Silence Isn’t Protection: How Parents Shape Healthy Sexuality, Faith, and Future Marriages

If you don't teach your kids about sex, someone else will. And that someone will be their peers or the internet—the two worst possible sources of information that will shape their marriage, their self-worth, and their relationship with God.

In this episode of the Epic Marriage podcast, hosts Nick and Alex Leyva explore why most parents feel awkward and unprepared to discuss sexuality with their children. Dr. Chelom Leavitt, a leading sex researcher at BYU, explains that teaching starts the moment your child is born—through how you treat their body during diaper changes, what you say when they discover their genitals in the bathtub, and whether shame or celebration gets wired into their brain alongside information about their bodies. She reveals why using correct anatomical terms increases children's self-esteem and how Satan's first commandment to Adam and Eve was to hide and be ashamed of their nakedness.

The conversation transforms how parents think about the law of chastity. Dr. Leavitt shows how every prohibition can become a positive guideline, why couples who wait until marriage report higher sexual satisfaction, and how parents can become transitional characters who break generational cycles of shame and silence. Whether you have toddlers or teenagers, it's never too early and it's never too late to start having better conversations.

Visit YourEpicMarriage.com for resources designed for temple-sealed couples who want their relationship to reflect the eternal significance it carries. Learn more about Dr. Chelom Leavitt's work and access her book "A Better Way to Teach Your Kids About Sex" for practical guidance on age-appropriate conversations.

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