Parents & Teachers:
Book Summary, "Beyond the Big Talk"

Beyond the Big Talk: Every Parent's Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy Teens From Middle School to High School and Beyond (2002)

By: Debra W. Haffner

Arranged by grade level, this book discusses sexuality education for adolescents from middle school to college. Haffner urges parents to keep the lines of communication constantly open and to capitalize on "teachable moments." She cautions, too, against parental complacency – the attitude that higher rates of sexual activity, sexually transmitted diseases, and teen pregnancy occur among other people's children. Greater parental involvement can help adolescents navigate the difficult early years of sexual awakening. Educating teens about sexuality is an important parental responsibility that involves more than simply having the traditional "big talk." It should be an ongoing process, with parents listening to teens and remembering their own adolescence and sexual awakening.

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About the Author

Debra W. Haffner, M.P.H., M. Div., was president and CEO of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) for more than a decade. She has been at the forefront of sexuality education for more than 25 years, making frequent lecture and media appearances. Currently, she is the director of the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing, and an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister. She is also the author of From Diapers to Dating: A Parent's Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy Children.

PAMF also provides parents and teachers with a book summary of From Diapers to Dating, found here.

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