Work at Home Success By Jill Hart
Mom Laughs By Cheryl Moeller
Simplifying Motherhood By Trish Berg
Ask A Twin Mommy By Cheryl Lage
Mothering By Heart By Cheri Fuller
Jelly Mom By Lisa Barker
Family Check-up By Sheila Wray Gregoire
Parent to Parent By Jodie Lynn
Moments for Mom By Elisabeth Corcoran
Making the Most of Marriage By Paula Friedrichsen
Questions Kids Ask About Sex, edited by Melissa R. Cox
Reviewed by Amy B
The Medical Institute for Sexual Health, along with editor Melissa Cox and a host of writers, contributors and reviewers, have compiled a book that will help even the most "hesitant to talk about sex with their kid" parents. I think most parents aren’t sure when is the right time to start talking about this subject with their child. Even if they determine when the right time is, often they don’t know where to start nor how much to share. But one fact remains, most parents want or at least know they should be the one from whom their child learns about this God given activity. That which He intended to occur only between husband and wife.
The first section of the book is for the parents. It talks about the impact society can have on youth today. More importantly, it is stressed that kids really do listen to their parents. But as with any relationship, you have to work at and nurture the relationship you have with your child. That way, the wisdom and experiences you share with them will be more readily accepted. Also, in this part the differences between female and male are touched upon and suggestions are given to help nurturing these differences.
The bulk of Questions Kids Ask About Sex is just that, questions and answers. The chapters in this section are divided by age groups, so parents can easily find age appropriate information. Each chapter consists of the questions parents may ask and the answers, followed by questions kids may ask, along with appropriate answers for parents to share. The nice thing about this book is if a question is asked that really makes a parent uncomfortable, which would typically only happen if the child is older, the parent could just hand over the book, opened to that question. The child could then read the answer for his or her self. Other tidbits of information are discussed in each chapter, including topics such as friendships and self-control.
The final section discusses sexually transmitted diseases and choices for birth control.
The only thing that bothered me about this book was abortion was mentioned a couple times as an option for an unwanted pregnancy. However, it was never endorsed. The recurrent theme throughout the book is a man and woman should be married before engaging in sexual activity. The writers continuously stress the only way to be emotionally happy in a relationship, to be free from any sexually transmitted disease and to avoid pregnancy out of wedlock is to not have sex with anyone other than your spouse. Ideally both husband and wife should be virgins, but since often this is not the case, it is stressed that whoever has had previous sexual encounters should get tested prior to marriage. If you want straightforward answers to questions your kids may ask and do not want to have to come up with them yourself, you will get those answers in this book.
You can find more details about Questions Kids Ask About Sex, here.
© Amy, 2004-
Amy is a SAHM of two. She volunteers with her church youth program and at her childrens' schools. She lives in Ohio with her husband, two beautiful children (ages 4 and 9), and a couple slobbery 'fur babies'.