While I do not agree that 5 year olds need to learn about homosexuality or masturbation and other such things, I also do not think it’s harmful to ground our children, even from a young age, in a proper understanding of human sexuality – what our bodies are made for, why we are created as male and female, etc… This series of books looks like an excellent alternative to what some – even Catholic! – schools want to teach our (very) young people about sexuality. I’m sure it’s not based on the writings of John Paul II, but it looks pretty solid. (h/t to Love Undefiled)
With candid, age-appropriate language and realistic illustrations, The Story of Me explains: * God’s love and the goodness of all He has made * The nurturing family as God’s context for love * Why God wants each baby to have both a mommy and a daddy * The specialness of being made a boy or a girl * Proper names for private body parts Spend a few special moments with your child and The Story of Me , sharing the stories of God’s wonderful love and the marvelous body that is His special gift!
Before I Was Born explains sex as a special gift God gives to a husband and wife and covers such topics as: 1) Why God made boys’ and girls’ bodies different; 2) God’s plan for loving marriages and families; 3) The basic facts about intercourse, presented in the context of marital love and intimacy; 4) Conception and fetal development; and 5) Childbirth and breastfeeding. Created to answer the questions inevitably asked by young children, Before I Was Born will help you give your child a vital head start in understanding God’s intended purpose for procreation and sex.
Book 3: What’s the Big Deal: Why God Cares About Sex
What’s the Big Deal? explains the basic facts about sex and such related issues as: 1) Why God made adults so that they want to have sex; 2) Why God designed sex to be shared only within marriage; 3) What God actually says about sex in the Bible; 4) The amazing changes ahead of you during puberty; and 5) How to respond when you feel sexual pressure from peers, TV shows, movies, and magazines.
Book 4: Facing the Facts: The Truth About Sex and You
You’ll learn about: 1) The role of puberty in the development of sexuality; 2) How girls’ and boys’ bodies change, both inside and out; 3) Exactly how a woman gets pregnant and gives birth; 4) Why God wants you to save sex for marriage; 5) Love and dating: How relationships mature; and 6) Tough answers to some tough problems. Your body and its sexual nature are beautiful and exciting gifts from God that He wants you to understand and appreciate.
This is “sex education” that respects God’s design for sex and the human person and it can start early. Beginning with a range from 4-8 yrs. old, each book has suggested age levels, but only you can determine what your child can handle – intellectually, spiritually. All books are meant to be read together with your child(ren) even as the series progresses and they become (pre)teens. And I think that’s important. Even if you send your child to a good Catholic school that teaches proper sex education, it’s not a bad idea to continue that education at home. Unlike math or science, learning about sexuality is learning about the very purpose of one’s creation and the meaning of our most intimate desires. Parents should to be a part of this discovery process with their children.
Other good resources
Princess & the Kiss: A Story of God’s Gift of Purity
The Squire and the Scroll: A Tale of the Rewards of a Pure Heart
Theology of His/Her Body