Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt ill equipped to answer one of your teenager’s questions. Anyone? I found something that may help.
Questions Kids Ask About Sex: Honest Answers for Every Age, by The Medical Institute for Sexual Health, edited by Melissa R. Cox.
I’ve been reading this book for a few weeks now, and need to let you know, parents, it’s wonderful. It’s one of the best “How do I talk to my kids about sex?” books that I have ever read. When we teach parent workshops, parents appreciate the information we give, but are always seeking for more answers to the question, “What do I say when my teen says ______?” If you’ve ever wondered that, or doubted your ability to come up with the appropriate words to answer a question, this is where you can find it. Our former blog writer references the book in other parts of our website, but it’s a new read for me. And if you haven’t picked it up, you should.
It goes from early childhood all the way to college. Each chapter is geared towards a certain age group, and has a list of teen-FAQs. The answers to each question are written in such a way that parents could just repeat them, if they chose. By the college level, when young adults are heading towards marriage, they even give parents ideas of how to put their words in writing. (Now, I might personally still prefer the conversation, but for those of you who are letter writers, it’s a wonderful tool.)
Parents, check it out here. You won’t regret it.