Paradise Under Your Feet — Page 172
172 his/her years in school. He/she will use these words unless you teach him/her otherwise. These slang words are crass and demeaning to Allah ’ s creation. Be prepared for your child ’ s moment of awareness when he/ she realizes her parents ’ role in how he/ she was conceived and born. Answer his/ her questions truthfully without unnecessary d etail. Your child will perceive if you are embarrassed or insecure , so try to be calm and matter - of - fact when he/ she asks. Invite your child to come to you at any time in the future with questions or problems. Benefits of Talking to Children: Talking to your child honestly about puberty and sex will make him/her feel that you love him and want to protect him/her. She will feel that you recognize she is growing up and respect her maturity. He will understand later that it was difficult for you to talk to him, and he will appreciate that you did. No matter what he/she faces in school, on television and the Internet, and among friends, he/she will be armed with Islamic information and your knowledge. He/she will trust what you said more than anything else he/she hears. Because you were open and willing to share such delicate information, your child will trust you more, and will come to you later with his/her own challenges. Your child will feel closer to you, and you will enjoy everyday activities together even more. You will have opened a door with your child for future conversations as he/she reaches adulthood, such as, how to handle working with the opposite gender at school or work, how to prepare for looking for a potential spouse and how to prepare for his/her marriage, etc.