woodard, Cynthia Nixon and Elizabeth Banks, as well as non-celebrity moms and teens, have to say about talking about sex.
Read more about having “the sex talk” with your teen here.
Alfre Woodard’s work as an actor has earned her an Oscar nomination, four Emmy Awards with 17 Emmy nominations, three SAG Awards and a Golden Globe. Woodard’s illustrious body of work includes Cross Creek, HBO’s Mandela, Grand Canyon, Passion Fish and more.
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Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 2
DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP)The knuckleball fraternity was in full force for Monday’s gamebetween the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox.NL Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey gave up two runs and fourhits in his Toronto spring training debut while fellowknuckleballer Steven Wright pitched two scoreless innings for aBoston split squad in a 4-2 win over the Blue Jays.”You don’t see that too often,” Toronto manager John Gibbonssaid of seeing two starters tossing knucklers.Wright, a minor leaguer, gave up two hits and struck out three.Former Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who is working withWright, was at the game.”Just a little nervous because you want to do your best ingeneral, but to have guys with the keen eye for the knuckleball(watching),” Wright said. ”But once I got out there I felt prettygood.”Wright and Dickey have communicated by phone and text in thepast. Wright sent a message to Dickey when he arrived for Monday’sgame.”He texted me right before the game,” Dickey said. ”Therejust wasn’t time to connect, so I’ll have to connect with him,hopefully, when he pitches in the big leagues for the RedSox.”Dickey was planning to text his Boston counterpart postgame.”I think he pitched really well,” Dickey said. ”I’m pullingfor him, of course. I know how hard it is.”Both pitchers seek advice from Wakefield. Dickey said he facedWakefield a couple times as a reliever in games the former Red Soxstandout started.”He always has a good insight, so it’s good to get with himwhen I can, especially to see me pitch live,” Dickey said. ”Hecan tell me if he sees something that’s out of whack or not.”Red Sox manager John Farrell, who moved from Toronto to Bostonduring the offseason after managing the Blue Jays in 2011 and `12,was roundly booed by fans when his name was announced during thepregame starting lineup introductions. This was the first timeFarrell has faced his former team.”I appreciate that people might have differing opinions,”Farrell said. ”All I can do is go about my work day in and dayout. People are going to [url=http://airjordan1.page4.me/]air jordan sale[/url] form their own impressions. I can’tcontrol that. I thoroughly enjoyed the time there.”The Red Sox scored twice in the first on Jarrod Saltalamacchia’ssingle and Dickey’s wild pitch. The right-hander gave up asecond-inning single to Mitch Maier, but also induced aninning-ending double play from Pedro Ciriaco.Wright retired Jose Bautista on a fly that reached deep centerdespite a stiff wind blowing, and Edwin Encarnacion on a grounderafter Melky Cabrera hit a one-out double in the first. He struckthree and allowed a single during the second.”That’s the first time I feel like I’ve started against anotherknuckleballer, and we’re real similar as far as speed,” Dickeysaid. ”I think he threw some really good ones today. And if hestays on that path, and continues to throw strikes with it, I thinkhe has a bright future with it.”Blue Jays right-hander Josh Johnson followed Dickey and gave upone hit in two shutout innings. Encarnacion hit a solo homer.Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr. had three hits and an RBI.NOTES: Boston RHP Clay Buchholz will pitch in a simulated gameon Tuesday. 1B Mike Napoli (hip) will be one of the hitters againstBuchholz, who is scheduled to start a spring training gameSaturday. … Napoli could get at-bats in an exhibition game onFriday. … Gibbons said his team feels badly that Yankees OFCurtis Granderson, who was hit by a pitch in Sunday’s game betweenthe teams, will be out up to 10 weeks with a broken right forearm.”He’s one of the good guys,” Gibbons said. ”It’s unfortunate.He’ll be back better than ever.” … The Blue Jays claimed 1B LarsAnderson on waivers from the Chicago White Sox and transferred RHPKyle Drabek from the 15- to the 60-day DL. The Red acquired Wrightfrom Cleveland for Anderson last July.
good articel and thanks for sharing
I am agree with your opinion.
When we hear the word sex what comes to our mind. Its the thinking of a person it can be positive or in a negative. If you think in a positive manner then your a nice & Purest person in the world Because you know the actual meaning of sex.
Talking to your kids about sex is not wrong.kids will come to know the real meaning of sex. Its not a just sex with your partner its a part of life to happen some with pleasures.