Thank you everyone for your replies. Every single one of the is helpful!

When I got my period the first time I went right to my mom. We talk openly about my period. Dating and sex on the other hand I don't really go to my mom for it. She knows I've dated but I feel weird talking about it to her but I don't hide it from her. I never really talked to my mom about sex at all besides her saying not to have it but that's about it. I'm 15 almost 16 and I've yet to have the sex talk with my mother. She probably knows I might do something soon but she also knows I'm responsible enough to be safe about what I do.

I don't ask my parents anything I just figure it for myself and if it's something very big I tell my mom

My mom would make a joke out of it and it made me wanna tell her the stuff that I knew. I was thinking like yea she's a pretty cool mom I can tell her anything and I still feel like that. Or when it came to boys she would say "so who do you have a crush on?" And she smiled and laughed and that made me feel like I could tell her anything. So I guess the trick is to be friendly and laugh and loosely bring up the topic. But before you do this you need to have a close relationship with your girls. Have them with you at all times and talk to them about how their day was. That's how I am with my mom, I'm always with her and I know I can tell her anything. She is truly my bestfriend

You can "jokingly" approach these types of subjects so your kid feels better about it & don't be fast to jump on them about what they're telling you then they'll stop being so open to telling you things . Also always trust your kid and don't assume things about them

I learn all the stuff I know from "the streets" because I'm too embarrassed cause it's just awkward with my parents. ? I mainly talk to my friends big sister who is like a sister to me ?

My mom has always been very open and vocal about everything. I now I can talk to her about everything and i do talk to her about everything, then there is my sister who doesn't talk to her about her problems as much but will still go to her with them if she needs to or if she needs to. But my mom and my sisters personalities are different.

My moms very open and my sisters very private and hates people knowing her business, I'am more like my mom which is prob why I go to her more then my sister does.

I agree about the American girl books, my mom got my sister and I that book about " why is my body is changing" ( I don't remember the name it's the book someone suggested above )

For me, my mom and my sister they are my best friends, if I can't go to one I go to the other for advice.

I don't know if this helped at all..

My mom and I aren't really open about it. She knows I have sex w my bf now but doesn't really say anything about it. When I got my period I was like "I got my period" and she was like you know where the stuff is at. Soooo yeah we aren't really open w stuff like that and I hate it. I need people to talk to about stuff like that

My mom literally told me everything, because she would rather tell me then have me learn it from others. She was the one who told me what sex was, and gave me lessons and morals. Because of her I knew how important sex was, and how important it is to be safe when you do decide to take that step. A lot of girls on here have misconceptions about birth control and sex, because their parents didn't teach them any better. They are mis informed, in Texas they only teach abstinence in sex Ed, they have one of the highest rates of teen mothers. She also told me all about drugs and their harmful effects. Im 18 and I've never touched alcohol or drugs. I think it's important that when the time comes you tell your little ones about these things, just from personal experience. My mom literally gave me a talk about drugs, sex, strangers every day from 11-15, and she scared me straight ?

I highly recommend "The Care and Keeping of You" from the American Girl series. I used it for MANY years and it encourages open communication with parents and even gives sample conversation starters.

Start now. Tell them the correct terms for body parts (wipe your vulva clean after using the restroom, babies live in the uterus & exit through the vagina, ect). Small things like that help kids feel okay about asking questions.

We'll I don't really have an open relationship with my mom but I can suggests some ways I think it would be easier for us to have one.

• don't be afraid to ask questions like who do have a crush on? Just an example that way if the answer is no later the child will know that it's okay to talk about these things with you

•simply tell them you can talk about anything (my mom says this but I don't really trust that??..maybe because I guess I'm sort of private I keep more things to myself rather than my sister)

•tell them stories about you at that particular age

•never say things like "12 is too young to date" in front of them even though you may think it, it is in my book but anyway things of that nature can cause a child to be sneaky about it and backfire

• oh and I just saw the recent girls comment my mom also got me the body books which helped me to understand periods and other things associated with puberty

Hope this sort of helped?

My mom was like "hey goose we need to talk bout something really important."

My parents bought me an American girl book on "my body is changing". And my school played "the video" that explained how sex works. Then eventually my mom took me on a trip and did a lesson called "P2P" (Passport 2 Purity). Which really helped a lot.

Agree with fubu, the adult forum may be best for this topic.

However, I am an adult as well, 20 (January 26th).

Growing up, we always had an open relationship with my mom. If we wanted to know an answer to a question about ANYTHING, she told us the answer, honestly. She never assumed anything UNLESS a reason was given to do so. I can still, to this day, call my mom & talk to her about "things" & it be okay. She never had to sit us down & have "the talk" with us; we just asked.

On the other hand, people parent differently & teens may not have the courage to ask questions, so really the response may vary depending on the person.

I'm not sure what a parent should do so that their teen is more open about it, but I know what pushed me away from being open with my mom;

I hated when she calls me a w****

Or when she says personal things loud, like so other people can hear it.

I also don't like how she tells me that she started her period..

Hello. I can't speak for the rest of the teens, but I don't have a communicative relationship with my parents, at all, partially fuelled by the fact that my mother snoops. However, I do know ways to make it easier. Don't be shy about being (appropriately) intimate with your husband (or wife, if you prefer) in front of your child. For example, holding hands grocery shopping, or something like that. It will imprint on your child that contact isn't taboo, which is what, at least it seems, is at the base of most people's problems with communication. Parents have a huge impact in the early years, and I hope this helps

Adult here too. I think this may better help you in the adult forum just cause from what i've been seeing lately, a majority of teens here still are unsure of how to speak openly with a parent. Even the kids i work with have a difficult time opening up to their parents.

They can be open at any age to talk its just letting them know that you are available to talk if needed. Now i am not able to talk about sexual things with the kids i work with but emotional things i can talk to them about. I can also give them some help on how to go abouts talking to their parents. Amazingly they have tried and done so.

Be honest with them when the time comes and hopefully they will have respect to do the same with you. Make them feel comfortable. I didnt get a sex talk til i was an adult, i learned everything from friends just as you. It was only in my early 20 was i able to talk openly about things. My mom was scared to talk about things and didnt want to accept the fact her kids grew up lol. Im sure you will do fine when the time comes.