Keep The Talk Going

Dedicated to Improving Communication about Relationships, Sexuality, and Intimacy

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Planting Seeds for Kids’ Sexual Health

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When your kids grow up, do you want them to have healthy sex lives? When they’re adults, do you hope they have pleasurable, responsible, fun sexual experiences? Of course you do.  We don’t want our kids to have sex too early, we don’t want them to get hurt, and we don’t want them to risk […]

How to Talk to Kids about Sex? Ask the Unitarians

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It always seems a little odd to me that sex and religion are seldom talked about in the same breath. When most religious groups speak out on a sexual topic, it’s usually a negative, something people “shouldn’t” do. But sex is such an integral part of our humanity—and can be such a profound, even spiritual […]

“My Daughter Can’t Date ’til She’s 40”

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Have you ever heard anyone say that? Or maybe said it yourself? When I’ve heard the expression, it’s always been from the father of a young girl. He sometimes adds, “I know how teenage boys are—I used to be one.” It’s a joke, but only sort of. The father’s motivation, of course, is protective. He […]

When Aunt Suzy Wants a Hug–But Your Child Doesn’t

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Some families are very huggy and affectionate; others less so. But even less cuddly families tend to hug and kiss relatives when they arrive for a visit. Some kids are happy to give Grandpa or Aunt Suzy a hug—but others howl. What’s a parent to do? At one end of the continuum is letting the […]

What to Teach Your Daughter about her “Girl Parts”

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Little kids notice early that boys and girls are different under their underwear. Boys’ genitals are more obvious than girls’ and seem to get talked about more openly. Female genitalia are more hidden—with the odd result that girls, even today, often don’t know their own bodies. Starting when kids are young (toddlers, even), parents can […]

TalkStarter for Teens & Preteens: Sex That Sells

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Have you ever stopped to think about how many ads use sex to sell a product? So many do that we can become numb to them. But if you stop to notice, you’ll see attractive people, mostly women, in advertising for every imaginable product. Many of these women are wearing tight, skimpy clothes and often […]

Can’t I Wait a Couple Years to Tell My Kid About Sex?

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Let’s face it: Talking with your kids about sexuality can be awkward. So it’s natural to want to put it off a bit, because, you know, they’re still young, and maybe they’re not mature enough to understand, and I want to keep them innocent, and the school will cover it soon enough, and my parents […]

How Is Your Marriage Affecting Your Kid’s Future Sex Life?

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When we think of teaching kids about sex, we usually think of buying books for them and having “The Talk” (or, better, a series of many talks). But the way we behave in our own marriage/partnership is at least as important for our kids’ future sex lives. From watching how the two of you interact, […]

Instead of “The Talk,” Try “The Drip Method”

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When your parents told you about sex (if they did), was it all at once? A big, overwhelming “The Talk” that left you feeling like a deer in headlights—overwhelmed, and unable to absorb everything they’d said? Give credit where due: Having one big Talk is much better than saying nothing. (And if your parents talked […]