The Birds and the Bees

When it comes to “the talk” it looks like parents might be giving it too late.

It’s dreaded by every parent and even every child---“the talk” about the birds and the bees. But according to a new survey, parents aren’t giving it early enough.

When we were kids, we hated our parents even bringing up the subject, and as parents nothing makes us sweat more than anticipating sitting down with our boy or girl and explaining all about sex.

Which is probably why researchers found that forty percent—almost half--of adolescents had already had sex before talking to their parents about important topics like safe sex, birth control or even sexually transmitted diseases. And this is troublesome news since teens who talk with their parents about it are more likely to delay their first sexual encounter and more likely to practice safe sex when they do become active.

But as any parent can tell you, this is one tough subject to bring up. So here are a couple of tips that might help. Instead of trying to talk about everything at once, make it an ongoing dialogue starting early in life, focusing on what the child can absorb. And take advantage of everyday excuses to bring up the subject—some sexual reference in at movie or TV show, a pregnancy in the family or even a visit to the doctor. You’ll find that once you start the conversation not only does it become easier to bring up again, but you’ll also realize it’s something your children do want to hear about---from you---and it’s always much better to get the
information from you than from their friends.