Talking to Your Kids About Sex

Talking to our kids about sex is something that we all cringe at a little bit, am I right?

We know it’s important and we want to get it right, and consequently, a lot of us put it off until our child finds out about sex from a neighbor or a classmate. And then we feel like we’re repairing damage instead of being proactive! Well, let me help you out mom, there’s no such thing as “getting it right” - it’ll probably be awkward! Your child might freak out a little when they realize you and your husband are “doing it.” You have to let go of your idea of how it “should” go and just dive in.

Once you’ve let go of the idea that this is going to go smoothly, when is the right time to talk about sex with your child? It really does depends on your child. If they ask questions, you need to be willing to answer them honestly. But even if they are totally naive or not curious, by middle school you definitely need to start the talks.

I say “the talks” because teaching about sex isn’t just one conversation. It’s a dialogue that should take place throughout your child’s life, starting when they are little and lasting until they move out. When they are little, talk about their bodies with them, how God made their body and how good it is! Teach them the right names for their body parts and talk about privacy with our bodies. You don’t have to dive into the deep end of the pool on the first talk. That’s one reason I recommend this series of books. They’ll help guide your conversation as your child grows in maturity. Your child will let you know if they want more information.

Think about it this way: would you rather your child heard about sex awkwardly from you, or ignorantly from a friend?

If you haven’t started this conversation yet, set a time to start talking before school starts back up. Pray for God’s guidance and then dive in and be bold, momma! No one is going to tell your child the truth like you will.