Sue Johanson's Recommendation For Sex Ed Books

How great to have Sue Johanson, Canada's sex guru on The Parenting Show today!  Yes, she has as much energy and enthusiasm off camera as she does on. Hard to believe this Order Of Canada recipient is 80 yrs old! (I think I am allowed to tell people that.)

During our discussion about how parents should talk to their kids about sex, she mentioned two great books:  

Peter Mayle's Where Did I Come From?

and 

Peter Mayle's What's Happening To Me?

Sue has more resources on her website too.  I also mentioned two great bookstores for parents for any / all topics: ParentBooks and Caversham book store if you're looking for books on more psychological-type issues.  

Happy reading! 

 

Comments

[Jill Walker]

I too recommend those books as suggested by Sue Johannsen. Where Did I Come From? and What's Happening to Me?, both by Peter Mayle. In case you didn't know, Where Did I Come From? was also made into a video, narrated by Howie Mandel. You can probably still check it out at the Library. I'd like to recommend two other books that were great for the Teenager who is having sex, or soon to be having sex. The Facts of Love, by Alex Comfort (yes THAT Alex Comfort, the one who wrote The Joy of Sex). It is an honest take on sex and love for the teenager. It's frank, and not sugar coated, and it discusses all kinds of love...hetersexual, homosexual, the normalness in having a same-sex crush, etc. Since it was published in 1978, it has no mention of AIDS, but certainly an amzing book. The other book I recommend is called Will I Like It? again by Peter Mayle. This book discusses sex from all angles (the physical side, the emotional side)again in language that a teenager can relate to. It discusses the different things that go on inside a boy's head compared to what goes on inside a girl's head when it comes to sex.

As a child growing up (I'm now 40), I read all of these books, given to me by my parents. These books helped me make informed decisions about sex. I credit these books in helping me wait until I was ready for sex, and to have sex on my own terms. Now, as a parent to 4 kids, aged 17, 14, 12 and 10, I have passed these books onto my own kids. I hope they do for my kids what they did for me...help them to have safe, secure sex on their own terms, in their own time, and to help them understand the opposite sex. I wish these books were required reading at school!

Cheers!

[Alyson Schafer]

Thanks for the great recommendations and thorough descriptions! I will definitely pick these up for my own kids. Keep posting comments! Its really helpful to me and others.

[Louise]

I'm so happy to have caught the repeat of this episode last night. I watched it with my 10 year old son! We talk quite openly about sex/love/lust with our sons, trying to keep the conversation at a level they are most comfortable with. It's important to me to have sons who are open about sex and love, and who can connect those things with also having respect for women. I often talk to them about what women look for in a great man - from good hygiene to being romantic to learning how to cook! I don't think boys often get those kinds of messages reinforced to them through the media or their peers, for example.
I hope you have Sue Johannsen on your show again for the entire hour. I've always loved her attitude and candor, and find her extremely helpful personally. She's been THE sex guru ever since I can remember (I'm 43).
Thanks Alyson!