Let's Be Honest

I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation with my mother about tampons, and this morning I found myself discussing them with my 27-month-old.

Laurel had gotten herself into my bathroom toiletries, and as I worked out some preschooler-friendly explanations on the fly, I was reminded of the increased confidence I gained in having these types of conversations since attending a Planned Parenthood home talk a couple of months ago.

Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts’ Let’s Be Honest program is designed to help parents create an environment of trust and comfort in talking with their children about sex and sexuality. Although the program is especially suited to parents of children aged 10-14 years old, the facilitators were open to discussion of how to talk to kids of all ages about sex, and they provided useful handouts (e.g., how to respond to the “where do babies come from” question) applicable to kids aged 2 and up.

Click here to learn about how to host or attend a “Let’s Be Honest” workshop. If you’re not in Massachusetts, the national Planned Parenthood website offers educational resources for parents, including age by age guides for how to talk to children about sex, human sexuality, and AIDS.