Example of letter that can be send to parents of children in Grade 6 by your school board
To parents of children in Grade 6 _______________________________
Re:
Brochure entitled Transformation, Butterflies, Passions… and All Sorts of
Questions: Parents' guide for discussing sexuality with their teens
Dear parents:
We are pleased to offer you this brochure produced by the Ministère de la Santé et des
Services sociaux. It provides tools that can help you in your reflection on adolescent
sexuality so that you can better discuss this topic with your teens. The brochure was
produced following a broad consultation with parents and professionals.
The onset of adolescence often causes us to consider the importance of addressing the
issue of sexuality with our children. During this stage of life, your children—boys and
girls—go through a number of significant changes (puberty, discovering love, sexual
awakening). You are your children’s principal sex educators. Since their early childhood,
you have been female and male role models for them, sometimes without even being aware
of it. You have passed on values to them and have helped them meet these transformations
positively. Your children want and need you to be there for them as they question and
think about events taking place in their emotional and sexual lives. The trust and affection
you have developed with your children over the years make you the ideal person to
accompany them.
The school also plays a major role in sex education, a role that complements the one
parents play. It provides young people with opportunities to talk among themselves and
with professionals about various aspects, while taking into account students’
developmental levels. However, as parents, you have the advantage of being able to have
personalised discussions with your child that take into consideration the fears, aspirations
and vulnerabilities he or she may have.
Studies show that sex education, combined with open and honest parent-adolescent
discussion about sexuality, tends to foster more positive sexual experiences, delay onset of
sexual activity and encourages adoption of safer sexual behaviours.
…2
2
Providing sex education to your child is a particularly enriching experience that
nonetheless involves challenges. It should not boil down to a discussion of sexually
transmitted infections and contraception. During preadolescence, your children also need
to discuss aspects of their realities with you, topics such as egalitarian relationships
between boys and girls, pressure from the media regarding physical appearance, and
stereotypes linked to the fact of being a boy or a girl.
We hope you will find this guide useful. Please help us improve it by giving us your
comments. You can do so by answering a short evaluation questionnaire, which can be
accessed on the following Web site: www.msss.gouv.qc.ca/itss/evaluation.
Yours sincerely,
President of the Governing Board