Dear Dr. Meg,

I have two young children, ages six and four. I think it’s too early to give my oldest “the talk,” but some of my friends are already doing this with their six- and seven-year-olds. They say that since our culture is so over-sexualized, it’s important to talk about it with our kids while they are young. But I don’t think my son (the six-year-old) is ready.

How young is too young to talk to your child about sex?

Thank you,

Confused Parent

Dear Confused Parent,

I get this question very often. When it comes to when to give your child “the talk”, the answer is easy: when your child persists in asking questions about it.

When your son asks questions about words like “sex” or “kissing” or things that moms and dads do, he’s ready to hear about sex.

Children typically begin to ask these questions around age seven or eight. This is when they will start hearing things at school from kids in their class who have older siblings, or who have more access to social media and the internet.

If you brush off your kids’ questions about sex, they will look for answers from someone else.