Last summer, my 14-year old daughter threw me for a loop. She came to me and asked when she was supposed to begin taking "the pill." After I picked the pot I'd been washing up from where it crashed to the floor, I tried to figure out what questions I should ask first. She'd only begun to see her first "boyfriend" two months prior. They were always supervised at their respective homes and shuttled back and forth to the mall and the theater. My daughter said she'd heard older girls talking at day camp about taking the pill and their boyfriends. With care and patience. I surmised how much my daughter knew, explained to her what she'd confused or didn't know, and answered her questions honestly. Much to my relief, my daughter was not ready to take birth control at the age of 14 and I hope she will feel comfortable coming to me when the time comes and she is ready.

Even if you think you're child isn't ready to learn about certain life issues, their friends may have given them misinformation before you're ready to have those conversations. It's best to explain these issues in a staggered fashion and in age appropriate terms. Don't tell them falsehoods, like the stork, just because you're uncomfortable.