It’s one of those parental responsibilities that many parents dread. It even has a singular name: The Talk. Mark Merrill, founder of iMom and All-Pro Dad, has ten things parents should keep in mind when talking to their child about sex. These touchpoints may help make the process go a little more smoothly.

  1. Fight the fear
  2. Research
  3. Avoid negativity
  4. Don’t patronize
  5. Be vulnerable
  6. Faith
  7. Emotions
  8. The risks
  9. Peer pressure
  10. Constant communication

Also keep in mind that The Talk shouldn’t be just one talk, but an ongoing discussion with age-appropriate information from the earliest, “Where do babies come from?” through young adulthood. Check out the full article for detailed information on each of these ten points. And remember, if your child doesn’t learn about it from you, they will learn about it from somewhere. Make sure that what they learn is consistent with your values.

Photo © 2010 by Dave Parker under Creative Commons license.