FORT Koffee Klatch

[Amy Lee]

I don't mind the thunderstorms except that they terrify my dogs. I'm just sick of the constant rain, I need sun.

Amy Lee, there are some good books out there. Check with your local library.

The most important thing is not to be embarrasssed. If you are embarrassed, it will not help. Practice what you want to say with a friend first. Be open and honest and answer questions truthfully. You dont have to go into a lot of detail with certain questions, but honesty will go a LONG way, believe me.

But in this day and age it is important to arm this kid with ALL the knowledge out there. Babies are forever. So are certain STD's. Don't always believe the girl when she says she's on BC. And when a girl says no, she means NO.
I'd say those would be MY top topics on the subject.

I know, you're right. Especially because he has a tendency to hide things, which is not good. He's stubborn as hell and doesn't listen.

[prhoshay]

No, you THINK he doesn't listen. He's definitely listening; my son used to play that game, too. Then he something would come out of his mouth that told me that he was definitely listening, but the object of the game seemed to be to make ME think that he wasn't listening.

And, hurry up with the talk. I know a bunch of boys who lost their virginity at 13! I just saw a promo for a book called "Oral Sex is the New Goodnight Kiss". Good Grief! I just don't remember all of this kind of drama being around when I was a kid. It's rather depressing.

[Bunny555]

I know a bunch of boys who lost their virginity at 13!

Sadly, so do I. You're absolutely right that teenagers and especially boys may turn their backs on you or seem to not be listening but that's just because they're uncomfortable with the subject matter. They are hearing every word you say.

[Amy Lee]

it is very depressing. Very unnerving. My mom wants to defer to his father for this combo. In other news, his teacher did just call me to tell me he was graduating and going to the next grade.

[famita]

I guess I started younger with my sons. Whenever they asked me a question about sex, I gave them an age appropriate answer, along with a little of my hopes for them. I didn't want them to grow up thinking sex was dirty OR easy.

[angelic_one2002]

That's how I handled it too, with my sons, famita. I told them an answer appropriate for them at that time, and I never wanted to not answer them. I wanted them to know they could come to me about anything.

[ClosetRTWatcher]

it is very depressing. Very unnerving. My mom wants to defer to his father for this combo.

If you and your mom talk to him at least you know for sure that he is armed with the info!! I think you should definitely talk to him. I have to teen boys and we try to keep an ongoing line of communication open on the topic. Two bits of info I found out the other day that shocked me: (1) 8th grade girl pregnant - although I don't know for absolute certainty if this is fact or rumor (2) 9th grade girl has a bad rep and when I started a discussion about how damaging rumors can be I was told that there was video evidence!!

If he has a cell phone, I would also bring up the issue of "sexting". This one wasn't around when I was a kid but it has been getting youngsters slapped with the "sexual offender" label and I don't think these kids realize how damaging that label will be to their future!!

[Amy Lee]

He does have a cell phone, though thus far i'm the only one he texts with.

P.S. when i was in the 8th grade, i saw several girls pregnant was well.

[Ellen]

...P.S. when i was in the 8th grade, i saw several girls pregnant was well.

Me too -- and that was in 1972. (Which made me a fan of Planned Parenthood at an early age!)

[famita]

The one I knew of that was in 8th grade married the baby's daddy and are still married some 30 yrs later.

One of my son's classmates had a baby in the 7th grade. She is raising the baby and hasn't married yet. There was some question about who the daddy was.