It’s time to move away from the once-in-a-lifetime talk and have an ongoing dialogue with your children about sex, The Wall Street Journal reports. Recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics say that parents who wait until middle school or the early teens to talk with their children about sex have waited too long. Beginning when they’re toddlers, children should be taught the correct words for body parts, they should comprehend what happens during pregnancy and childbirth and understand what is safe and unsafe touching. Between the ages of 5 and 8, parents should clarify facts and start explaining what changes will happen during puberty as well as have a discussion about pornography. At ages 9 through 12, kids should get more info on what happens during puberty—for both genders—and they should begin to understand your values about sex. As children go in their teens and early adulthood, the focus of discussions should shift to values and dating, including topics such as casual sex, peer pressure and date rape, as well as how to be in a healthy relationship.

To read the Wall Street Journal article, click here.