Incorporating Porn Culture into ‘The Talk’ with Kids
Last month, Dr. Megan Mass was featured on three parenting podcasts for her expertise as a developmental psychologist and sex educator. Her recent TedTalk caught the attention of thousands of parents searching for constructive ways to discuss sex with their tweens and teenagers. In her research, Dr. Maas found that only 50% of parents talk to their kids about sex more than once, and fewer than 7% of parents talk to their kids about pornography or pleasure. With these statistics staring them in the face, Dr. Maas is advocating that parents have “The Talk” sooner and more frequently with their kids. Her work not only covers the foundation for discussing sexual commodification and pleasure with youth, she also empowers parents to find comfort in not having all the answers.
Media Savvy Moms: Has Media & Porn Culture Changed The Sex Talk?
Dr. Megan Maas joins hosts of the sex-positive, parenting podcast for a straightforward, no-holds-barred chat about educating youth about healthy sexuality, pornography, and pleasure. Hear what tips the RCGV faculty member has for parents interested in having value-driven conversations with their kids about sexual health, pleasure and the trappings of a media-saturated world.
Your Teen: You Don’t Have To Be A Sex Educator
In this episode, Dr. Megan Maas offers advice to parents feeling like they must compete with the Internet to inform their kids about sex. What’s her secret? Dr. Maas gives parents permission to be sex socializers versus sex educators.
In addition to last month’s feature on the Your Teen podcast, Dr. Mass was also interviewed for Your Teen Magazine to elaborate on the real language to use when having “The Talk.”
Talking To Teens: Only 7% of Parents Do This
“You might be thinking that the easiest solution is to download software to block porn sites on your teen’s computer or punish them for watching these videos. However, these restrictions might only make the problem worse, Megan warns. In the episode, she discusses how trying to keep teens from watching porn together may only cause them to become more interested in watching it–and internalizing what they see. In addition to tackling toxic porn, Megan also touches on another important concern–what might happen if your teen develops a porn addiction?” — talkingtoteens.com
Resources mentioned in these episodes
30 Days of Sex Talks for Ages 8-11: Empowering Your Child with Knowledge of Sexual Intimacy
30 Days of Sex Talks for Ages 12+: Empowering Your Child with Knowledge of Sexual Intimacy
Books for comprehending sex and puberty during adolescence by Robie H. Harris
