A former national idol and now the mother of three daughters, Wonder Girls Sunye is put on the spot by a blunt question from her adolescent child. By contrast, Australian father Sam Hammington said he has already taught his sons William and Bentley about the importance of contraception.
On Aug. 3 at 10:50 p.m., EBS 1TV's Parents' first sex education episode 19 "How did sperm and egg meet?" raises the sex questions from children that parents are likely to face at least once in their lives but find hardest to answer.
In the episode, raw questions from children that freeze parents outpour. In particular, Sunye, mother of three daughters, confesses a real-life anecdote in which she ultimately had to avoid answering as her children's sexual curiosity became increasingly specific, which is expected to draw deep sympathy from Korean parents.
By contrast, "global dad" Sam Hammington surprised everyone with a completely different approach. Sam proudly said he has already clearly explained to William and Bentley not only the specific process of how a baby is made but also the importance of contraception. The studio reportedly was turned upside down by Sam's unreserved teaching method. A heated debate is expected over whether parents should directly tell children about the meeting of sperm and egg or let them learn naturally when the time comes.
This is a point many parents misunderstand. But according to the producers, middle and high school students these days are exposed to sexual information much faster than parents expect.
Children already acquire information through various uncontrollable routes, from social media, video content and conversations among friends to pornography. The problem is that unverified information and distorted sexual perceptions in this process can contaminate children's values. While parents hesitate to talk out of embarrassment, children reach for dangerous information first; the program sharply probes when the golden time for proper sex education is.
The program also reveals an experiment camera that captures real parental reactions when a newly adult child declares they will go on a 2 Days & 1 Night trip with a romantic partner.
From dads clutching the back of their necks shouting "Absolutely not!" to moms who pretend to be cool and praise but cannot hide complicated feelings, parents' honest inner thoughts are laid bare. Especially MC Ji-hye, already worried about her daughter's future dating, and dad Jeong-gyu, who declared an ironclad defense shouting "guard the 30cm around my daughter!", let out real screams that will bring big laughs and food for thought to living rooms.
[Photo] Parents' first sex education
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