What does sex mean? Where do babies come from? Why is my body changing? Sex is never an easy subject for discussion and adults often struggle to find the right words when talking about it with children. This book explores children's thoughts and feelings on the subject of sex and provides parents and other caring adults with guidance on how to respond to difficult questions. The author explores some of the most common questions children ask about sex and provides sensitive yet candid answers, phrased in a way that children will be able to understand and relate to. Each chapter is devoted to a particular issue, such as how babies are made, relationships, and the differences between boys and girls. The book recognizes the emotions and reactions of children and family members and includes separate conclusions for adults and children. This guide offers useful advice for parents and carers and will also be of interest to counsellors and other professionals working with children.

Table of Contents

Preface.; 1. Where do babies come from? How do they grow?; 2. How did I get in my mom's tummy? How did I get out? What does pregnant mean?; 3. How are girls' and boys' bodies alike and different? What are the names of the different body parts for boys and girls?; 4. What parts of my body are private? Why?; 5. What is sex?; 6. What does puberty mean? Is my body going to change?; 7. Am I falling in love? How can I tell if it's love or just friends?; 8. What is gender? Do girls and boys have to act and feel in a certain way?; 9. What does gay mean? What does straight mean?; 10. Are their different kinds of families? What makes a family? A Checklist for Children. A Note for Caring Adults Only. Useful Websites and Resources.

Author Biography

Linda Goldman is a licensed counsellor and has a Fellow in Thanatology: Death, Dying, and Bereavement with an MS degree in counselling and Master's Equivalency in early childhood education. Linda worked as a teacher and counsellor in the school system for 20 years. She has written many articles on counselling and taught and lectured at various universities, most recently in the Graduate Program of Counselling at Johns Hopkins University. Linda has a private grief therapy practice in Chevy Chase, Maryland, where she now lives. She is author of Children also Grieve: Talking about Death and Healing and Great Answers to Difficult Questions About Death, both published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers