‘What’s sex Daddy?’ An online resource helps parents respond to children’s sexuality questions and issues

Many parents feel unsure how to respond to tricky sexuality questions from their children, such as their 5-year-old asking, ‘What’s sex Daddy?’, but from today parents will be able to find help in a free online sexuality knowledge base - Ask Me Anything.

Ask Me Anything contains questions, answers and case studies about children’s sexual development, including children’s sex play, setting boundaries, changes at puberty and the differences between adult and children’s sexuality.

The resource has hundreds of real-life questions that children and parents have asked the authors.

“Sharing stories and hearing how other parents have managed difficult situations gives parents confidence when responding to their own children,” said Ask Me Anything co-author Gill Lough.

Each case has a commentary with practical ideas that parents can use with their children.

Ms Lough and co-author Max Saunders wrote the parenting book From Birth to Puberty: Helping your child develop a healthy sexuality, and the knowledge base is found at www.frombirthtopuberty.com

"Since publishing the book we have received hundreds of queries from concerned parents, who comment on the lack of appropriate online resources," said Ms Lough.

“They can be stumped by their children’s questions about the sexual content and language they are exposed to on TV, and pressured by young daughters expected to look and be sexy by tween magazines."

“Our aim is to help parents treat children’s sexual development as positive and natural, and enable them to develop an open, honest communication about sexuality issues with their children,” said Ms Lough. “Having the information online helps achieve this.”

Ms Lough runs workshops for parents on children's sexuality in her work as a sexuality educator. Parents, early childhood educators and health professionals have praised her book From Birth to Puberty, a resource used in many kindergartens and schools.