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Parenting Literacy: The Importance of Sex Education in early children by

Parents (children in 5-6 old)
Dwi Nurhayati Adhani

Earcly Childhood Education Departement

Trunojoyo Madura University
adhaniuwi@gmail.com

Abstract: Early childhood sex education has not been arranged in the 2013 curriculum for early childhood explicitly
so it requires collaboration between parents and teachers to facilitate children to get early childhood education. The
provision of material related to sex education in early childhood is adjusted to the age limit. Parents can provide sex
education in early childhood with a form of parenting literacy. Parenting literacy here is giving books to children
assembled with sex education material in early childhood according to age limits and the material to be discussed.
At the age of 5-6 years, material was given about gender identification, how to identify bodily functions, the
surrounding environment and family members who can see body parts that must be covered, how to care for the
body. The purpose of this study is to explain the form of parenting literacy that can be used for sex education in
early childhood that can be done by parents. Parenting literacy that will be used by using reading aloud techniques
that are suitable for early childhood.

Keywords: Parenting literacy, sex education in early childhood, reading aloud

A. Introduction

Parenting in the disruption era has certain challenges. The era of disruption is an era where when
development is accelerating and there is labor competition that is no longer linear by changing the old order into a
new order1. The era of disruption is sweeping not only in humans living in cities but in any part of the world
experiencing an era of disruption even in all ages. The disruption era has several positive and negative effects. The
positive impact is the creation of new products that facilitate human life, the creation of new forms of profession.
But the negative impact is the digital invasion of information that is difficult to see as safe, right and wrong, the
fading of cultural values. In the era of disruption it is difficult to prevent it and in it there are some challenges
including being able to easily access all kinds of information with smart phones2.

The ease of a child to open internet access can have a positive or negative impact. The positive impact that
a child can easily access the internet is to get information quickly, children can quickly follow technological
developments, children can socialize with friends in any part of the world. While the negative impact of the ease of
children accessing the internet is that there is no limit on information that is age-appropriate so there are no filters,
children become addicted to the internet, children become less mobile and only play alone with gadgets they have,
and the main problem is pronographic content that can affect child development.

1 https://www.republika.co.id/berita/jurnalisme-warga/wacana/17/11/24/ozw649440-menghadapi-era-disrupsi, diakses
tanggal 8 Februari 2019 Pukul 12.43
2 https://www.suaramerdeka.com/smcetak/baca/74978/tantangan-keluarga-di-era-disrupsi,diakses tanggal 8 Februari 2019,

Pukul 12.51
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As a result of the ease with which children access pornographic content causes several problems including
brain damage. According to brain surgeons from the United States explained3

"Pornography is actually a disease because it changes the structure and function of the brain, or in other words
damages the brain. The most damaged part is the prefrontal cortex (PFC) which makes children unable to plan,
control their passions and emotions, and make decisions and various executive roles of the brain as controllers of
impulses. This part distinguishes between humans and animals. "

The child is an accomplished "imitator" so that when he has the habit of watching pornographic content the
child will imitate the spectacle. This happened in Situbondo when 6th grade elementary school raped a neighbor
who was still a toddler because he was accustomed to watching porn videos 4.The easy effects of children accessing
information in the disrupted era showed how important the family role was as an "umbrella" and "center of the
universe" of an inner child facing these challenges. Even though in the era of disruption some role forms can be
replaced by artificial intelligence (AI), the role of parents in children's lives is irreplaceable.

Parents are those who really participate in children's lives. When parents begin to have children, parents
inevitably have to have a pattern of care that is in their mind to be applied with the aim of forming a child who has
emotional health, the ability to interact, and has intelligence that develops optimally, and other dimensions of
development that can support children to become fully human.

Indeed, every parent has a plan and idealism in parenting. These plans are also created from the
coordination of Father and Mother. Care for each parent is different, but the goal is actually the same, namely to
form a child to be a strong person and has adequate developmental dimensions to face challenges in adulthood.

The role of parents not only gives a child food and clothing, but the most important thing here is care and
education. The characteristic of effective parenting is the ability of parents to follow the development of medical and
technological knowledge that provides benefits in daily life, parenthood is a lifelong commitment, having the
responsibility to care not only psychologically but also psychologically, parenting is not only involves both partners
but involves all family members5

Parenting is not only synonymous with children in supervision, but children also have bonds (bonding)
between parents and children. Even nurturing also includes educating, providing stimulation, hugs, affection,
instilling the name of the Prophet with a good example6

Education for children in parenting by parents is very wide and varied. One of the most important is sex
education in early childhood. This is important because the benefits provided by sex education in early childhood is
that children can be avoided from sexual crimes, to be able to prepare mature children in sexual maturity at the
puberty stage, besides teaching children about their desire to play genitalia. Playing genitalia in children is actually
at the stage suggested by Freud's Sigmun.

Sex education in children is adjusted to the age limit. Sex education is providing knowledge and affirming
views about sex, sexual identity, and intimacy (Chomaria, Nurul.2012). This shows that sex education does not

3 https://sains.kompas.com/read/2012/11/07/09592136/bagaimana.pornografi.merusak.otak.anak, diakses tanggal 9 Februari

2019, diakses pukul 11.18
4 https://www.voaindonesia.com/a/kpai-tahun-2013-tahun-darurat-kekerasan-seksual-anak/1808764.html, diakses tanggal 9

Februari 2019, pukul 11.37

5 http://www.hkjpaed.org/pdf/2004;9;182-184.pdf, diakses tanggal 8 Ffebruari 2019, Pukul 13.51
6 https://gayahidup.republika.co.id/berita/gaya-hidup/parenting/14/12/26/nh6793-ini-hal-penting-dalam-mengasuh-anak,

diakses tanggal9 Februari 2019, Pukul 10.46

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always discuss intimate behaviors in couples but is wider and varied, even the most important here is adjusted to the
age limit7.

Sex education in early childhood can be given in several ways. One of the gifts is to use parenting literacy.
Literacy of parenting in children aged 5-6 years does not mean children are given books and they are left to read on
their own. However, children's reading ability is adjusted for age. Literacy Parenting here parents together with
children see pictures and read books related to sex education in early childhood.

B. Discussion

The period passed by early childhood is8

1. Sensitive period, namely the peak period and the sensitivity of large children to receive stimuli from the
environment
2. Egocentric period, namely the desire to win, want to be noticed and obeyed, and requires patience from
adults
3. The period of groups is that children prefer to play with peers, looking for friends who can accept it.
4. The period of imitation is that the child is a copycat who and the imitation process is based on the
surrounding environment, for example the child is wearing lipstick when he sees the mommy being
groomed
5. Exploration Period where children use objects in the environment by holding, eating, drinking.

Definition of Reading

Reading is adjusting the meaning of words with written or printed symbols9

Development of early childhood reading skills
The ability to read early childhood is divided into four phases, namely10:
1. Stage of awareness of writing
At this stage, children begin to use the book by flipping through the pages of the book, and sometimes bring
wherever the book they like
2. The stage of reading the image
At this time children begin to recognize themselves as readers, involvement in reading, pretending to read, giving
meaning to images, starting to use language in books even though sometimes not in accordance with the title. There
is awareness in children that there are traits in the book such as titles, pages, letters, punctuation
3. Reading recognition sign
At this stage the child begins to use a language system such as the sound of letters, the meaning of words, and the
rules of words in the sentence. Children begin to be enthusiastic to remember the letters and their context, children
begin to recognize the characteristics of objects in the environment.
4. Stage reading fluently
Children begin to be able to read fluently with various forms and variations of books even with different materials or
directly related to daily life

7 Chomaria, Nurul. Pendidikan Seks Anak Usia Dini.Solo:Aqwam.hlm.13

8 Mutiah, Diana. 2010.Psikologi Bermain Anak Usia Dini. Jakarta: Prenada Media.hlm.7
9 Dhieni, Nurbiana. 2013. Metode Pengembangan Bahasa.Jakarta: Universitas terbuka.hlm73
10 Susanto, Ahmad.2011.Perkembangan Anak Usia Dini: Pengantar dalam berbagai aspeknya.Jakarta:Prenada Media.hllm.90
 97

Considerations for reading books that are suitable for a certain age range11:

1. Books for children aged 0-2 years that are needed at the stage of development of this child are exploring
the world through sensory input, such as books that are durable, easily available, not hurtful, colorful, in
which there is interaction between parents and children.
2. Books for children aged 2-4 years, namely the stage to interact with the environment, the existence of
fantasy and reality are not limited clearly, generally there is a desire to please others, for example a solid
and clear book, an easy, fun, rhythmic storyline and the existence of repetition, bad behavior.
3. Books for children aged 4-7 years, namely the stage of the existence of a basic mental operation,
obtaining new competencies, the completion, see behavior that is in accordance with gender identity.
4. Books for children aged 7-9 years, namely the stage of starting to recognize time, getting to know abstract
ideas, constructing opinions, having independence, starting to see rules, laws and starting to examine the
authority that has been arranged in society, such as books that have fantasy high, adventure in exploring
past and future time, solving problems, and identifying characters, the existence of non-fiction stories,
biography and adventure.

Parenting Literacy
Parenting Literacy is building a culture and family reading habits so that children can enjoy reading books 12

Three styles read books to children

Three styles read books that are liked by children13
1. Describer style, which is a reading style with a focus on describing what happens to the image, for
example: what do chickens do in the morning? How do chickens crow? This will have an impact on
enriching children's vocabulary, children understand the words spoken, and the existence of drawing skills
2. Comprehensive style, namely the style of reading stories by encouraging children to understand more
deeply to make conclusions and predictions, for example what the chicken will do after crowing?
3. Performance-Oriented style is the style of reading stories directly by showing the core of the story by way
of starting to give questions after the reading is finished. In this style the performance of the reader is
focused so that children can understand.

Reading A loud

Hard reading techniques carried out by adults and children. This activity aims to enable children to listen and enjoy
the plot. This activity can help children with meaning captured through listening to existing writing14

Sex education in early childhood

1. Give children warm touches and hugs so that children feel loved sincerely, and that can be done to peers15
2. Gender identification, namely children begin to distinguish between boys and girls, for example boys wear
pants, girls wear skirts16

11 Dhieni, Nurbiana.Opcit.hlm.8.13
12 Kurniawan, Heru.Literasi Parenting. Jakarta:Kompas Gramedia.hlm.15
13 Kurniawan, Heru.Opcit.hlm.17
14 Dhieni,Nurbiana, Opcit.hlm.3.24
15 Tirtawinata, CM. Importance of sex education since early age for preventing sexual harassment.Jurnal Hunaiora vol.7 No.2

April 2016:201-209
 98

3. How to identify limbs by mentioning the names of body members with their real names and functions, for
example to call the penis not a dick but its name
"Penis". Introduction of this reproductive system so that children can describe it to others and not be
impressed "porn"
4. The surrounding environment and family members who can see the body, this means that this is where
children begin to recognize the surrounding environment both at school and at home, and those who can
see the "underware rules" section are only parents or professional experts accompanied by parents.
Children are asked to avoid strangers who are too close or scream when there is danger.
5. How to care for the body, namely children are invited to learn to prepare themselves to use the toilet at
home, both with toilet seats, and Chinese toilet. The child is told how to cleanse the body to prepare so that
the child can stand alone.

Bibliography

[1]. Chomaria Nurul.2012. Pendidikan Seks Untuk Anak (Dari Balita Hingga Dewasa). Solo: Aqwan Jembatan
Ilmu.
[2]. Dhieni, Nurbiana. 2013. Metode Pengembangan Bahasa.Jakarta: Universitas terbuka
[3]. Mutiah, Diana. 2010.Psikologi Bermain Anak Usia Dini. Jakarta: Prenada Media
[4]. Nugraha, BD. Adik Bayi Datang darimana. Jakarta:Mizan Media Utama.2016
[5]. Susanto, Ahmad.2011.Perkembangan Anak Usia Dini: Pengantar dalam berbagai aspeknya.Jakarta:Prenada
Media.
[6]. Tirtawinata, CM. Importance of sex education since early age for preventing sexual harassment.Jurnal
Hunaiora vol.7 No.2 April 2016

Sumber lain:

[1]. https://www.republika.co.id/berita/jurnalisme-warga/wacana/17/11/24/ozw649440-menghadapi-era-disrupsi,
diakses tanggal 8 Februari 2019 Pukul 12.43
[2]. https://www.suaramerdeka.com/smcetak/baca/74978/tantangan-keluarga-di-era-disrupsi, diakses tanggal 8
Februari 2019, Pukul 12.51
[3]. https://gayahidup.republika.co.id/berita/gaya-hidup/parenting/14/12/26/nh6793-ini-hal-penting-dalam-
mengasuh-anak, diakses tanggal9 Februari 2019, Pukul 10.46
[4]. (https://www.voaindonesia.com/a/kpai-tahun-2013-tahun-darurat-kekerasan-seksual-anak/1808764.html,
diakses tanggal 9 Februari 2019, pukul 11.37).

16 Nugraha, BD. Adik Bayi Datang darimana. Jakarta:Mizan Media Utama.2016.hlm.7