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Hudson Valley Parent 19
A series answering parents' toughest
questions when raising a teen
Keep the conversation going. See the complete article and
get tips to help raise your teens at HVParent.com/RealTalk
Dr. Paul Schwartz
Professor of psychology and education
Patrice Athanasidy
Mother of three from Westchester
Talking about sex is not a one-shot
deal, but rather an ongoing series of
discussions. Start discussions about
sex and intimacy early. Encourage your
children to ask questions about anything
that they might find confusing.
Talking to your child about sex can
be embarrassing and is usually an
awkward conversation to initiate.
Try to keep in mind that talking
openly and honestly about sex means
that you are potentially avoiding
the multitude of problems
uninformed kids have when
they become sexually active.
Be calm and avoid scare tactics.
Sex isn't something to be afraid of,
it's something to understand. Open,
healthy and honest conversations
help to provide your child with good
decision-making skills about sex.
I have two teens and one just
beginning her twenties. My 17-year-
old son is on the autism spectrum.
Conversations with him are always
tricky when they get personal because
he gets very shy when he talks about
his feelings. I use his sisters as examples
and we talk about respect and
safety. With him, conversations are
short and handled a little at a time.
My daughters are 15-years-old
and 20-years-old. We have talked
about relationships, respect, safety,
health issues, pregnancy and more
since middle school. I often use
topics from the news or their health
classes as ways to begin.
It's most important to me that my
teens feel safe to talk with me. I
constantly make it clear that their
safety comes before my judgement.
How do I talk to my teen about sex?
