Latest news with #sexeducation
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chrissy Teigen Reveals She's Ready to Have the 'Sex Talk' With 9-Year-Old Daughter Luna
When is the right time to explain the birds and the bees to your kids? Chrissy Teigen and John Legend are preparing to have 'the sex talk' with their eldest daughter Luna, 9, and she reached out to Good Inside author Dr. Becky Kennedy (known simply as Dr. Becky) for some advice. In a new interview on her Audible original podcast, Self Conscious with Chrissy Teigen, the mom of four shared that she is preparing for the sex talk with Luna 'because it's happening at their school soon, and I don't want them to go into it blindly.' More from SheKnows Katy Perry's Rare New Photo of Daughter Daisy Hints at How She's Handling Split From Orlando Bloom 'So, I bought all the books, I got everything for it. And leading up to it, we try to deal with so many things in the family with humor and openness, because it is such an uncomfortable thing to talk about.' Dr. Becky says you should start by leaning into the awkwardness of the situation. 'Naming your own awkwardness is really important.' 'I never had a talk,' Teigen reveals. 'I had the internet.' Dr. Becky, who emphasized that the sex talk 'is not just one talk,' added that 'kids become initially curious [about sex] at the exact same age they become curious about death. Which is early, because it makes sense. It's the two bookends of life. It's usually around age 3.' She added, 'There's no reason why [kids] shouldn't know the words 'penis' and 'vagina.' They know so many complicated things. We live in New York City, we see a million things all the time. Why shouldn't they know anatomy and how humans are made? It's actually biology. It's not even sexual for the kid. But we all have so many of our own hangups that completely color things. To me, the age that kids can learn about this stuff is so much earlier than we think.' By asking these questions, Dr. Becky says kids are 'testing the waters.' 'Is it safe to be curious with you or is it not?' their questions are asking. 'And if it's not, the curiosity still lives. They're like, where can I go get this [information from]?' She summarized: 'Big picture, none of this is sexual, all of this is basic information. If you've already talked to your kids about death, probably that means they are curious about birth.' As someone with kids ages 7 and 6, I thought I would have much more time to get into these topics, but as they've already asked about death and had question about babies, I realize now that it's time to prepare them. This podcast episode is really good and also dives into content about good kids acting out, lying, and reparenting yourself through childhood trauma. Jill Whitney, licensed marriage and family therapist, previously told SheKnows to keep it simple when talking to your kids and explain things depending on their age. 'Any time is the right time because it should be a series of conversations, which ideally happen more or less naturally,' she told us. 'So when kids are toddlers, teach them correct names for body parts. When sex comes up in a movie or TV show, look for an opportunity to explain or clarify. Use real-life examples to talk about healthy and unhealthy relationships.' She suggests using clear language to describe sex. For example, you could say when describing a heterosexual relationship that the two people ''may get naked and hug each other. The man's penis goes into the woman's vagina. The man's semen joins with an ovum inside the woman, and a baby grows in a special place inside the mother called the uterus.' For adults, this sounds like an awful lot to say, but for kids, it's just another fact about nature.' Whitney suggested bringing it up with your child if you still haven't talked about it when they are 8 or 9. 'It's essential that they get accurate information from you before they get misinformation from friends,' she explained. 'You want to show that they can come to you whenever they have questions. Establish yourself as a trusted resource before their hormones kick in during the middle school years.' For more help, Dr. Becky has a 'how to talk about sex workshop' for parents of kids ages 0-12. 'We want our kids to learn about their bodies, private parts, and how babies are made in a safe, loving environment—not from peers or the internet,' she described this workshop. You'll get age-appropriate scripts and strategies for sharing information that's accurate and inclusive for kids. There's no shame in getting a little help for tricky topics like this!Best of SheKnows Bird Names Are One of the Biggest Baby Name Trends for Gen Beta (& We Found 20+ Options) These Are the 36 Celebrities with the Most Kids 15 Celebrity Parents Whose Kids Went to Ivy League Schools
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
If your relationship doesn't have this, it probably will fail, experts warn
Pucker up! In today's busy world, couples often focus on big gestures — fancy date nights, vacations and therapy sessions — in hopes of keeping their relationship alive. But leading relationship experts are sounding the alarm on something much simpler, yet frequently overlooked: a kiss. Not sex, not deep conversation — just a sweet smooch. It may seem minor, but the consequences of skipping this small act could be more serious than many couples realize. Mariah Freya, a sex education expert and co-founder of sex-ed platform Beducated, told the Daily Mail that kissing is the 'most underrated relationship tool.' While couples obsess over how often they're having sex or whether their communication is strong enough, Freya insists they're ignoring one of the most powerful indicators of long-term happiness: genuine, consistent kissing. 'Something magical happens when we stop going about kissing in a mechanical way and really focus on it, even if it's for a few seconds more,' Freya told the outlet. 'That's when your brain shifts from 'greeting mode' to 'connection mode.' Your partner literally becomes more attractive to you.' A 2020 study revealed that how often couples kiss is a strong predictor of both sexual and overall relationship satisfaction. But despite its benefits, many couples aren't kissing nearly enough. A 2011 survey found that one in five married couples don't kiss for an entire week. Even more concerning, two in five married people say their kisses last only five seconds or less. Interestingly, age appears to play a role in kissing habits. Those aged 18 to 24 kiss an average of 11 times a week, while five percent of adults over 45 manage to squeeze in more than 31 kisses per week. Still, many adults blame their busy schedules for the decline in physical affection — but experts say that may be something more concerning. 'If kissing fades, it's a subtle sign that something deeper is shifting. It's one of the first signs of emotional disconnection,' Brie Temple, Chief Matchmaker at dating service Tawkify told the outlet. 'Without those soft moments, partners may find themselves feeling like roommates rather than lovers. It's not just an absence of physical touch, but an absence of shared emotional language that keeps relationships close.' In addition to spending more time kissing, if a wedded couple wants their marriage to last, Arthur Brooks, a social science expert and professor who devoted his career to studying love said that every marriage should be built on friendship. 'The goal of your marriage is not passion, it's friendship. This is the goal, you must be close friends, ideally best friends, with your spouse,' Brooks said during his appearance on The Drive podcast.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Experts' urgent warning to couples who aren't intimate every day... as they reveal hidden risk
Leading relationship experts are revealing the potential dangers of skipping daily intimacy - warning couples it could lead to the demise of their relationship. And they're not talking about sex. Mariah Freya, sex education expert and co-founder of Beducated, a sex-education platform, is urging couples to kiss more, especially if they feel the relationship is lacking a spark. She said: 'Kissing is the most underrated relationship tool. Couples obsess over date nights, whether they're having 'enough' sex, and communication techniques, but they're sleeping on the one thing that actually predicts whether they'll stay happy together.' Freya claims that couples who regularly indulge in kissing each other instead of settling for pecks tend to have less conflict, an increased desire for intimacy and better emotional connection. And it seems that research supports her as previous studies have found a correlation between kissing and relationship satisfaction. A 2019 study found how frequently a couple kisses is a strong indicator of both sexual and relationship satisfaction - the more couples kissed, the happier they were. Additionally, the researchers also found that regular kissing can reduce anxiety and improve overall relationship quality. Freya continued: 'Something magical happens when we stop going about kissing in a mechanical way and really focus on it, even if it's for a few seconds more. 'That's when your brain shifts from 'greeting mode' to 'connection mode.' Your partner literally becomes more attractive to you.' But not all couples are indulging in the simple act of love. A 2011 survey found that one in five married couples don't pucker-up with their partner for an entire week, while two in five married people lock lips for just five seconds or less when they do kiss. Surprisingly, those between the ages of 18 to 24 kiss each other on an average of 11 times per week and five percent of people aged over 45 are managing over 31 kisses each week. But while many may blame busy schedules as the reason why they aren't kissing their partners, Brie Temple, CCO and Chief Matchmaker at Tawkify, warns that it may be a sign of 'something deeper' She told this website: 'If kissing fades, it's a subtle sign that something deeper is shifting. It's one of the first signs of emotional disconnection. 'Without those soft moments, partners may find themselves feeling like roommates rather than lovers. It's not just an absence of physical touch, but an absence of shared emotional language that keeps relationships close.' Additionally, a lack of kissing between partners may also be a sign of waning physical intimacy, communication challenges and worsening self-esteem. Sunaree Ko, a Love & Compatibility Expert at TarotCards told 'A lack of kissing over time can chip away at intimacy. 'When physical affection fades, couples may start to feel emotionally disconnected, misread each other's intentions or feel undervalued, especially during stressful periods.' But while infrequent kissing combined with issues such as mistrust and other negative emotions may indicate serious cracks in the relationship, simply taking some time out to smooch may do wonders for you and your partner. According to Sofie Roos, a licensed sexologist and relationship therapist, kissing can release a cocktail of good hormones including oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin in the brain which can help improve the emotional connection between a couple. She told 'Oxytocin, also known as the love hormone, which creates feelings of safety, calmness, attachment and affection - in other words: the feeling of being in love. 'By getting oxytocin triggered by your partner through kisses, you have higher chances of keeping the love and attraction alive! 'Kissing also releases dopamine, called the feel good hormone, which makes us feel overall satisfied since it creates an euphoric feeling. 'Dopamine is the same hormone being released during an orgasm or exercising, but also when taking drugs such as cocaine and heroin, and by getting it from kissing your partner, you get a natural high that not only feels good but that also can maintain the flame and the romantic interest for the person! 'Serotonin is the third hormone being released in this hormone cocktail which is dancing in your body while kissing your loved one.' Roos continued: 'Serotonin prevents feeling down and depressed, it helps us sleep better, and it also makes us less impulsive and more stable - all factors making our life quality better, as well as making us a better partner! 'This natural high is created when all the sensitive nerves on our lips and tongue register the physical stimulation from the kissing and then sends the signals to the brain, which releases the hormones directly in our bloodstream.' Furthermore, Ko claims that kissing your partner at certain times of the day can help maximize the benefits of the activity. She said: 'Some of the most successful couples credit a simple ritual of kissing first thing in the morning and last thing at night as their secret to staying emotionally connected, no matter how busy life gets. 'It's a small act with a huge energetic impact, a daily affirmation of love, desire, and loyalty. Even when words fail, a kiss can realign a couple's bond on both a physical and spiritual level.'
Fox News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
HHS gives California deadline to overhaul federally-funded sex ed program 'indoctrinating' kids
The Trump administration is giving California's federally funded sex education program 60 days to remove all references to gender identity or face potential termination of its funding. California's Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) grant has been under scrutiny by the Trump administration since at least March, when the HHS's Administration for Children and Families (ACF) requested the federally funded state-operated program send copies of its curriculum and other relevant course materials to them for review. According to ACF, the probe was initiated to ensure the state's sexual education programming is medically accurate and age-appropriate. The agency said in a Friday notice sent to California's PREP program, reviewed by Fox News Digital, that following its examination of the program's curriculum and other teaching materials, it found a litany of subjects and language within the course materials deemed to fall outside the program's "authorizing statute," in particular references to "gender ideology." As a result, ACF said it halted their review for "medical accuracy," since the content it found is not statutorily allowed in the first place. "The Trump administration will not tolerate the use of federal funds for programs that indoctrinate our children," said ACF's acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison. "The disturbing gender ideology content in California's PREP materials is both unacceptable and well outside the program's core purpose. ACF remains committed to radical transparency and providing accountability so that parents know what their children are being taught in schools." Among the materials ACF found, which it now wants to be removed, was a lesson for middle school-aged students that seeks to introduce them to the concepts of transgenderism. "We've been talking during class about messages people get on how they should act as boys and girls—but as many of you know, there are also people who don't identify as boys or girls, but rather as transgender or gender queer," the lesson states to students. "This means that even if they were called a boy or a girl at birth and may have body parts that are typically associated with being a boy or a girl, on the inside, they feel differently." ACF flagged parts of the curriculum for high school-aged students as well, which gets into topics like differentiating between "social transitioning" and "medical transitioning." The high school-aged materials also include instruction on what it means to be "non-binary" and language that tells students "gender-identity" is "essentially a social status." Teacher training materials part of the California PREP program were among other aspects of the California sex-ed curriculum that were flagged by ACF. "All people have a gender identity," the teacher training materials state. They also instruct educators to refer to people who follow the biological marker they are "assigned at birth" as "cisgender" and adds that those who are not "cisgender" may identify as "non-binary, agender, bigender, genderfluid, [or] genderqueer." In ACF's notice, the agency pointed out that under the authorizing statute that established California's PREP program, it is defined as a program designed to educate young people mainly on abstinence, contraception and avoiding sexually transmitted infections, like HIV/AIDS. "The statute neither requires, supports nor authorizes teaching students that gender identity is distinct from biological sex or that boys can identify as girls and vice versa," ACF's notice to California PREP states. "We are aware that this curricula and other program materials were previously approved by ACF," the notice continues. "However, the prior administration erred in allowing PREP grants to be used to teach students gender ideology because that approval exceeded the agency's authority to administer the program consistent with the authorizing legislation as enacted by Congress." California now has 60 days to remove all gender ideology references from its PREP curricula and other program materials, and then it must resend its materials for approval by ACF. If California fails to make the necessary changes requested by the Trump administration, the agency says it has the authority to withhold, disallow, suspend or terminate the federal grant currently funding California's PREP program.
Sky News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Older teenagers should have mandatory lessons on domestic abuse, says survivor
A survivor of domestic abuse says the government is "letting down a generation of young people" by not introducing compulsory relationship and sex education for 16 to 18-year-olds. It comes as data from the Office for National Statistics shows domestic abuse is most commonly reported by those aged between 16 to 19. Faustine Petron, who used to be in an abusive relationship, said a lack of compulsory education on coercive control and signs of abuse was "negligent" and "inappropriate". The Cambridge university student told Sky News: "I was a child, and it's very difficult sometimes when the lines are a bit blurred between love and abuse. "Sometimes abusers masquerade abuse as love." Ms Petron's petition, with more than 105,000 signatures, calling for mandatory education has been delivered to Downing Street. Currently, relationship and sex education is compulsory for those up to the age of 16. But it's then up to post-16 educational providers to use their existing budget and resources to provide it if they choose to. "There is much to gain from adding that extra two years on," Ms Petron said. "At 16, that's normally, on average, when young people are starting their first sexual encounters and having sex. "So they're going to have new questions and different things that concern them than when they were in Year 7 or 8." In response to the campaign, a government spokesperson told Sky News: "All abuse is abhorrent, and this government is determined to root it out as part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade through our Plan for Change. "As part of our review of the relationships, sex and health curriculum, the education secretary has been clear that she will ensure children are learning the skills they need to build positive, healthy relationships, right from primary school. "More widely, we are considering every option to fundamentally transform the system and address the issue of domestic abuse head on, and that includes everything from supporting victims to looking at whether we need to change the law." Ms Petron believes lessons like this could protect young women and men from a future of potential abuse and violence. "I think there's so much at risk," she added. "I think when I say that it's a life-saving education, I'm not just saying that as a big kind of catchy statement, it's because I genuinely believe it. "That if all young people, regardless of their gender, are well-equipped to know the signs of abuse, what a healthy relationship looks like, how to maintain healthy sexual health, all of these really important things, I think people will be kept safer from the kind of abuse that I've faced."
