Why parents should talk about the power of procreation more

 As a mother, aunt, teacher, and observer of people, I have seen the many issues that arise from the lack of talking about a topic that should be on the forefront of every parents’ mind. As a society, in general, we treat sex as a taboo subject. The reasons are simple. We feel that it is too intimate.  It is too scary/uncomfortable to discuss and because we treat it as though it is a bad thing. All these seem like good reasons not to discuss something that will inevitably occur and even be explored by our offspring. 

We cannot impede our kids from experiencing things in life, and we cannot prevent them from making bad decisions or run into the sexual dangers out there. That is true. The only thing one can do for their kids is make sure that they understand the importance and the reverence with which they should treat the act. 

If a parent wants to successfully raise sons and daughters who are aware of their worth and who want to abstain from acting on their feelings of lust and desire, they must prioritize speaking to them freely and honestly. They should be prepared to explain their own journey and experiences with it, so the youth know the truth of the matter. The only way for the youth to understand the realities of sex and how it alters one’s life is through testimonies of their own parents about it. Especially their personal experience because they will either mirror your example or learn from it. A parent’s most powerful method of teaching is their real life experiences and their own admission of their personal challenges. 

Doing so will  make them understand the reason that we are sexual beings who can control those inner desires that make us all want to do things that are not moral or right. We must do it to help them choose wisely and avoid getting into dangerous circumstances. We need to do it to help create a different society in which we live today. We need to make a world where both kids and adults understand the consequences of promiscuity and that the creation of life is a divine gift and power which should be used only within the bonds of marriage and not for any other purpose.

Like when a kid knows when they have done wrong, they will too when they decide to do it out of the bonds of marriage. Discussing the consequences of their actions and the feelings that accompany the act is key to ensuring that they avoid dangerous situations that  will make them fall into temptation. A discussion on how to curve those appetites and  highlighting why it is best to wait until marriage to act on those feelings  and discussing it’s true purposes, which are to procreate and be in union with the person that they marry, will help them understand the purpose of the act. 

We know that God commanded Adam and Eve to “multiply and replenish the earth”(see Genesis 1:28). Knowing this lets us understand that we were created to procreate and bring people into the world. Once we all comprehend the intention of being sexual beings and the purpose of those sexual feelings it is reasonable to conclude that those feelings are part of us and that we are not to dismiss them or misuse them, but instead learn how to control and dominate them so that they are not used incorrectly.  

Moreso, to use it at the right time and with the person one  intends to spend their  life with instead of using to connect with people they do not have any intentions of committing to. Telling someone that they should not do it until they are married is not enough. They must know the why. They must know how it will affect their life if they choose to act on those feelings at an early age or outside of the marriage state. On the other hand, if they do not know they will indubitably make the mistake and do it for other reasons and not what it was intended for. 

This will not only help them understand the reasons for abstinence but will also realize the integral role they play in whole scheme of life. The weight of that responsibility will be at the forefront of their mind and will contemplate on that before stepping into that territory. Knowing its purpose will help them make informed and wise decisions.  

When both adults and youth understand the purpose of it and  the connection it builds with the other person, they will also understand when not to do it. The saying, “knowing is half the battle”, is definitely important regarding this topic that is so sensitive in nature but important to talk about at the same time. Once we know why it is important and why it is necessary between a man and a woman, we will be more prone to abstain and act on those feelings with the person we want and at the appropriate time. As a society we will make better choices. 

Fornication, adultery, and all other type of sexual sins will not occur as often. They will happen regardless because we are human and it is impossible not to sin, but having that knowledge will make all the difference. The amount of youth pregnancies will lessen and the amount of promiscuous teenagers will decrease. Adults will either be sexually active with only one partner instead of multiple or will do it to cultivate their marriage and make their family grow. Knowing that it was created to unite couples and create families will lessen the number of people doing it for recreation and will instead do it for its intended purpose. 

This act is the power to create life and as so it is divine. We are all in partnership with God to create life and that, by nature, is divine. This divine gift that God has entrusted us with needs to be treated not only with responsibility but also with the reverence that it deserves. Telling our children that this power is more than just a nice feeling or past time and that it is a divine power to create life will prepare them and help them make informed decisions about having sexual relationships at an early age. 

The reasons to speak to our children about the powers of procreation are many, but the most important ones are the ones that will help them understand why it is better to abstain from the practice until they are in the correct stage of their life. We need to help them understand that it is better to wait, so they have the knowledge to help them choose not to put themselves in bad situations which will have dire consequences. 

We need to teach them that through their own example they will create a generation of youth that will not engage in the act until they are ready for the responsibility. We need to explain and let them know that the power of procreation is a power from God and due to its divinity we are partners with God rather than being sexual  people who need to gratify those sexual desires.

 Understanding all of this will not only make them aware of their own responsibility to learn to manage those feelings but to how to act on them properly at the right time and place with the person they want to spend the rest of their life. It is our duty as parents, adults, and beings of a heavenly nature to let our kids know to act on those feelings of love when you love someone and are ready to grow with them in every manner possible.