In the study, only 4 percent of girls say their beliefs about sex are mostly influenced by their mothers—this is your chance to change that statistic. "You are arming them with the information they need to make wise sexual decisions," Dr. Berman says. "You want to be their main sex educators—not their friends who are going to give them the misinformation that you don't want them to have."

"You need to start early, letting them know you're open to conversations, answering their questions without judgment," Dr. Berman says. "Tell them that information does not mean permission." 

What do you think about Dr. Berman's advice for talking to your kids about sex?

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