Knowing the right time to talk to your kids about sex, maturing bodies, drugs, and a variety of other heavy topics can be tricky because, let's be honest, we may have brought them into the world, but telling them how it happened without feeling embarrassed can be difficult for everyone involved. But Dr. Meghan Martin, a pediatric emergency physician and mother of four in Florida who posts on social media as @Beachgem10, offers some great advice on the best place to have those awkward conversations with your kids:
“Talk to them in the car about the birds and the bees, conservation, drugs, all that stuff,” she suggests.
The accomplished doctor highlights this advice as some of the best parenting advice she's ever received (specifically, advice she received from her best friend, who posts as @teawiththeteach).
“It's amazing!” she continues. “You're behind the wheel, looking straight ahead, not having to make eye contact with someone who's talking about what the day is about, or about parts or drugs or whatever, and you've got an audience literally buckled up behind you who is glued to what you're saying.”
But the fact that no one has to look at someone's face when asking this embarrassing, yet very important, piece of information goes a long way to making the conversation flow. few It makes the kids feel uncomfortable. more Be willing to listen and ask your own questions.
Even better, it's a bit more casual and comfortable than sitting your kid down at the kitchen table for a serious conversation. You probably ride in your car every day (or, like me and my kids, many times).
Martin says that having these conversations with her two older children has worked well, and that the car has become a “safe space for them to ask questions.” “I've started having these conversations with my younger kids too,” she adds, “and I just want to stress how important it is to talk about these issues early on, so that it's not the first time our late teens or early teens are hearing about it.”
People in the comment section were quick to praise the idea, with many sharing how they've successfully broached difficult topics with kids of all ages.
“I like to start the conversation at a really young age because kids don't understand what's awkward yet,” @jessicacarlson44 wrote on TikTok. “No filter is best.”
“I've done this,” @bossrn6 agreed. “Add an ice cream cone so your brain associates it with fun. My boys have been asking for ice cream drives when they have something serious to discuss.”
Followers who were “told” car stories as children also pitched in.
“My mom did this all the time,” @aawinter wrote, along with a laughing emoji. “Even now when I'm in the car with my mom I worry about what she'll bring up. I have a family now. … I'm glad she did that and that she cared enough to have those conversations.”
The world is a complicated and sometimes scary place. As parents, we want to hide as much of it from our kids as possible to protect them. But the truth is, one day they will learn, and it's our job to give them the best, most complete information we can to help them navigate it themselves. It's not easy, but maybe this advice will make it just a little easier.
At the very least, we can rest easy knowing that the conversation will only last the duration of the car ride.
