What Children Should Know & When
Children need to know that:
Children need to be able to:
- Love should make people feel good, safe, and wanted
- People’s bodies are different sizes, shapes, and colors
- Their bodies belong to themselves
- Touching their sex organs for pleasure is normal
- It takes a sperm and a egg to make a baby – what are all the ways to start a family
- A person who is pregnant does not have to have a baby unless they wants to
Children need to be able to:
- Talk privately with trusted adults about sexual issues, questions, and concerns
- Use correct terms for all sexual body parts, including the reproductive organs
- Talk about all of their body parts without feeling “naughty”
- Say “No” to unwanted touch
- Seek privacy when they want to touch their sex organs for pleasure
- Understand biological femaleness and maleness
Ages 5 to 7 |
Ages 8 to 12 |
In addition to earlier information and skills --
Children 5 to 7 need to know:
Children need to be able to:
Ages 13 to 18In addition to earlier information and skills about human sexuality --
Teenagers need to know:
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In addition to earlier information and skills about the changes in their bodies before puberty --
Preteens need to know:
Preteens need to know about sexual behavior:
Preteens need to know about human reproduction:
Preteens need to know about contraception:
They need to be able to:
Preteens need to know about relationships:
They need to be able to:
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