Talking about sex with children is an extremely tricky subject. In fact, it is one of the highlights of parenting and a stage that every parent dreads. This is because it is difficult to talk about subjects as touchy as this which could cause awkwardness with both the parties. The parents might find it hard to verbalize the subject while the child might feel embarrassed to discuss them.
So, when would be the best time to actually talk about such things since it is so difficult? The first and most important thing you must consider is that there is no way out of this. The discussion must take place regardless of how much knowledge your child might know about sex. It gets a bit more challenging with boys as they want to portray a macho impression.
The truth is, there is no best time to talk about sex. With social media and the widespread use of the internet for information, kids as young as 6 or 7 are already exposed to sex while those in the early teens would have already know what it is through their friends and peers. But this will not make your life easier. Particularly in Asia and very evident in Malaysia, the topic is often regarded as taboo and no one likes to talk about it.
The best time to do it really is to know when your child is starting to get curious. You have to take note of the signs. Is he secretly viewing pornography online or reading ‘adult’ materials? If he is, then he is starting to get curious. Once he is in that situation, then it is time to sit down and have a discussion.
For the girls, it might be a bit more challenging as they do not show curiosity the way boys do. If there were no signs to be read, then the best time would be when they reach puberty and start having their periods. This is when they will wonder (and sometimes be scared) about the changes that the body is going through. It is the best time to talk about the human reproductive system. There are some parents who can talk about this topic openly as they have a close relationship with their kids while they like to share their thoughts openly as well. Such families are rare but they surely are the best examples you could follow. Start early, communicate about everything and talking about sex will be very easy.
