Vanessa Kroll Bennett and Dr. Cara Natterson get this question a lot: “If I talk about sex, won’t it encourage my kid to make risky decisions?” And they understand why. But today, they’re here to reassure you, with a little story about the Dutch: “Sex education in the Netherlands begins at age 4 and continues throughout a kid’s entire school experience. Their curriculum begins by teaching the names of all body parts and moves onto topics like consent, love, and, eventually, sex. As a result of a nationwide philosophy of ongoing and inclusive sex education, Dutch families openly discuss a wide variety of sex and relationships at home.”

It turns out, that works really, really well. And they’re explaining how you can adopt the same approach. It’s good food for thought.

Kelly Faircloth, Executive Editor

“This particular morning, before I’ve even finished my first cup of coffee, I got a call from the school. It was one of my kids, letting me know they forgot their library book. Again,” writes Meg St-Esprit. “I heard the tinge of tears in those words, threatening to spill over. There was a moment where I wavered. The book was sitting right on the table. I work from home. I live three blocks away. Should I bail my child out? What lesson was I teaching if I did?” Today, she explains what she did — and why.