- Definition
Sexual health means feeling good about your body and relationships, physically and emotionally, and being safe and respected in all your interactions. It's about having accurate information and making healthy choices, not just about avoiding problems.
Understanding and respecting personal boundaries, like when someone says they need space, is part of practicing good sexual health.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Sexual health is like being a good team captain for your body and relationships, making sure you understand how to keep yourself safe and treat everyone with respect.
Ask your child: What does it mean to feel safe and respected in a friendship?
Common mix-up: Many people think sexual health is just about avoiding disease. It's actually about overall well-being, including feeling good about your body, having respectful relationships, and making safe choices.
Examples
- Learning accurate information about how your body changes during puberty.
- Knowing how to give and get consent, which means clearly agreeing to something.
- Recognizing the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships with friends or partners.
sexual health is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
