Jon I was wondering if your daughter has a trusted friend or relative to speak with. Katie cringes when I say the word *** so I doubt very seriously she'll be willing to talk to me when she THINKS she's ready to have ***. Katie is lucky enough to have 2 older sisters (her step-sister and her step-brother's wife) to have frank and open discussions with. I trust both of them to guide her in the right direction and help her make wise decisions about her body. I hate that she won't come to me but I'm realistic enough to know she won't.

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I wish all parents could be like you! There'd be a LOT more well-adjusted kids out there!

Sounds to me like you are one of those parents yourself - great advice. Not exactly looking forward to those 'talks' but thinking to handle it just like you said. I remember my dad trying to start a s*x talk with me when I was like 16/17 or so - I remember thinking 'Are you F'in kidding me ?' (and I was a late bloomer !). Definitely need to start early with it.

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But I have tried to reverse the pattern my parents set on this and have already talked to my 9-year-old son about these things, on an age-appropriate level. I'm determined that whenever he has questions or is confused about girls, he'll know he can come to me and not get a lecture and not have to feel weird about it.

Definitely a good age to start having talks, age appropriately of course. It'll help open up the lines of communication for later, and done on a somewhat regular basis can just slowly evolve age appropriately. They still aren't the most comfortable of conversations, I mean it's not like our talks of "how was your day, what did you do?" type talks.....but all in all they are talks that address what needs to be addressed and not real uncomfortable either.
I had the same kinds of talks with my parents growing up as you did.......simple "you will not have ***" conversations, and that's a lot like burying your head in the sand and/or that river in Egypt.....DeNile

I guess another reason I'm lucky Katie has her sisters is that I can live blissfully in my denial. When she grows up and has a family, I'll tell myself she had artificial insemination. I like my denial, it keeps me sane.

Ok LESS crazy.

Now Amy......when I think of you....denial is the last thing that comes to mind

Not sure that sounded right

LOL It made perfect sense. I never dreamed I would be like this as a parent but I am. I always thought I'd be the parent that was comfortable having frank and open discussions with my children about dating, *** and all that but when I first tried to talk to Katie, I clammed up completely...LOL! Believe it or not I was absolutely speechless. I finally had to tell her to tell me what she knew and we went from there.

I do try to take opportunities to explain things to her but it's like somebody punched me in the stomach each time I do it. When she started shaving her legs, I took the opportunity to tell her why you should never share a razor with somebody. I explained to her about Hepatitis and HIV and how they are not only blood born pathogens but also sexually transmitted. When I start her on the pill, I'm going to have the doctor discuss with her ALL the STD's and how, even condoms, won't protect you from some of them.

BLEH I'm so done with this part of the conversation......LOL.

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When I start her on the pill, I'm going to have the doctor discuss with her ALL the STD's and how, even condoms, won't protect you from some of them.

Well, you might be done......but.....another good point. I also highly stress that there is nothing foolproof safe but abstinence. Even on the pill and condoms combined are not 100%, and that the condom is not 100% for trasmitted diseases either, while of course the pill is 0% for STDs. Combined help lower all the odds, but again.....nothing is foolproof except for just plain abstinence.

Well there are at least 2 STD's that can be transmitted through other skin to skin contact. HPV and Herpes can both be present on the area surrounding the genitals and sometimes even on the inner thighs of women. When I first became single in my 20's and started dating again, I made it a point to learn everything I could so I could be armed with as much knowledge as possible.