Though public and private schools impart sex education to teenagers like every other subject, it’s the job of parents to probe deeper into the issue and answer the most awkward questions regarding safe sex education. By supporting and reinforcing sex education for teenagers given at school, parents will make a strong foundation for healthy sex life of their teens.

Our teenagers are exposed to sex everywhere – in popular media, on billboards, news, books. This makes the topic of safe sex education really urgent. However, due to lack of proper communication between teens and parents, discussing sex becomes even more difficult. So, some ideas are listed below which will help the parents to start the discussion:

Don’t waste any time. While watching TV together, if parents come across any irresponsible sexual behavior in a music video or program, immediately seize the moment. Discuss the behavior with your teen and explain its consequences.

If parents feel uncomfortable then they should tell their teens honestly, but they should explain that it’s important to carry on with the discussion.

Parents should be objective in their approach while answering teens’ questions. You should explain your teen about risks, sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy in case of oral sex and intercourse respectively.

Do not shut your teen. Let him/her share their point of view. Listen to your teen carefully and understand their concerns and pressures. The whole point of discussion is to encourage safe sex and not discourage them from healthy sexual relationships.

While discussing facts about sexual intercourse, also validate them with personal experiences. So, talk about your feelings and attitude towards the experiences that you had or things you had witnessed.

After getting comfortable with the topic, try to move towards tougher issues related to sex, like the right time for sex, date rape and homosexuality. Parents should be prepared to answer these questions. However, if they lack proper knowledge, then they should refer their teens to trusted sources for answers.