We live in a world where we—and our kids—are bombarded by sex. TV, movies, and other media are chock-full of casual sex, jokes about sex, pitying comments about the few poor unlucky souls who aren’t getting laid…. It seems like every (non-pitiful) young person you see on screen is having sex—a lot of sex—often casually–and […]
Teens, Power, & Sex
There’s so much going on in teens’ social world that it can be hard for parents to know where to start. Even if kids were inclined to talk with parents about school social dynamics (which they usually aren’t), they’re so immersed in it that they have no frame of reference. We may not know the […]
TalkStarter: Gender and Restrooms
There’s been a lot in the news lately about who can use which restrooms. A recent federal mandate requires schools to permit students to use the restroom that matches their gender identity, even if that’s not the sex on their birth certificate. Whatever your views on the subject, it’s a great opener for talking with […]
Protecting Your Child from Heartbreak
We want to keep our kids safe, physically and emotionally. We don’t want them to be hurt or disappointed—especially the deep kind of hurt that comes from unrequited love or the end of a relationship. Woe to any teenage boy or girl who breaks the heart of my beloved child! Alas, there’s nothing you can […]
Talking about Sex: What a Difference a Word Makes
Often, it’s not so much what we say as the way we say it. Case in point: the words we use to talk about sex, especially when talking with our children (or whenever they can hear us). Think about these alternatives: Have sex Screw Fornicate Do one’s “wifely duty” Get laid F**k Be intimate Make […]
The Key to Getting Teens to Open Up
There’s so much going on in your teen’s head and heart—but that doesn’t mean you’re hearing about it. When our darling little kids become adolescents, parents can feel that there’s a wall between us and them. We care so much about what’s going on inside them, but they may be reluctant to share. This is […]
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 […]
Would You Help Your Teen Get Birth Control?
So one day your teenager comes to you and says “I think I’d like to go on The Pill. Will you help me?” For most parents, the air would pretty much disappear from the room. The Pill? My baby? My baby is planning to have SEX??But she’s too young! Eek! Once you get your composure (more […]
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 […]
How Sexting Can Go Wrong
With phone cameras constantly in the hands of every teen (and many pre-teens), zillions of selfies get taken and shared. Most of them are harmless. Some are flirtatious. And some are sexually explicit “sexts”–and that can be trouble. The following story was told to me by Scott Driscoll, a 20+-year former law enforcement officer specializing […]