Book Review
A short overview of this book
Essential Little Talks by Michael Gene is a book that shows parents what open and honest conversations about sex might look like.
Inside you’ll find scripts that give examples of how to talk to kids about love, sex, relationships and growing up. You’ll also find definitions and illustrations, as well as a checklist for working out if a teen is ready for sex or not.
A useful guide for helping parents in getting started!
You can learn more on this page, about how to get started with sex education.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 9 to 13 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Essential Little Talks by Michael Gene from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak, and welcome to Sex Ed Rescue. This is my YouTube channel where I share a bunch of videos and book reviews all about sex education. It’s also my website where I help parents navigate those sometimes tricky conversations with their kids about love, sex, relationships, and growing up. Today, I want to talk about a book called Essential Little Talks: Teach Your Kids About Sex and Profoundly Better Their Lives by Michael Gene, a dad who noticed the lack of resources when it came to talking to his own daughter about sex.
Now, this book may be self-published and tiny, but it’s packed with great ideas on how to start the conversation. The approach is inspired by the European model, where open and honest discussions about sexuality are more common. But hey, open conversations can happen anywhere, right? Michael has taken inspiration from Bonnie J. Ruff’s book on Dutch kids and their healthy attitudes towards sex, and he’s written it from the perspective of an American dad.
Inside, you’ll find lots of helpful ideas. It’s written as if you’re having a conversation with your child, but there’s also some information for you as a parent to understand why it’s important to talk about these things. It covers topics like bodies and the changes that come with puberty. It goes beyond the basics of sex for procreation and explores the importance of pleasure too. It also touches on the idea that different families have different values when it comes to sex, like some believing it should only happen within marriage.
The book also dives into making decisions about when it’s okay to have sex and what sexual activity entails. It even discusses finding the right partner. It’s not just about values, though. It also emphasizes the positive aspects of sex, like the pleasure and the connection it brings between two people. And don’t worry, there’s a handy glossary and some illustrations at the back to make things even clearer.
If you’re looking for a resource that can give you ideas on how to approach different topics, this book is a great little guide. It shows you how open and honest conversations about love, sex, and relationships can really work. So go ahead and check it out! I hope this review helps. Cheers!
