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When Should I Talk to my Kids About Sex?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

All parents must decide when to talk to kids about sex, how old children should be and exactly how much information needs to be imparted. Talking about "the birds and the bees" can be uncomfortable for many parents and knowing when and where to start can be difficult. Moreover, parents often don’t simply want to talk to kids about the mechanics of sex, but they usually also want to impart their value system to help kids make good choices about sexual behavior.

Many experts suggest that you should talk to your kids about sex early, but that these early talks should be age appropriate and cover only a small amount of information. Additionally, some experts suggest that private parts should referred to by their proper names instead of nicknames even with young children (e.g., two or three years old). This is important, they suggest, since it can make later discussions about sex less uncomfortable. Correctly naming body parts can help kids clearly understand what parts are considered “private.”

Discussions about sex should include proper birth control methods.
Discussions about sex should include proper birth control methods.

Experts also note that it is necessary to let children know, at a fairly early age, that they own their private parts and not to allow others to touch them in inappropriate ways. When you talk to kids about sex, thus giving them information that can help them avoid sexual predators, you can empower them to tell you if anyone takes license with their bodies.

Religious leaders may be able to give advice on topics such as sex.
Religious leaders may be able to give advice on topics such as sex.

Almost invariably, children may exhibit curiosity about where babies come from or, perhaps every parents nightmare, they may stumble upon their parents in the act. Again, when this occurs, instead of making sex a taboo subject, providing a basic and age appropriate explanation may be the best response. For instance, when you talk with kids about sex when they’re still fairly young, about five to eight years old, you should probably keep explanations simple. You can use pictures or books if these are helpful for you. Encourage children to ask questions, but also remind them that everybody learns these things at different ages. Stress when you talk to kids about sex that home is the best place to ask questions and get information, since not all kids will know the same thing at the same time.

Parents should talk to teens about sex before they begin dating.
Parents should talk to teens about sex before they begin dating.

Regardless of where your live, where your children attend school, or what your religious orientation is, it’s true that children tend to discuss sex at school, even as early as first grade. The trouble with this is that children often receive wrong information and their peers may further caution them not to tell anyone about their discussions. It’s therefore sensible to use a gradual process of informing children along the way, so when questions occur at school, your child will trust you enough to ask you. When sex is shrouded in mystery, they may be less likely to talk to parents either as young children or as teens.

Parents may have difficulties explaining where babies come from to young children.
Parents may have difficulties explaining where babies come from to young children.

The average age of first sexual experience in the US is 16.5 years. This is an average figure, which means some kids may have sex as early as 11 or 12, and others will wait until they are adults. You can reasonably expect that children may be aware of other children having sex by the time they’re in fifth or sixth grade. If you talk to kids about sex early and often, knowledge of another child’s sexual experience can help be a way to assert moral authority, and to teach the values about sexual activity you want to teach. Children will be exposed to conflicting values; so continuing to encourage questions will help guide your children according to your family's values.

Children may receive wrong information from peers about sex.
Children may receive wrong information from peers about sex.

In all, being open to kids asking lots of questions, giving age appropriate information as needed, and helping correct children’s misunderstandings can be the best approach. If the subject is really just to challenging for you to discuss, speaking to your child’s pediatrician, church group, or school administrators can provide some helpful recommendations. When you talk to kids about sex, avoiding shame-based judgments on questions can avoid an otherwise quick path to shutting down conversations forever. Instead, keeping an open mind and trying to remember that kids are usually curious and often get information wrong, may be the best thing you can do for your children.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent TheHealthBoard contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent TheHealthBoard contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon287732

If you are asking yourself if it's time to start talking with your kids about sex, it probably is. Start early and keep an constant open dialog about it.

renee03

Not only are sexually transmitted diseases affecting the nation’s youth, but the occurrence of teen pregnancy. Though it has declined in the past 5 years, teens becoming young parents are not uncommon. If a sexually active teen does not use protection, there is a ninety percent chance that she will become pregnant within the year.

Part of this figure could be because teens must have permission from a consenting adult or guardian in order to begin taking an oral contraceptive. Therefore, teens are relying solely on condoms which they can usually get more easily.

Twenty one states do allow contraceptive services without parent involvement but seventy percent of teens whose parents are unaware of their activity would not use contraceptives if their parents were made aware.

Also, of all the nations in the world, the U.S. has the highest rate of teen pregnancy. Twenty nine of those pregnancies will end in abortion and most parents will be supportive of that choice. However, shouldn’t we be asking ourselves if there was something else that could have been done to prevent that from being an option? Not that I am choosing a side of pro-choice or pro-life, but I feel like more could have been done to prevent the pregnancy from ever occurring.

hrquir

Teenagers are having sex! It is terrifying but just a fact of the times and culture that we live in.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, by the age of 19, seventy percent of teens have had sexual intercourse. So whether you are a traditional parent or a liberal, not talking about it won’t change anything because your child is going to become sexually active.

Though it is an uncomfortable discussion for any parent and child to have, it is a natural transition in life that is just now happening at a faster rate then in the past.

How ever uncomfortable it may be, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs or STIs) are serious and proper education needs to be available to assist with their spread.

Did you know that 48% of STI’s occur among those ages 15 to 24? That is even scarier when you see that teens only make up 25 percent of the sexually active population so this is a very high incidence of sexually transmitted illnesses. So the question should really be, when does the education begin and by whom? Parents? Schools?

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    • Discussions about sex should include proper birth control methods.
      By: Gajus
      Discussions about sex should include proper birth control methods.
    • Religious leaders may be able to give advice on topics such as sex.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Religious leaders may be able to give advice on topics such as sex.
    • Parents should talk to teens about sex before they begin dating.
      By: Grafvision
      Parents should talk to teens about sex before they begin dating.
    • Parents may have difficulties explaining where babies come from to young children.
      By: sneksy13
      Parents may have difficulties explaining where babies come from to young children.
    • Children may receive wrong information from peers about sex.
      By: Monkey Business
      Children may receive wrong information from peers about sex.
    • Parents imparting a value system in their kids can help them make good choices when it comes to sexual behavior.
      By: Forewer
      Parents imparting a value system in their kids can help them make good choices when it comes to sexual behavior.
    • A pediatrician may be able to help parents give their children age-appropriate answers to questions about sex.
      By: Darren Baker
      A pediatrician may be able to help parents give their children age-appropriate answers to questions about sex.