How to start talking about it!

You can still help your child learn about sex even if you don’t feel very comfortable talking about it.

Here are some tips to help you.

Start early

Use everyday situations or TV characters to start off conversations. Someone is always falling in and out of love in a soap!

Or if you see a pregnant woman you can use this to talk about where babies come from.

Talk when you’re doing something else

It could be doing the washing up, sorting something out or driving in the car (taking them to football or swimming might be the only time you get to talk properly).

This makes the subject normal and not special. If you don’t find this a comfortable subject, you’ll probably find it easier to talk about if you’re busy doing something else.

Use humour

You don’t have to make jokes all the time but you can show your child you can talk and laugh about sex and relationships.

Get some books or use a good website

Your child can use these on their own but it can be useful to look at them together too, so you can chat about what you’re reading and ask each other questions. Have a look at the list on the right of this page or the parents' section of our online shop.

Be prepared for those awkward or inappropriate moments

You’ve probably been at the checkout when your child suddenly develops a huge interest in tampons or how babies are made.

If it's not the right time or place, try saying something like “That’s a good question – let's talk about it when we get home”. Just make sure you do.