When you buy pads or tampons, do you try to hide them from your kids? Do you avoid talking about your or your partner’s period when kids are around? If so, I respectfully suggest you try the opposite approach: Use periods as a conversation opener. Really. Having a period is a normal, healthy thing; it’s […]
It’s a Great Day for the Birds & the Bees
No matter the age of your child, today is a terrific day to take one small step toward the quality of their eventual sex life. (Which, yes, someday they will actually have….) It’s World Sexual Health Day—so go for it! Here are some easy ways to get the birds and the bees convo started (or […]
When Your Kid Says “Don’t Tell Dad”
As much as possible, it’s helpful for parents to work as a team on the birds and the bees (and everything else). Kids benefit from knowing the views of both parents and from being able to ask questions of whomever happens to be around at the moment. I know, that’s not the way it goes […]
She Got Her First Period. Let’s Celebrate!
A daughter’s first period is a milestone for her—and also for her parents. It may be a dreaded event, heralding her budding sexuality and the turmoil of the teen years. Or it may be a happy thing, a source of pride, because your cherished daughter is moving toward the woman she’ll become. Parents may have […]
TalkStarter for Kids: “How I Learned about Puberty”
Let’s face it: puberty and sex are awkward topics. And when you do gear yourself up to talk to your child about it, you probably get cringing and eye rolls. But you don’t want your kids to enter puberty and have no idea why their bodies are changing. Even if their school does a good […]
TalkStarter: Parents Are So Embarrassing
When you’re a teenager, pretty much everything your parents do is embarrassing. But anything they say or do related to sex? Especially if anyone else is around? OMG–mortifying. Even if it’s been a long time since you were a teen, I bet you can remember things your parents said about sex that embarrassed you. This […]
TalkStarter for Teens & Preteens: Sex That Sells
Have you ever stopped to think about how many ads use sex to sell a product? So many do that we can become numb to them. But if you stop to notice, you’ll see attractive people, mostly women, in advertising for every imaginable product. Many of these women are wearing tight, skimpy clothes and often […]
Can’t I Wait a Couple Years to Tell My Kid About Sex?
Let’s face it: Talking with your kids about sexuality can be awkward. So it’s natural to want to put it off a bit, because, you know, they’re still young, and maybe they’re not mature enough to understand, and I want to keep them innocent, and the school will cover it soon enough, and my parents […]
TalkStarter for Preteens: What’s the Buzz at Camp?
If your teen or preteen goes to camp, she’s put into an environment with kids outside her usual social milieu. Crushes, romances, and rivalries can develop; fascinating information (or misinformation, or rumors) about puberty and sex may be shared around the campfire. Kids may start thinking about these things more or differently than they usually […]