Your reaction could shape your child's view of sex, and the most important step is to approach the situation in a way that will leave the door open to an ongoing conversation. Here are some tips for talking with your child.

After school one day a few months ago, Emma perched on the kitchen counter while I cooked dinner and chattered away. Then out of the blue she said, "Somebody said The Aff word at school today!"

Even though she's heard the speech, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I didn't say it yet again. I cringe as the words come out of my mouth, knowing what's coming, "Mom, you don't have to tell me this. I'm not stupid." But, I say it anyway.

It doesn't matter if your boy is 4 or 14 or 24. Start now.

You need to have The Talk with your kid. And not just once but many times, slowly, over many years.

I tried to sound nonchalant. Stammering only raises those (cute) little antennae. But there is nothing quite so stressful as aiming for mellow.

I don't want my son to see the human body as embarrassing, salacious or dirty. Miraculous, yes. Mysterious, no.

In order to make sure boys aren't relying on pornography to develop their sexual values, we all need to shift from "The Talk."

Last week, I sat down with my 11-year-old son to deliver that time-honored rite of passage -- for parents as well as kids -- our first "Birds and the Bees" talk. I was prepared for every possible question, except the one he asked.

If you think the "sex" talk sounds uncomfortable, get ready. And if the "drugs and alcohol" talk makes your heart want to break, there's another doozy waiting out there.