In this section we will look at values. We will cover the following:

• An introduction to values and how to identify them
• Thinking about age-appropriate behaviors and how our values affect our attitudes
• Thinking about which values you would like to pass on to your children

Sexuality education emphasizes the importance of values. Planned Parenthood encourages parents and caregivers to convey their values to children and teens as a way of helping them to understand the world around them.

We hear a lot about "values" in the news and other media but what exactly are values, where do they come from and why are they important?

Talking about values can sound simple enough, but it can be difficult to communicate about values if we don’t have a clear idea of what we mean by that term. The idea of “values” is so big that we may not have been able to really figure ours out.

So let’s consider some questions about values:

What are "values"?

A value can be defined as an attitude or behavior that we feel is very important. Values help us to make sense of the world and give us a reference point by which we measure our behavior. They guide our behavior and help us to make decisions. Our values are more than just a reaction to what we consider to be “right” or “wrong”. With some more thought we can identify and understand our values, which is important when conveying them to our children.

Values may or may not be controversial, but they are unique to each individual. An entire family might hold very similar values or a value that is important to one person may be unimportant to another. Values can also change over time as a person’s life experience grows.

How do we identify values?

We can start identifying our values by thinking carefully about important issues and our reactions to those issues. For example, our response to a comment made by someone in conversation, or a situation on the news, may reflect our values.

As a parent or caregiver, your values are very important. While our children may not agree with all of our values, it is important to realize that we can influence their attitudes towards sexuality.

Take a few minutes to think about your values and how you want your child or teen to feel about different issues related to sexuality by completing the following exercises.

Values Timeline

This exercise will help you to think about your values about some behaviors.

In the first column is a list of behaviors related to sexuality. In the second column, please enter the age at which this behavior is, in your opinion, appropriate. If you feel a behavior is never appropriate or acceptable, leave the second column blank. There are no right or wrong answers in this exercise.

When you enter the ages in the second column, think about what you think is appropriate, rather than what other people think or when people might actually perform these behaviors.

When you have finished entering the ages, click 'submit' to organize your responses.