Welcome to our blog post dedicated to providing sex education information tailored specifically to your twelve year old! We understand that navigating the vast amount of information on this topic can feel overwhelming, especially when it may not be relevant to your child’s current age and stage of development.
But don’t worry! This age-specific guide is here to help you find the information that is most appropriate for your child at this stage. We’ve handpicked a collection of blog posts and resources that focus on starting sex education conversations with twelve year olds. So, rest assured that the content you’ll find here is suitable for their needs.
Every child is unique, but they all go through similar stages of development. The resources we provide will empower you to support your child as they navigate their way through adolescence in a way that aligns with your values.
At twelve years old, puberty has likely begun for most children, regardless of whether physical changes are visible or not. Some tweens may start becoming more interested in romantic relationships and experiencing sexual feelings for the first time. It’s crucial to have sex education conversations during this period as your tween may be eager to grow up and fit in with their peers. Therefore, the information we share below will be relevant for initiating or continuing sex education discussions with your twelve year old.
And as you celebrate their thirteenth birthday, 🎂 we’ll also provide you with sex education information appropriate for thirteen year olds!
So let’s dive in and embark on this exciting journey together!
Unsure of what sex education is all about?
Watch Back to Basics my FREE webinar that will tell you what sex ed is, why you need to do it, what might stop you from talking, what to talk about and how to get started.
A 12 minute read on what sex education is all about.
Watch this Parent Masterclass to learn what to expect and how to develop key skills in sex education.
Got some last-minute doubts about whether you are doing the right thing, or not? By starting sex education?
Read this blogpost as it will address your fears about sex education.
Read this blogpost as it explains the benefits of sex education, and how these conversations will empower and protect your child (instead of harm them).
And if you’re worried that you’ve left it too late to start? Then relax, as you haven’t. As now is better than never. But you are going to have to work harder, as you will need to reestablish their trust and get them used to you suddenly wanting to talk about love, sex and relationships.
Missed out on sex education yourself? Or already forgotten what you were taught at school?
Watch this Parent Masterclass as it’s the Adult Edition of Sex Ed and is a refresher for modern parents.
Unsure of what sexual behaviour to expect in your child? And what’s normal?
Read this blogpost about healthy sexual development in children and the different behaviours you might see in your 12 year old.
Watch this Parent Masterclass to learn how to understand and support healthy sexual development in your child.
Unsure of what sexual values and beliefs to share with your 12 year old?
Read this blogpost to learn how to talk to kids about sexual values and beliefs.
Use this WorkBook to help you decide which sexual values are relevant and what you could share with your child now.
Unsure of what to talk about with your 12 year old?
Read this blogpost as it explains some of the different topics to talk about with your child.
Grab my parent guide about the many different conversations you may have with your child about penises and vulvas, including naming the private body parts, hygiene, diversity in genitals, erections, genital holding, masturbation, nudity and puberty.
Read this blogpost to find simple ways to teach your child about consent.
Grappling with consent? Learn how to educate your child about giving – and asking for – consent in this popular crash course about consent.
Read this blogpost to learn how to navigate gender in an inclusive way.
Read this blogpost to learn how to care for a penis and a foreskin.
Read this blogpost to learn about child erections (and how to respond).
Unsure of how to talk about masturbation?
Read this blogpost to learn the basics of child masturbation.
Watch this Parent Masterclass to gain a better understanding of why your child might be masturbating, and what to do about it.
Unsure of how to respond when your child is curious about penises and vulvas?
Curiosity about the diversity in genitals is common, so satisfy their curiosity with age-appropriate images, like my anatomically correct cartoon illustrations of naked bodies and private body parts.
Watch this Parent Masterclass on how to respond when kids are curious about other people’s genitals.
Need help talking about sex?
Read this blogpost as it simply explains how babies are made.
Grab my parent guide on explaining sex where I break sex into 5 simple steps. Plus it includes illustrations to help with explaining!
If you are struggling to get started, then you’ll want this Parent Masterclass on how to explain sex (for the very first time)! It is specially designed to help you get started with this tricky conversation!
Worried your child isn’t old enough? Complete this Parent Quiz: Is your child ready to learn about sex?
Unsure of how to talk about puberty?
Look at my Puberty 101 information page as it has everything you need to know about preparing your child for puberty.
Grab my Parents’ Guide to Puberty as it will help you get started with understanding and supporting your child as they go through puberty.
Unsure if your child is ready for the puberty talk? Find out by completing my Parent Quiz: Is your child ready for the puberty talk?
These are the 10 best puberty books and are the books I always seem to be recommending to parents. This is the list to refer to if you find the following lists overwhelming!
Looking for a puberty book that is written specifically for your daughter (or a child with ovaries)? This list sorts the puberty books for girls into the books that do and don’t talk about sex.
Looking for a puberty book that is specifically written for your son (or a child with testicles)? This list sorts the puberty books for boys into the books that do and don’t talk about sex, as well as whether intact and/or circumcised penises are shown.
Looking for a puberty book that is inclusive for LGBTQIA+ children? Then this is the list of inclusive sex ed and puberty books.
This is a list of puberty books for 12 year olds sorted into books written for boys, girls and ALL children.
Is it time to start preparing your child for their first period?
Look at my Puberty 101 information page as it has everything you need to know about preparing your child for periods.
Looking for a period tracker app that is safe and designed for tweens and teens? This is an inclusive, non-gendered period tracking app that includes educational content written by me, and avoids the privacy issues in period apps that were highlighted by Roe Vs. Wade in the USA. You can find the Tempus – Teen Period Tracker at the App Store or the Google Play Store.
Unsure about whether a first period is on it’s way? Complete my First Period Quiz to learn whether it’ll be sooner (or later).
Looking for a book that is mainly about periods? This list contains the period books that have been written for children. The most comprehensive and cost effective option is the Tempus Period Tracker app (as it includes over 300 age-appropriate Q&A).
Got a child who is accessing the internet?
Keep your devices safe for your child by doing a step-by-step check on every device in your house with this Tech Check Workbook.
Teach your child how to act fast when they stumble upon content online that makes them feel uncomfortable with these age-appropriate porn safety posters.
Got a child who has been exposed to online porn? Or realised that it’s time to be talking about porn?
Grab my Parent Masterclass on what to do when your child has seen porn as it will walk you through what to do.
Putting off the porn talk because you think your child isn’t at risk? Complete my 2 minute Porn Quiz to find out if you are right (or not).
Start talking to your child about online porn in an age-appropriate way that helps them to make smart decisions with the Porn Talk Course.
Teach your child how to act fast when they stumble upon content online that makes them feel uncomfortable with these age-appropriate porn safety posters.
Look at my Pornography 101 page to learn more about how to protect your child from online porn, including information about parental controls and sexting.
Unsure of how to start sex-ed conversations?
Read this blogpost as it will show you the many different ways to have shame-free conversations with your child.
Got a child who is asking questions and you don’t know how to answer them?
Read this blogpost to learn why it is important to answer sex-ed questions from kids.
Grab my popular Sex Ed Answer Book that gives you age-specific answers to the most common questions kids ask parents (about sex).
Got a child who is uninterested in talking with you about sex?
Read this blogpost as it will give you some tips on what to do when they’re not interested, plus it will inspire you to not give up!
Worried about something your child is doing?
Look at this page as it has over 30 of the most common concerns parents have about their kids that are relevant to sex education.
Watch this Parent Masterclass on what to do when you are worried about sexual behaviour in your child.
Unsure of what books to read? Or videos to watch?
Read this blogpost to find sex education books that are suitable for 12 year olds.
Read this blogpost to find some tips on how to make reading sex ed books easier!
My favourite ten best sex education books that includes books that are important now!
My sex education video resources page.
Wishing you had a community of like-minded parents who won’t think you are weird for wanting to do sex education?
Join that parent group. My free Facebook group where parents help each other with sex education!
Anyway, that should get you started with teaching your child about sex in a non-awkward, shame-free and natural way! And this is where you can find the other age-by-age sex education guides.
