How to Talk to Your Child About Sex: It’s Best to Start Early, but It’s Never Too Late — A Step-by-Step Guide for Every Age

Linda and Richard Eyre stress that it’s never too soon-or too late-to start discussing sex and values with your children, and they’ve got proven strategies to make it easier. For parents who want to go beyond the birds and the bees talk, How to Talk to Your Child About Sex provides thoughtful, clear, specific guidance on when and, most important, how to help children begin to learn and understand sex, love, and commitment from the most positive viewpoint possible.Preliminary “as needed” talks with three-to eight-year-oldsThe age eight Big TalkFollow-up talks with eight-to thirteen-year-oldsBehavior discussions and guidelines with eleven-to sixteen-year-oldsDiscussions of perspective and personal standards with fifteen-to nineteen-year-oldsFew parents enjoy those oh-so-important talks with children about the “facts of life.” The fact is, you can (and probably should!) begin the conversation as soon as a child turns 3 years old. As for the delicate wording–Linda and Richard Eyre (Teaching Your Children Values) have plenty of suggestions in their comprehensive, step-by-step guide, How to Talk to Your Child About Sex. Starting with the “Preliminary ‘As Needed’ Talks with Three-to-Eight Year-Olds,” the Eyres arrange their chapters by age, including the “The Age Eight ‘Big Talk'” and numerous chapters on talking with preteens and adolescents. The authors also describe what’s normal sexual behavior for each stage of development and how to plant the seeds of appreciation of one’s body and the later respect for commitment and love. They examine how parents can stay true to their moral and spiritual values while staying connected to their teenagers’ sexual reality. Parents will especially appreciate the up-to-date research, such as current statistics about adolescent fears, desires, and activity surrounding sexuality. –Gail Hudson