Parents teach masturbation

Talking to your child about masturbation may feel a little awkward, embarrassing or even deeply uncomfortable. But these are necessary conversations for parents who want to raise kids with a healthy understanding of sex and their bodies. Instead of seeing it as a problem to solve, think of it as an opportunity to teach skills and concepts that empower young people to grow into sexually healthy adults. To help inform these conversations, HuffPost spoke to Cavill and two other sex educators about the best ways to talk to kids about masturbation, or self-touching.

Many children start exploring their bodies at a very young age, which is very normal and natural. After all, they may quickly discover that it feels good, which could lead to some questions about what's going on there. This can be a tricky talk for parents, who may be unsure of the appropriate time to approach this subject with their children as well as the appropriate dialogue to use for their age. We know this can be a tough subject to navigate, so we asked the experts to weigh in and let us know when we should start the conversation and how to talk to our kids about masturbation in a way that feels somewhat comfortable for everyone. This conversation really depends on your child. Rachel Wright, a psychotherapist and therapeutic relationship coach, says it's incredibly important to talk to your kids about masturbation.

Talking to your teen about masturbation can feel awkward, and it's likely that you're dreading it. Chances are, your teen isn't too excited to talk about it either. While it won't be easy, talking to your teen will ensure they have the facts about masturbation and will show them that you're open to talking about the tough topics. Throughout your talk, let your teen know that what they're going through is normal, so there's nothing to feel ashamed about.

This Morning viewers have been left horrified by the suggestion that children as young as eight should be taught about masturbation. Appearing on the ITV show on Friday, Kate explained that she visits schools to educate children more about their vaginas and penises, even showing them lifelike replicas - so they feel comfortable enough to masturbate. But many viewers were outraged by the discussion - saying that they wouldn't want their young children to be encouraged to masturbate. Kate Dawson appeared on This Morning where she spoke about how girls and boys shouldn't be scared to explore their bodies - and said children should be taught about masturbation.