When did you have 'the' talk?

[ILookLikeMyDog]

Our eldest is 10. He's just started middle school. He knows a little about women's periods and a little understanding about sex.

He's asked me on a couple of occasions what certain things/words were and I explained as best I could . Cue utter embarrassment from him!

I want him to be informed and be relaxed and confidant with puberty and sex etc.

Did you have a talk? Did you leave it to school? Did you have any books, videos, links that might explain everything in a way that's informative and not really cringey for him?

One of his new friends proclaimed to have had sex with a girl- , he's 9. So I know there's conversations going on at school.

Wwyd?

[megletthesecond]

Do it now. He'll be picking up all sorts of nonsense from the playground.

Mine (8 & 9) have been told since reception year. Age appropriate as and when. The funny thing is they aren't at all embarrassed to ask me, maybe getting the nitty gritty put of the way at a young age helped.

[ferriswheel]

Meg, what did you say? How did you put it?

[WhispersOfWickedness]

Same as pp, we are telling ours gradually, they are 5 and 6 at the moment, they know about pregnancy and periods and that a baby requires a sperm and an egg but haven't questioned how the sperm gets to the egg yet We just answer questions as they come up Has he not had sex education at school yet? It starts in year 4 here.

[YouMakeMyDreams]

Dd and ds1 got it in bits and pieces as they asked both before 10. Ds2 got it in one go aged 6 during this summer holidays because once he'd asked one question he wanted to know more. And we were stuck in the car there was no escape
But yeah by 10 with it all appearing in the playground I'd have the talk. Maybe get a book ask him to have a read and then chat about it afterwards.

[megletthesecond]

ferris we read "where willy went" (sperm + egg, where it goes, how a baby grows and gets out). So we got the potentially embarrassing stuff over and done with.

[Ptarmigandancinginthegloaming]

Mine had some very good films at school - from age 8, with gradually more info by 11 (u could choose for a child not to see them if u wished).
I offered to talk more about it or answer any questions after each had seen the film's, but they squirmed with embarrassment. I think however unembarrassed u are, ur kids may still be uncomfortable - they learn off each other what is 'rude', however much u try to treat it as a normal thing to talk about!
I'd go choose a suitable book if I was in ur shoes, offer to discuss it with him, but don't be surprised if he just wants to read it himself.