How some celebrity parents approach sex education with their kids

Former actress Jacelyn Tay’s approach of explaining sex and intimacy to her 10-year-old son drew some polarising opinions online. 

Her Instagram post detailing the discussion has since been deleted, but not before it caused quite the buzz on the internet.

So what are some of the ways in which celebrity parents handle the delicate topic with their kids?

Chinese daily newspaper Lianhe Zaobao reached out to some to find out.

Darren Lim

For local actor Darren Lim, 49, porn is strictly off-limits for his kids, and he ensures this by placing the computers in the living room so he and his wife Evelyn Tan can keep an eye on what they're surfing.

The couple has three boys and a girl, between the ages of eight and 16.

"I absolutely do not allow my children to spend the night at the house of someone of the opposite sex. [And] no matter how good the relationship is, they can't be in the same room."

He explains to his children that if they get into relationships when they're too young, things often go bad and the consequences are serious.

They even make their kids attend “Passport to Purity” classes at their church so they can understand the importance of purity as well as relations between genders.

"Today's children are influenced by various things, such as movies, at a very young age, so you must instil the correct values in them," said Lim.

He also talks to them about sex because he feels it's better they learn from him than outside sources.

"When God created human beings, he originally wanted men and women to have kids. Only when there is a family can there be a country. This is a normal thing."

Kate Pang

Growing up, actress Kate Pang, 38, had encounters with perverts which have left a mark on her. She encountered a flasher in primary school, and in secondary school, someone touched her chest.

"These are terrible memories I will never forget, so I want to protect my children from (the same) harm."

Hence, Pang teaches her kids – Aden, seven, and Avery, five– that their bodies have "forbidden zones that cannot be touched" even by herself and her husband, actor Andie Chen. She does not allow her kids to go out alone with their uncles.

She also uses picture books to talk to her children about their anatomy.

Pang said: "A few days ago, I took my child to a friend's house, and my friend's child opened the door when Avery went to the toilet. It turned out that he was curious about what it was like for a girl to go to the toilet.

"Actually, if you explain it to your children through other means, such as picture books, this will not be the case. The more mysterious [about the topic] the parents are, the more curious the children will be."

Chen Xiuhuan

Local actress Chen Xiuhuan, 56, has never shied away from explaining sex education to her three daughters, who are between the ages of 16 and 24. 

She shared: "In kindergarten, my daughter asked where she came from, so I went to the library to borrow the relevant books and explained through pictures and stories.

"When they were in primary three and four, I explained puberty to them. When they got their period, I said to them, 'Congratulations, you are a little adult.'

“If you have a positive attitude, they will not feel nervous or afraid."

She told her girls it was normal to be interested in boys while in secondary school – but that it's also best to just be friends since they were still studying.

Chen became a little more relaxed when her daughters were in junior college, but cautioned them about dating and protecting themselves by not being in the same room with a boy.

She said: "I'll remind them – if they get pregnant, how will they go to university? How will they pursue their dreams and careers?"

Pan Lingling

Local actress Pan Lingling, 51, said she takes a very scientific approach to sex education.

"Understanding the anatomy of the human body is important, and I discussed the topic with my son when his school started teaching sex education," she said.

Pan and former Channel 8 actor Huang Shinan have two sons, aged 20 and 22, and she taught them about sex education when they were young.

"I told them that kissing can't lead to pregnancy, and you can have a kid only when the sperm fertilises the egg."

She also explained the human anatomy and the difference between the male and female sexual organs.

"There is a lot of information about this on the Internet. Instead of letting them learn some concepts that may be wrong on Youtube, it is better for us as parents to educate our children first. Now, both men and women are maturing faster, so it is good to start sex education early," she shared.

Pan also emphasised to her sons the importance of respecting women.

"I often tell them that you can never bully girls, and respect girls no matter what the situation is."