When is the right time to talk? Tips for picking the perfect moment
Sex ed conversations can be easier to start if you pick the right moment to talk.
So in this blog post, you’ll learn why it’s important to talk at the right time, and how to find these moments.
You’ll find more information about sex education in my Sex Education 101 page. And you can find more strategies for starting sex education conversations (like this) in my list of ideas on how to teach sex education in the family home.
Let’s get started!
It can help if you pick the right moment to be talking.
And I am afraid to say…
But one of the hardest parts of a conversation (about sexual topics) is picking the right moment to talk.
Now, I’m not talking about finding the perfect moment where the stars have aligned…
If we waited for that moment, the conversation would never happen.
What I’m talking about is finding a time when it will feel less awkward to talk. For both you and your child.
With kids, it can help if you talk at a time when you’re already doing something together (instead of having to sit down facing each other to have ‘the talk’).
For example, you might talk when driving somewhere in the car (this is a favourite place for many parents), walking the dog or cooking a meal together.
Talking whilst doing something together is great for when you find a topic embarrassing. (You’re not alone as we all have topics that embarrass us.)
This allows you to avoid direct eye contact. Plus it keeps your hands busy.
And once you’ve started, you’ll find the conversation gets more relaxed. And that subsequent conversations are much easier to start.
Here’s some ideas for when it might be the right moment to start a conversation…
- Kicking a ball with your child
- Driving in the car
- Baking biscuits
- Doing a craft activity (like my anatomically-correct paperdolls)
- Planting new seedlings in the garden
- Buying groceries at the supermarket
- Walking the dog
I hope you find this helpful for teaching sex education to your child.
Happy talking!
❤️ Cath
More sex education resources
More help with sex ed at home
Not sure what to teach at your child’s age? Browse by Age has a free printable checklist for every age group: the priority topics, some scripts to try, and what to do next.
If you’d rather have something more structured to work from:
Getting Started with Sex Ed gives you the bigger map. What sex ed actually covers, when to start each part, and how to keep it simple.
The Sex Ed Q&A Toolkit is for the questions that turn up when your brain isn’t ready. Age-based wording you can reach for in the moment, rather than freezing and hoping they forget.
Or have a look at everything for getting started.