In most Kenyan communities, parents rarely discuss openly about sex matters with their children. In this article, I give my opinions as to why sex education is important to your child.
In Kenyan homes, we sort of just grow into things and learn through other ways but never at home. Some topics are a taboo and you will never even dare bring it up with your parents.
By the way, as an addendum, this is not a research based thing. I am not a scientist or psychiatrist. I am just putting it out there on why I think it is important.
Sex education, your child looks small and innocent and yes, you are probably right, they are not ready for that and you are not ready either but the problem is, ignorance from you will lead to them being taken advantage of.
That is why there are so many child molestation cases in Kenya right now. You do not want to let your child know what happens between opposite sexes so when someone is taking advantage of them, they do not even know. They think it is okay and when it is an adult, it is even super okay and it is alright because they offered you sweets anyway.
Do not live room for your child to be exploited, especially at home when you leave them with someone else. As long as you have told your child that person is in charge and they should do what they are told, you should take some of the blame when such things happen.
Some of you parents, sorry to say might not even know it is happening right now. Are you sure you can trust the people around your child?
When a child can go to someone’s house, how do you know what happens there. Children are constantly told, ‘Don’t tell anyone…’ ‘Don’t tell your mum…’ ‘I will give you this if you don’t say…’
You might have used the same phrases as well so they don’t think it is a big deal. So here they are, doing something with someone, being touched inappropriately, but they do not know that it is something that should not be happening. Relatives apply here as well- as long as you put someone as the grown up in a relationship with a child, you have told them what they say is gold.
Don’t be that parent, just have the talk with your child because at the end of the day when they are taken advantage of, you will have to accept part of the blame for applying ignorance.
Ignorance does not work anymore, they see people kissing on television. They can handle sex talk.