SIX EDUCATION CLASSES DESIGNED TO HELP PARENTS, YOUTHS COMMUNICATE

Parents who find it difficult to talk to their children about sex can sign up for a class that will help teach good communication.

Donna Fields, education director at the East Missouri Action Agency, said the classes, which are extremely popular, teach parents how to talk about sex and related issues.

"We want them to talk about more than just the facts," Fields said. "Telling kids about facts doesn't really change their behavior a lot. The motivational factor comes from parents teaching kids values."

The classes, which consist of four two-hour sessions, are for youths ages 9 to 16 and their parents. They include discussions on anatomy, puberty, hygiene, reproduction and pregnancy. Classes for older teenagers include discussions on birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, decision-making, values and relationships.

Fields said the classes provide a comfortable atmosphere in which parents and their children can begin to talk about issues relating to sex. She said the EMAA does not try to teach its own beliefs about sex to the group, but encourages parents to convey their personal values to the youngsters.

"`The class breaks the ice' is what a lot of parents tell us," she said.

She said the classes are generally most effective for youths ages 9 to 12. "If you wait until they're in their teens, they think they're supposed to know this stuff already," she said.

Classes are divided into three groups: the parent-daughter course for daughters ages 9 to 12; the parent-son course for sons ages 9 to 12; and the parents-teens course for youths ages 13 to 16.

Although there have been no studies to conclude whether the classes have helped curb teen pregnancy or sexual activity, Fields said they often open the doors of communication between parents and children for the first time. She said it often sets a pattern for future communications as well.

"Parents can tell their children whatever they want them to know about sex; their own values," she said.

"Research shows that children who have open communication with their parents, those kids tend to delay sexual activity longer. And, when they do become sexually active, they tend to use birth control."

Fields said the EMAA has been sponsoring the classes since 1981.

"It's important to bring these issues out in the open between parents and kids," she said. In the age of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, "you can't ignore them," she said.

Classes are kept small, with a maximum of 15 parents and youths per class. Currently, classes are booked through March, Fields said. An optional fee of $15 per family is requested.

Individuals or groups interested in forming a class can call Fields at 334-2516.