Helping Parents Talk About Sex: What Happens at a Sex Ed Workshop

Unprude guides parents in starting age-appropriate sex ed talks at home.

Published on Aug 22, 2025

On August 17, Unprude brought together parents and child educators for Sex Ed for Parents, a reflective workshop aimed at helping parents gain the confidence, language, and concrete tools they need to have honest conversations with their children about sex at every stage of development.

The workshop took place at The Company Manila and was facilitated by Unprude founder and Smart Parenting Board of Experts member Dr. Rica Cruz, her daughter Caia Miella, and licensed psychologist and certified LEGO Serious Play facilitator Lizzie Garilao. It was organized in partnership with Inna Circle, which provided child-minding for the little ones so parents could take part comfortably.

Click to Enlarge

Unprude.

Also read: Parenting and Sex Ed: Why Awkward Talks Matter, According to an Expert

LEGO-Building our Kids’ Understanding of Sex Education

It’s not a matter of if kids learn about sex—it’s who they learn it from.

In today’s digital age, children are often exposed to information about sex and sexualized content online long before parents are ready to talk about it. The program recognized that most parents grew up with sex as a taboo topic in their own households and opened with an informative lecture by Dr. Rica Cruz. She addressed the gaps left by inadequate sex education in the Philippines—gaps that often leave adolescents vulnerable to unsafe situations related to sex and sexuality.

Her talk equipped parents with practical frameworks and guidance, including:

Age-appropriate scripts for conversations with toddlers through teens

How to build a safe, non-judgmental home culture where children feel comfortable asking questions

Conversation starters and phrases to avoid for fostering openness and trust

Signs of awareness that indicate when children are starting to explore questions about sex and sexuality

Clear safety rules, including red flags (warning signs), green flags (healthy behaviors), and body safety principles

How to talk about online content, porn, sexting, and privacy

After this, participants engaged in a series of LEGO Serious Play activities facilitated by Lizzie Garilao. Through hands-on building challenges, they reflected on their values around sex ed and discovered new ways to approach sensitive conversations with openness and confidence.

Click to Enlarge

Unprude.

One parent participant shared that “from this workshop I learned that we should be open to our kids about this. Hindi natin isusugarcoat ang words or terms, and we should listen to them more.”

The Sex Ed for Parents workshop underscores that sex education starts when education starts, and that begins at home. By equipping parents with information, practical skills, and a reflective space, the workshop aims to break cycles of silence and shame around sex and foster healthier, more open relationships between parent and child.

Magulang o Internet ang Magtuturo ng Sex sa Anak? Expert Says Sex Ed Starts at 2

Our 11-year-old columnist says she learned about sex through many small conversations she had with her mom since she was young.

READ HERE

As Dr. Rica Cruz explained, “sex is about more than the act—it’s about the relationship you build with your child, and how that relationship teaches them to respect themselves, respect others, and share that respect with the world.”

Lizzie Garilao added that “we need to better understand not only what we want to communicate but also why certain things are important to us. Children will ask questions because they want to understand things better.”

Click to Enlarge

Unprude.

Click here to read Smart Parenting’s guide on teaching your child to love their own body.

Hanna is a News Desk Writer at Smart Parenting, covering parenting, health, culture, and more. Off the clock, she’s likely people-watching at a café or park, matcha latte in hand.