I wish I would have spoken to my kids. Sex was a dirty word in our house and I never shared a single thing. Now that they are both in the Army I worry about them in this area. I try to talk to my daughter but she just says.. "Mom, no sex talk or i'll hang up!" It is sad

I am a nurse and worked in the ER for more than 10 years. I learned from others including my own Mother that lack of knowledge is a very dangerous thing. I have been very open with my 2 sons. Now 15 and 20. The 20 year old received a large package of condoms for his 16th birthday with print outs on how to use them. At 17 I made him throw them away and gave him a new pack and the same at 18. He finally used them at 18. I was quite proud of him when he came home and said that he had lost his virginity and we spoke about his experience.

I have through ally gone through safe sex many many times. I have told him my horror stories of STD's in the emergency room in girls as young as 12. When he was 18 I found his fleshlight and he was embarrassed. I told him not to be and it was completely natural. Hey you can't get it pregnant and it wont give you any diseases.

Now, the 15 year old, he just tells me it's "TMI mom". He has no interest at this time. He still gets the talks though.

I wish my catholic upbringing mother would have been more open with me. She gave it unnecessary power that it didn't need to have and of course being the rebellious shit that I was, had to check it out.

I have no kids but when I do I will try to be

We are very open about sex. They need to have accurate and full information to make wise decisions for themselves. They know they can ask anything and get an honest answer.

I am so glad to hear there are those out there who also talk openly with their children about sex. Lorrieandhubby its never too late just sit down one day and say look I dont want to invade your privacy but I wish I had been more open with you earlier and just want you to know that I am open now if you need to talk we can. You never know, once you open the door enough times they may eventually walk through.

I think that I'm incredibly open with my kids about sex, and all of them are under 10. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that my Mom was always so open with me about - not because she wanted to be, as much as because I wanted her to be. I remember my cousins not knowing what a penis was when I already knew what a blowjob was.

With my kids, it wasn't like we set out to teach them all about their sexuality. First of all, I'm a rather sexual person, so it's not all that odd to stumble across the latest read with images of reproductive anatomy. And anyone who has toddlers can attest to the fact that you can't keep anything a secret without going to extreme measures. Second, I've always had a rule about telling my kids, for the most part, the truth.

So, when my daughter first started asking about sex, because of something she had heard from a kid on the street, we had a very open discussion about it. I whipped out the medical books to show her that hugging, like this boy had told her, was not sex. And even now, we'll have regular discussions, normally right around the time that I'm on my period, about various different things regarding her sexuality and the sexualities of others. The most common topic lately has been same-sex couples, which she seems absolutely fascinated with.

The boys have naturally come to wonder about sex. From the oldest one not enjoying when his "penis sticks up", to the middle one absolutely loving it and the youngest discovering that all the boys look the same! It's not a usual day if someone doesn't say penis or vagina around here at least once.

It's just something we all feel comfortable discussing, and of course teaching everyone that there is a time and a place for these discussions. But also making it known that we don't believe in societies view on sex being a complete taboo, it's just their world and we've got to live in it!!

Having the freedom to talk with your parents and parents with their children takes courage but in the end it is worth it. You know your kids are safe and you feel comfortable that if they are in trouble or need advise they will come to you.