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Talking to your child about sex and relationships
Good sex and relationships education can:
- raise the age young people first try out sexual activity
- cut the rate of teenage pregnancies, abortion and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
It can also help children:
- with their emotional development
- stay safe
- feel more confident talking about sex with their partners when they're older.
How do I start talking about sex and relationships?
Lots of people feel embarrassed talking about sex and relationships, but that's OK – if you're honest your child can learn to trust you and know that it's OK to be embarrassed too. You can still help your child learn about sex even if you don't feel very comfortable talking about it.
Don't just give your child a one-off talk, but build on it gradually. There are ways you can make it easier to talk to your child about sex and relationships, such as using TV storylines to spark off conversations, or using useful books, leaflets and websites. This can help your child feel that sex is a normal part of family life.
The FPA booklet, Talking to your child about sex and relationships, has lots of information and advice to help you broach this essential topic in a straightforward and useful way.
It covers:
- bringing up the subject
- finding the right words
- how to talk to children at different ages, including teenagers
- preparing yourself to deal with scenarios that might crop up
- the main messages you need to get across to your child (including not pressuring a partner to have sex; not giving into pressure themselves; using contraception)
- talking about sex and relationships if you have religious views.
Useful FPA resources
If you feel you'd benefit from preparation and support, there are FPA resources to help you.
- Speakeasy book for parents and carers who need help and advice talking with their children about sex and relationships.
- The parents' pack has leaflets to help you broach the topic.
- Young people's booklets deal with topics such as growing up (for boys and girls), periods and pregnancy.
- Speakeasy is an FPA course for mums, dads and carers of children of all ages, to help you talk about sex, relationships and growing up.
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