At what age did you guys give "The Talk" to your child? Mine were about 8 at the time, and it was kind of hard in the beginning, but I loosened up.

I am probably going to give my son the talk when he is 9. That was about the age I got it, and it turned out fine.

I believe it's time to have "the talk" when they start asking questions. Once they start getting curious, it's better they hear the truth from you than to hear rumours and false information from their little friends.

My daughter got her talk at the age of 10. She had an idea, but still needed filled in.

"The Talk" really begins with "The Words"...lol I never used the cutsey words that went with body parts. When they were learning about the names of their body parts everything was named. Face, finger, nose, toes, penis, breasts. It's better to get then use to the real words than having to change a concept of what they are going to hear in school.

The thing that you have to remember is that for some kids not all their parents believe as I did. I learned the hard way with my son. For some reason he would just crack up over the word penis. He would yell it out in the classroom, loud and proud! The teacher, needless to say, had quite a concern over it.

I had to tell him that for one, he could not yell those words out in the classroom or in public. Then I had to figure out a way for him to still be able to say it (because he was going to keep doing it being he realized that it made waves in school) without tearing down what I had taught him.

I found the perfect solution. My hubby's mother was from Japan. I asked him what the japanese word for penis was. It was "Chimpo". So yes, after that our son went around yelling CHIMPO!...and no one knew what the heck he was talking about...unless we were in a japanese resturant....lol

DCMerkle

You'd think that I would be use to the slang words that are used, but I still blush when I hear some of the terms. The words now-a-days are enough to make a blue-haired, church go naural gray...lol

seeker

I think I have to agree with DCMerkle. It's the words that begin "The Talk"...lol

Being a single mom and having a lot of brothers, uncles and male cousins, I know that there will be someone that I can go to and ask if they can give Peter "The Talk". I guess I'm a traditionalist in that respect. I'm not shakey about giving the talk, but I think the intro should be done with a gender that things can be related to. I can answer the follow-up questions.

MuseMom

My parents never gave me the talk. I just kind of figured things out. My oldest is 8 so we'll see.

I have to agree that when the questions start that's the time for "the talk."

I believe it's time to have "the talk" when they start asking questions. Once they start getting curious, it's better they hear the truth from you than to hear rumours and false information from their little friends.


I agree with this, when they start asking questions you need to answer them as honestly as you can. Having the talk at that time and then again in their life when they are a little older and then to keep reminding them of you talk is the key.

I agree with DCMerkle about not getting to cute with child words, they need to know the real words, same thing as talking to your baby as an adult rather than a baby - how else will they ever learn?

Myself and two younger sisters I think all got the talk around the same age - 8-10, though I remember that my youngest started to ask questions when she was about 5 - this may be partially my fault since she was a year old when I had my first child, and 3 when I had my second. I think seeing new babies around so young may have prompted her to ask questions sooner than most. :)

I plan on being very open and honest with my child as much as possible any time he permits it. When he asks I'm going to tell him everything he is capable of understanding.