Chapter One

“ p i c k m e ! p i c k m e ! ”
Men and women who have lived wisely and well will shine brilliantly, like the cloudless, star-strewn night skies. And those who put others on the right path to life will glow like stars forever.
Daniel 12:3, msg

If you ever watched the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, a situation comedy from the seventies, you’ll recall the nerdy Arnold Horshack. He was the short, curly headed “sweathog” who responded to Mr. Kotter’s questions by impulsively waving his arm in the air yelling, “Ooh! Ooh! Pick me! Pick me!” If I remember correctly, Mr. Kotter would usually succumb to Arnold’s plea and call on him to answer the question because he was such an eager student (and because no one else in the class seemed to know much!).

Wouldn’t it be great if our kids always called on us, their parents, for answers to their questions about sexuality because they knew we were not only willing but eager to answer? And because they felt like no one else knew as much about the topic as Mom and Dad? Does your daughter see a “Pick me! Pick me!” attitude in you, or does she see an “Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe you asked that question!” attitude?

When your daughter is ready to talk about sex, who will she go to? Will she feel free to come to you?

RE S E A RCH PROV E S YOU HOLD THE KEY
Many studies have been conducted on the value of parent-directed sex education. Consider these findings:

• Frequent sex-education talks between parent and child can greatly improve family communication and strengthen family bonds. When sexual issues can be discussed n