what is a good site for teaching your child about sex and puberty?

[Bimmyyonsy]

THE MOVIE at least thats what he calls it in school. But he is asking alot of questions like why do girls wear tampons and why do they have a period. I just want to give him good info that he will understand.

[PlayingPretend]

Is it not possible to sit down and have a conversation with him about it yourself?

[Allons-y!]

How old is he? I believe generally, you watch "the movie" at around eleven or twelve. If you absolutely cannot feel comfortable talking to him about it, I would recommend the book Changing Bodies, Changing Lives. It's very good at addressing all the issues parents don't always feel comfortable or able to talk to with their children (and the issues they'd never dreamed they'd have to).

However...it's always better to have these kinds of talks in person. Giving a book is grand, but there is nothing like having someone to talk to, because there will always be the odd question that kids can't find the answer to anywhere.

[PlayingPretend]

To add to Charlotte's point about there being the odd question, I also feel that talking to your children in person allows for a positive communication. For example, my mother was one who handed me a book and that was that. I was naive for a long time and thought of sex and anything related to sexuality (be it a sexual act or even about my development as a woman) as very, very taboo. It wasn't until in recent years, when she became more open about it, that I also became more open about it with her, and as such, was able to get questions answered and it also helped me be more open with doctors etc. I'll admit that a friend pushed me in the direction of feeling comfortable about sex and with my sexuality, but that push was what I and my mother needed to get the ball rolling. I feel that it's important to have that communication in case your child does end up having sex or does end up becoming sexually active in some way; it's also a good thing to have in the event something comes up with your child that he might not feel comfortable bringing up to you or even discussing with a doctor. I'd honestly rather have open pathways of communication (you don't need to be open about your sex life, go into excruciating detail about sex or anything inappropriate, simply enough to answer his questions) than have my child later sneaking about or feeling too scared to come to me. Not to mention that it's a common misconception that openly speaking about it condones the behaviour. I've honestly found more reckless behaviour in children who have restricted or limited knowledge about sex, and that people in open families tend to be more careful and thought-out with their behaviour. Just my observation from people I know. Good luck.

[Loving Linux Penguin]

I would definitely say sit down and talk to him. Now if you need diagrams and things then there's stuff EVERYWHERE but it's really best if you at least tell him the basics in person, imo. You can let Sex-Ed classes at school handle some stuff if you want, but tell him the basic stuff

I agree with those who have said that maybe it would be a good idea for you to sit down and talk to him about it yourself. If you want a book to aid your discussion, that's fine! It can really help. However, I personally think it's important that you make your son aware that you are open to discuss the topic of sex and puberty. Not only will this help him to feel more comfortable approaching you about these things in years to come, but he might feel less inclined to try to hide things from you in the future and make your relationship that much stronger.

I've found the site KidsHealth to be a great resource. It explains things in simplified terms, so that's it easy for children to comprehend. Maybe you two could take a look at it together!