sex

Well, that's a jump, from pacifiers to sex. But, this is prompted by a program that I saw on Dr. Oz yesterday. Just a few points:

Boys don't know much about sex except where it relates to themselves.

There is no such thing as "safe sex".

If birth control was easy, why would your parents have had surgery? If you have sex, you are risking not only pregnancy but disease.

The brain shuts down when the hormones flow...at any age.

Some girls will do whatever to win the favor of boys. Doesn't work that way the other direction...with BOYS.

You don't want to meet a wonderful person with whom you want to spend the rest of your life and have a family and have to tell about parts of your life that you regret, disease, an abortion, a baby somewhere.

Alcohol deactivates the areas of the brain that control higher functions like judgment, discretion, appropriateness, etc. The only part left functioning is what is called the reptilian brain, the first part of the evolution of the brain, the part that controls basic function like respiration. That is why people do stupid stuff that they wouldn't in a sober state.

My answer to this:

Talk to your children about all of it, everything. Knowledge won't hurt, just be conscious of the age of those involved. According to Dr. Oz, middle school is definitely not too soon. They need to know about diseases and psychological complications and reputation. You can never eliminate a reputation. I am getting ready for a 50th high school reunion. We all remember who the fast crowd was.