Episode 249: What Today’s Parents Need To Know About Teens And Sex

The sexual landscape for teens has shifted dramatically over the last two decades. Among the more notable changes we’ve seen are that rough sex is on the rise, and teens are increasingly exploring their sexuality online through sexting. In today’s show, we’re going to explore this evolving landscape and talk about what parents need to know, including how to become an “askable” parent, how to navigate uncomfortable questions, and what to do when you don’t have the answers.

I am joined by Dr. Debby Herbenick, an award-winning, internationally recognized sexuality researcher and AASECT-certified sexuality educator. She is a professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health and the author of five bestselling books about human sexuality. Her latest book is titled, Yes, Your Kid: What Parents Need to Know About Today’s Teens and Sex.

Some of the topics we explore include:

• How is the sexual landscape different for today’s teens?
• What are some practical things a parent can do so that their kids feel comfortable coming to them with sex questions?
• How can parents approach questions about sex without shame and judgement?
• What should you do if your kid asks something that feels too personal?
• What are some practical ways that parents can explain consent to their kids?

You can visit Debby’s website to learn more about her work.

Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology

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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.