The perfect time to have the sex talk with your child

We are still a very conservative society. Thus, when most parents shy away from broaching the sex talk, it is to an extent understandable. Do you ever feel the child may be too young or that it is indecent to have the sex talk with your kids? Always remember that you are the safest source of sex and relationship information for your child. Moreover, they will eventually hear about it elsewhere and the facts may be distorted. When parents talk to their kids about sex, they equip their kids with the knowledge needed to protect themselves from sexual predators, unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

Ask if they are learning reproduction in school.

If they are in Class Six, chances are they have learnt or will learn about puberty, body changes during adolescence and the reproductive process. You could broach that topic by asking what they are learning in school. Proceed to add more useful information that can help them protect themselves from sexual predators.

Impart that knowledge when they are going to college or university

This is the age when most people get boyfriends and girlfriends. It Is the stage when people start becoming sexually active and the best time to delve deeper into the topic. Emphasizing the consequences of premarital or unprotected sex will help them make informed decisions in campus as they explore their newfound freedom.

When girls start having their periods

This is an important time to sit your daughters down and have an honest discussion with them. Know they may have come across that information from school, peers or on TV. This will enable them to understand that they have reached womanhood and there are consequences for engaging in premarital or unsafe sex. This prevents them from being mothers at very young ages.

READ ALSO: Age-by-age guide to talking about SEX with your CHILD

When they introduce a boyfriend or girlfriend to you

Most young Kenyan adults will never introduce boyfriends or girlfriends to their parents unless they are really serious and are on the road to marriage. However, some may do so as teenagers if their parents encouraged open communication between them from an early age. If they are dating, chances are they may be tempted to take it to the next level sooner or later.

Sit your son or daughter down and emphasize on the results of unsafe sex because they already probably know about it, they just need more guidance.
Another good time is when they start to show interest in the opposite sex. When you realize they are starting to have crushes on the opposite gender, you can sit them down and give a simple and clean explanation.

When they start asking where babies come from

It is understandable that parents would want to protect their children from adult information in their tender years, but saying babies come from bees or storks does not help much. You could make up a clever explanation that is very simple without much detail.

An explanation that emphasizes that mummies and daddies have babies when they get married. This will enable them to get an idea of who actually makes the babies before they are old enough to understand fully.