You are not alone if you feel challenged with these conversations. Some caregivers seem comfortable talking about anything with their children, yet some of us get “stuck” or unsure of what to do or say. There are many reasons why a caregiver may feel challenged, which include:
- No one modeled for us about how to talk regarding this topic when we were younger. Talking about human sexuality, including the basics of puberty, was not a common event in most households years ago.
- The constant messages in the media, including many television programs and movies, seem to portray these caregiver-child conversations as awkward and uncomfortable.
- We do not always know where to go for reliable, easy-to-understand information… yet you found this one!
- Having these discussions means our young person is growing up. This fact is sometimes difficult for us to accept, especially when we picture our preteens as the little ones who learned how to walk and talk in front of us.
