1. Interaction - Always have a strong base for communication with your child. You are essentially the strongest influence in their lives and having that open communication can help you quell any future problems your child may face. Trust is an important aspect in any relationship and your child needs to be able to trust that you will guide them.
2. Honesty - Although you may practice modesty at home, it doesn't mean your children are not subjected to immodest behavior while at school or with friends. Don't skirt the subject if your child mentions such behavior. It is better to be honest about the interactions of others than to hide your child from reality. Hiding the truth from them will only encourage their own discovery - which could be ultimately unsafe.
3. Good Communication - By using clear and simple language, your child can utilize the information you are trying to convey. Although you may be uncomfortable with the topic, he or she may need additional information. This is increasingly difficult when matters of sexual behavior are scrutinized. Your children are relying on you to provide the most in-depth information available.
4. Personal Worth - Teaching our children that our bodies are a private domain that is not to be shared with just anyone can help them determine what is right and wrong. This gives them the sense of worth that our bodies are not amusement parks that are open for all to abuse. Our bodies are temples that need to be protected at all costs.
5. Engaging Self-esteem - Instead of complimenting a child's looks, focus more on their attributes. Demonstrate to them that a person's looks doesn't dictate who they are. Point out a child's accomplishments at every opportunity.
6. Role Models - Pop culture embraces sexual behaviors that can be questionable at best. As child stars grow up, they sometimes tend to lose themselves and disregard damage they could be doing to younger children. Miley Cyrus and her twerking may have received a lot of press, but it's not what we want our children to emulate. Children need a role model that is unwavering in their devotion - such as yourself.
7. Provide Reasons, Not Excuses - Every action and rule has a reason behind them. Instead of providing excuses to your children, give them reasons why modesty is ideal. One-on-one conversations about the realism of modesty can provide the ideal results in your children. Don't rely on simply saying, "Because I said so."
Never be afraid to discuss the human body to your children. It is better that they receive the correct information from you than to learn it from a friend who is of the same age. Not everyone has the same information or values.
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image via lds.org
