Chapter 1: Starting the Conversation

What is the ideal age to discuss sexual topics with your child? This question led me to frantically search for guidance to navigate this crucial but often challenging conversation with my 10-year-old daughter.

As I was preparing dinner for my husband, 8-year-old son, and 10-year-old daughter—two meals every Sunday to combat weekly cooking fatigue—I asked my husband which dish he preferred. He jokingly replied, “I want what your Momma made.” This playful comment prompted my son to question its meaning, and to our astonishment, my daughter responded, “It means he wants to eat her butt.”

We were taken aback. I was left wondering two things: how did she learn about oral sex, and why did she skip over vaginal intimacy to make that remark? At that moment, I realized it was time for the sex talk.

According to my trusty friend Google, I should have initiated this discussion years ago. While we have talked about body parts, puberty, and bodily changes, I hadn’t explained sex in depth.

Honestly, I thought I had