Moms and Sex Ed: 7 Tips for Teaching Young Boys

Can a mom educate her sons about sex?

As a mom of five boys (and no girls), my husband and I like to joke about all testosterone dominance in the house. When I am around my four nieces, I think, “So this is what calmness feels like.”

I know my little boys will some day be men. My oldest is now 9 years old. I know puberty is on the way, and with that, my oldest will start experiencing all the chaos and confusion of raging hormones, crushes, and sexual temptations.

I want him to be well prepared.

My husband has thankfully taken the lead on some of the official “sex talks” with our oldest. I love knowing that as he enters adolescence, he will have echoes of his dad’s strong voice in his mind.

But what is my role in my son’s sexual formation? As women (and as their mothers) what part do we play in a young boy’s sex education?

The Scriptures teach us that the way a young man escapes sexual temptation is not just by listening to his father’s words, but by clinging to his mother’s teaching as well (Proverbs 6:20-24).

Let’s talk about moms and sex ed—here are my 7 tips for teaching young boys:

1. Fight the urge to equate “innocence” with “zero sexual interest”

As mothers, it is good to hope and pray that our children will not be influenced by the sexual values of the world. But it is also important to remember that our sons are sexual beings—that is, as young boys, they already have a natural interest in things pertaining to gender (differences between boys and girls) and family relationships.

Though the desire is latent in them at a young age, they were created by God to eventually develop a desire for intimacy and sex. This fact does not make them “dirty”; it makes them human.

Knowing sexual attraction is right around the corner does not mean a loss of “innocence.” It is signal they are becoming the men they were created to be.

2. Be on the same page with your husband

Know exactly what your husband is teaching your sons and when. This will help you to echo the same thoughts when opportunities arise for teaching your young sons about sex ed. Talk to your husband and suggest topics that should be discussed with your sons.

3. Be the kind of woman you want your son to marry

Model for your sons the virtues that you hope to have in daughters-in-law some day. Think of the kind of vices or traits you hope you never see in your sons’ future girlfriends. Examine your own heart and see if you manifest any of these things.

4. Teach your sons about feminine beauty that lasts

Most of us know about the “Proverbs 31 woman,” but we often forget that the male author of this passage learned this ideal from his own mother (Proverbs 31:1).

When King Lemuel was seeking a bride, it was his mother’s voice that guided him to someone who could be trusted (v.11), someone intelligent and diligent (v.13-19), someone generous (v.20) and wise (v.26). When it comes to moms and sex ed, we should teach our sons that a woman who fears the Lord has an inner beauty that is far more valuable than anything they will find on the cover of Cosmo.

5. Practice some PDA in the home

Demonstrate how much you love your husband by how you talk about him, how you talk to him, and how you touch him.

One of the reasons why our sons so often run to pornography or easy sex is because they have never seen a godly alternative. Show affection to your husband so your kids will learn to long for real love—not lust. Your sons should see their dad rejoicing with you—the wife of his youth (Proverbs 5:18).

6. Become a media guardian

Sexual messages are embedded into a lot of media today: from television to movies, from video games to YouTube. Be aware that subtle sexual messages can be found in nearly anything.

Monitor what your sons do online, even as they get older. If you catch your sons leering at busty beauty in an online ad or on a magazine cover, use it as an opportunity to teach them about worldly sexual values vs. God’s values.

7. Get over your sexual embarrassment

Often, the biggest hurdle to giving our sons good sex education is our own embarrassment.

Become well-versed in what the Bible has to say about sex, sexual pleasure, and marriage, and plan times to talk with your son about how you, as a woman, understand and appreciate what God has taught us.

Hearing this from both their father and mother will give our sons a strength of character that will equip them to steward their sexuality well.

More Articles on Sex Ed and Our Children:

• Sex Ed Starts at Age 3
• Sex Ed and Young Kids (Ages 4-7): 5 Critical Reminders
• 3 Strategies for Biblical Sex Education at Home
• What We Wish Our Parents Would Have Taught Us About Sex as Teens
• “Mommy, How Are Babies Made?” (A No Freak-Out Strategy)