The Longest Shortest Time

Talking to Kids About the Birds and the Bees

Talking to kids about sex and reproduction can be scary. So here are our favorite resources for getting the conversation going. Thanks to Amanda from episode #50 and Lisa from episode #134 for their contributions!

FOR KIDS
Here are some great age-appropriate books and websites to share with your kids when they start asking you questions. Or even before they start asking.

Ages 4-8. It’s Not the Stork!: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends by Robie Harris; illustrated by Michael Emberly

Ages 7-9. It’s So Amazing! A Book About Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families by Robie Harris; illustrated by Michael Emberly

Sex is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU by Cory Silverberg; illustrated by Fiona Smyth

Ages 9-12. Asking about Sex and Growing Up: A Question-and-Answer Book for Kids by Joanna Cole; illustrated by Bill Thomas

Ages 10-14. It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health Robie Harris; illustrated by Michael Emberly

Ages 12 and up. Sex, Puberty, and All That Stuff: A Guide to Growing Up by Jacqui Bailey; illustrated by Jan McCafferty

Ages 14 and up. 100 Questions You’d Never Ask Your Parents: Straight Answers to Teens’ Questions About Sex, Sexuality, and Health by Elisabeth Henderson and Nancy Armstrong

Girl: Love, Sex, Romance, And Being You by Karen Rayne, Ramsey Beyer and Nyk Rayne

SexETC has sex and sexuality info by teens, and for teens

Scarleteen breaks sex ed down by topic and offers chances to chat with experts

AMAZE is a site with awesome animated videos that give you all the answers you actually want to know about sex, your body and relationships. (This site is great for younger kids, too). Here’s one of their videos:

FOR PARENTS
If you want to arm yourself with some answers for those inevitable questions—or just have a better understanding of what’s going on with your child’s sexual development at every age—check out these resources:

Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids to Know about Sex (But Were Afraid They’d Ask): The Secrets to Surviving Your Child’s Sexual Development from Birth to the Teens by Justin Richardson and Mark A. Schuster

Sex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent’s Guide to Talking Sense About Sex by Deborah Roffman

From Diapers to Dating: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy Children – From Infancy to Middle School by Debra W. Haffner

The Advocates for Youth parents resource page prepares you with advice from educators and experts

AMAZE for Parents. For you to follow along with your kids!

We also just love this animated video about the clitoris. Cute, but obviously, NSFW.

Leave YOUR favorite resources in the comments!