Tuesday, July 15, 2014

She Wished She Knew Her Parents Had Sex


When I was young, around ten or so, I was at my neighbor's home across the street. She told me her parents had sex a lot. I told her my parents were Christians and only had sex three times! When my sons were young, one of them asked Ken if he had sex with me only four times. Ken looked at them and asked, "Four times this week?"

Thejoyfilledwife wrote me this about her childhood and what her parents 
taught her about sex after I explained to her how we taught our children ~

I think that is SO crucial and important. How I wish I had that kind of influence from my parents. Most of the time, my parents went to bed separately, slept with their door open, or had one of my younger siblings asleep in their bed with them. I don't recall EVER seeing my parents show affection, except a small peck on holidays after they opened their gift from one another. That was very hard on me growing up, especially with affection being so important to me. My parents spent most of their time complaining to us kids about each other and I remember wondering throughout my childhood if I was going to wake up one day to find that my parents were going to divorce. I longed for a Biblical, affectionate marriage all of my life and I knew that I would have to go to the Bible and read a lot about how it takes to have one since I didn't have that example in my own life. 

I remember spending time with friends who would say how grossed out they were that they overheard their parents late one night having sex. I never told them, but I would have gladly traded places with them, if for no other reason than to take comfort in knowing that my parents still desired each other. 

All of her four siblings grew up to have very warped views about sex. They either became very sexually promiscuous or so overly conservative.  She has told me that they will kiss on the lips, but that they think anything more than a peck is disgusting and worldly. Normal sex, traditional position, is acceptable, but every other form of sexual expression is sinful.

How do we teach children about purity before marriage and FUN after marriage in a sexually saturated society that views sex far from the ways of God? I will just tell you how we raised our children in this area.

After the boys asked Ken about how many times we had sex, Ken sat them down and explained the facts of life in this area. We were always open with our children. They knew if our door was locked, they were not to disturb us. We didn't allow our children to ever sleep in our bed with us. We weren't afraid to hug and kiss in front of them. They knew we enjoyed sex and thought it was a very good thing in marriage and a very bad thing outside of marriage.

We sent them to a purity camp. We NEVER spoke as if sex was sinful. We told them they needed to wait until marriage to have sex and we gave them boundaries in order to attain these goals. It didn't seem that difficult. Be open with your children when they ask questions. Explain to them all the terrible consequences of sex outside of marriage and the wonderful, fun plan of sex inside of marriage; enjoyment of each other and making precious babies.

Our children always knew that sex inside of marriage was never something dirty but a gift from God that was worth saving for their spouses. From the looks of it, they all appear to be VERY happily married. Actually, they have all told me they love being married!

Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.
Proverbs 5:18,19

Comments (57)

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I love being married too! :)
We are very open (in a practical sense) with our five kids about our sex life. We want them to know we love each other! My parents were very affectionate with one another, and it always gave me great comfort to know they had a happy marriage.
1 reply · active 558 weeks ago
Great post! Our culture has such a corrupted view of sex, it's important we teach our kids a good, healthy, Biblical view.
A healthy attitude toward marriage is very important. We never let our kids sleep with us either - our bedroom was/is our sanctuary. Could you please do a post sometime on how you dealt with your sons and masturbation? I have a friend struggling to deal with this right now (she has five boys from 12 to 19) and I would like to send her a link to your blog. Thanks.
22 replies · active 558 weeks ago
Just a little note:

Parents all over the world allow their children to co-sleep and have no problems with having a healthy sex life. In most of the rest of the world, children sleep with their parents. :)

It's fine if you don't want them to. I just wanted to note that it doesn't have to mean you can't have a healthy, wonderful marriage and sex life even if the baby or child/children sleep with you.
19 replies · active 558 weeks ago
Unfortunately, it is not just our culture that has corrupted sex, but many Christians do the same. Sex is considered somewhat shameful which the Bible never says. Why does God put a book in the Bible like Song of Solomon unless He wants us to enjoy sex IN A MARRIAGE.

That is how God designs all His wonderful things, to be enjoyed by mankind, but in a way that He intends... not the perverted ways of the world. And Christians must not be bashful or ashamed of enjoying sex within their marriage and making sure that their kids know in their early teens how much more exciting sex can be when it is done in love and commitment, instead of lust and using another person.
So true, I love this, Lori! Children need to see love and affection between their parents.
I agree that children need to see that parents love each other, but I don't think children need to be specifically aware that their parents have sex. Personally I think it would have been far more helpful for me to know how to have a healthy relationship if I had seen my parents talking, laughing, and doing things together than if I had known that they had sex.

Children will be far more comfortable and happy seeing their parents express their love through their time together and displays of physical affection in front of their children. Specific knowledge that their parents still have sex and its frequency is unnecessary. As they age they will realize what is going on but when they enter relationships themselves they will be able to have sex be a natural part of their own marriages as an act of love and affection because they saw examples of love and affection growing up.
4 replies · active 558 weeks ago
My parents divorced when I was very young. But my friends' parents were married and I learned many things about how to be in a normal functioning marriage from them. It's all stuff that is "caught" not "taught". So all marriages matter. You may be unknowingly mentoring your children's friends. I remember when I was about 14 my friend found a 100 box of condoms in her parents closet. She was super grossed out. But I do remember thinking "well at least it's good that they enjoy each other." Despite her being grossed out I'm pretty sure she thought the same.
Great post Lori!

I think it's very important that children see good marriages from their parents and other married couples. My sister commented that one of my nephews (who is 5) told her that he sees my husband and I kiss each other (no making out, just small, simple, quick kisses) while we're all at dinner at my mom's house. My nephew then told her that he "would like to see mommy and daddy do that once in a while." You see, my sister and her husband are happily married, but they don't show the physical affection like that. Kids can start to learn about physical affection (in age appropriate ways and levels) in marriages from a very young age -- which is great. If parents don't show/teach their kids about this, kids will most likely pick up the "worldview" on this, which is that physical affection and love dies in marriage, which definitely shouldn't be the case (nor has it been my experience)!
I actually think this topic is so timely. We have been very open with our kids but not personal details. I think it was and is worth it because now they feel comfortable asking us anything. My daughter, who just got engaged, is really starting to ask me serious questions. We can't really shield them too much from sexuality. It is everywhere, we even have a few girls in church who dress in a questionable manner and a former teen from youth group got pregnant without being married. I would much rather they ask us and we answer then them floundering and getting their answers from the world.

One other thing, my daughter's fiancee even feels comfortable enough to ask a questions. His family was very hush hush and somethings he didn't know. He has a kind of mentoring relationship with us now knows we will give him straight answers. Although he generally texts his questions. ;0)

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