Audra Lowe: It's the dreaded conversation that you got to have with your teen, the sex talk. Although most, of us would love to avoid it. Sooner or later, you know it's got to happen. But luckily, there are some ways to help the awkwardness move a little smother. Rhiannon shows us how talking sex with our teen doesn't have to be uncomfortable.
Rhiannon Ally: Teens are smart and tech savvy that means any security blog you should put on your computer to keep them from visiting questionable websites probably just won't work. An expert we spoke with says, it's crucial to protect your kids, but it's also important to realize, that their curiosity about sex, is completely normal. Here are some tips to talk to your teens about sex.
Dr. Sheryl Ryan: You should be starting earlier, than adolescent, that when kids are 8 or 9, they are often curious and they want to know about their bodies. The time to start communication is when you are younger.
Rhiannon Ally: Dr. Sheryl Ryan is the Chief of Adolescent medicine at Yale University. She says, many parents still see their kids one way. So it's hard to imagine talking to them about, such a grown up topic. But in reality, kids grow up quick. If parents start early enough, it lets kids know that it's okay, to have questions about sex.
Dr. Sheryl Ryan: And if you've got that communication going, that channel then, your child, I think will be comfortable, your teen will be comfortable coming to you.
Rhiannon Ally: But that doesn't mean, that you have to go into the whole birds and bees lecture so quick. One reason parents, have a hard time knowing, when to talk to their kids is because each child is different.
Karen Senteio: My son ask before he was 10, I think he was may be 7.
Cynthia Lauria: My son is just out of sixth grade and he is not ready, he has no clue. So I don't want to put it out there.
Rhiannon Ally: Dr. Ryan says, believe it or not this is not unusual. So parents need to listen to the question their kids are asking.
Dr. Sheryl Ryan: You can certainly say, well you know why do you want to know, well, let's here more about this, what are you really concerned about.
Rhiannon Ally: In that big talk, you've been dreading. Well, Dr. Ryan says, stop stressing, you don't need to make it a big deal.
Dr. Sheryl Ryan: I really don't think the big talk works. We often tend to the big talk is often too late, it's often in a lecture form, the little finger starts coming out and they start pointing the finger. And I think that lighter, you can make it, the more they are willing to hear you.
Rhiannon Ally: Instead do your research.
Dr. Sheryl Ryan: Educate yourself, go to the websites, many website there are -- informative websites, information to learn. So that when your child comes to you, you'll feel like okay.
Rhiannon Ally: Dr. Ryan says, enter your teens world, if they use the internet, tech them safe ways to social network. Also it's important to note, who your child is spending time with.
Dr. Sheryl Ryan: If your child is associating with groups of kids who are involved in risky behaviors, it's a very strong possibility that they themselves will, because it's very hard for kids to resist.
Rhiannon Ally: Dr. Ryan says, one of the biggest misconceptions parents have is thinking that their children don't listen.
Dr. Sheryl Ryan: And Parents sort of don't realize that they think my kid is not going to listen to me, they've got their friends, their friends are more important, the internet is more important. Anybody else but me is important and really the parents are important.
Rhiannon Ally: If you catch your teen reading graphic material or sex thing on their cell phones. Dr. Ryan says don't get upset, instead talk to them about, why they are doing this and explain the risks and consequences. There are some websites, parents can go to for more help on talking with kids about sex. For Better, I'm Rhiannon.
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