For many parents, the discussion of contraception, pregnancy, disease, or other topics related to sex can be an uncomfortable one. Many parents end up simply turning a blind eye to the behaviors of their children, just to avoid talking about it. However, the first step to safe sex and the health of children must be taken in the home. Children and teenagers should be taught that there will be consequences to their actions of having unsafe sex, especially if it is with multiple partners. Planned Parenthood clinics and their website have many tools available for parents to aid them in having this difficult conversation. A free, step-by-step tutorial is available online for parents emphasizing the best way to start the discussion, what specific points are the most necessary to emphasize, and when is the best time for children to learn this information. For example, the tutorial explains ways to lead into the topic, such as watching a favorite television program where a character begins puberty, or pointing a friend or family member who is pregnant and discussing how it happens. The website also features books and magazine articles, written by child psychologists and sex experts, that can be used by parents to best explain these important matters in frank and serious ways.

Planned Parenthood clinics also have counselors available to parents to help them through the conversations with their children. Additionally, some clinics offer group classes which parents and children can attend together to have questions answered in a comfortable and non-threatening setting. Without this crucial knowledge, children and teenagers may not ever learn the potential implications of having unprotected sex. Even parents who try to simply teach abstinence only may be surprised to find that their children are still engaging in unprotected sex. All parents should emphasize that unwanted pregnancy and many diseases can result from sex, and should offer the tools necessary to prevent their children from being unsafe