How To Talk To Your Kids About Sex: A Survey of Parents and Teens

Date
September 8, 2022
Category
Articles

by Carter Brown

How do we help parents talk to their kids about sex? When do we bring up the topic? How often should it be discussed? What is best practice in today’s world?

We wanted to know how other families are handling this topic and also what our teenagers experience has been. So, we conducted a research project to anonymously survey parents and teenagers in our church and get their feedback and perspective.

Below is an illustrated summary of the survey
(You can check out a few of our conclusions based on the data we collected here.)

1. Frequency

Most families reported having multiple conversations with their kids, rather than just having “the Talk” one time.

2. How’d it Go?

Interestingly, teens rated their experience with these conversations more positively than their parents did.

3. How is it Going Now?

Students and Parents felt similarly about the openness (and awkwardness) of this conversation as an ongoing thing.

4. Pornography Exposure

This statistic marked the biggest disparity between Parent’s perspective and Teen’s perspective.

5. Who Do You Talk To?

The majority of students want their parents’ voice in this conversation more than anyone else.

6. Age of Exposure

This seemed to also be the average age of pornography exposure.

7. What Would You Change?

Both students and parents wished the conversations had begun sooner.

Our hope is that Cedar Heights Kids can provide you with additional resources and encouragement to start, continue, and sustain the conversation of sex with your kids. And our hope is that you will feel encouraged to lead this healthy conversation with your children and share the beautiful story of sex as a great gift from God.