Moms Talk: When Should You Talk To Kids About Sex?
Jump into the conversation and share your advice!
Moms Talk is a regular feature on Land O' Lakes Patch. We invite you and your circle of friends to help build a community of support for mothers and their families right here in Land O' Lakes.
Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of experts and smart moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions.
So settle in as we start the conversation today with a question from our Moms Council:
At what age do you think parents should have the "sex talk" with their children?
Yvette Manes
2:52 pm on Wednesday, March 2, 2011
I think it all depends on the child and the circumstances to which they're exposed. I started talking to my kids about sex when they were around 7 or 8. At that time my 21-year-old nephew and his girlfriend got pregnant and my kids started asking me how it was possible for them to have a baby if they weren't married. I didn't want to lie, so that became my opportunity to discuss it with them in a way they'd understand.
Larry Bush
10:29 am on Thursday, March 3, 2011
I agree with Ms Manes. I answered my son's questions honestly and at a level that he could understand when he asked. Of course, when he hit puberty, the questions stopped.
Mechelle
12:38 pm on Tuesday, March 22, 2011
In the public school system the kids will get the detailsin fifth grade. So, as a parent you need to make the decision to answer their questions after the class or to prepare them for what they will hear. I have a son in fifth grade and I feel we prepared him the best we could. Our approach will be a combination of both, before and after.
Rene Van Hout
9:19 am on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
A childs maturity is key. As soon as my daughter asked me, at age 6, I took her to the library and we got books. As she became a pre-teen, I started talking to her about STD's. I bring up sex when I here stories about pregnant teens, reminding her how life-changing having a baby is. I express concern over how you lose your youth when you become a parent, because you have to 'grow up' real fast and live an unselfish life for your child.