Around age 3, young children will begin asking basic questions about where babies come from or the differences between boys and girls. Kids are curious about their world and ask questions to gain a better understanding of it.
If you'd like a little help thinking through how to discuss these topics with your kids, the site "There's No Place Like Home ... For Sex Education" is a wonderful resource. They offer age appropriate information for kids from 3-years-old to 18-years-old.
Reading through this information can help you clarify your own values and approach to discussing those values with your kids. Teens report wanting to hear more from their parents regarding relationships and sex. Unfortunately, without enough information teens often underestimate the likelihood of contracting a sexually transmitted infection or becoming pregnant.
When a teen becomes pregnant, the parents pay a heavy price. The U.S. Census 2010 figures show that 3.1 million grandparents had grandchildren living with them. While these aren’t all cases of teenage pregnancy, this data certainly motivated me to talk
to my two teenagers about sexuality and the incredible responsibility involved in having a baby.
Start these conversations early and plan to have many small talks throughout your children's growing up years.