When my son was 9 years-old, he came home one day to tell me that his buddy’s teen-age sister was pregnant.

He understood the mechanics of the situation, had grown up knowing how babies are conceived but now he needed to learn about the emotions such news can bring. This became an opportunity to talk to him about the kinds of choices this young woman was now facing. The idea that she could choose to give the baby up for adoption, that she could choose to abort or that she could choose to keep the child was an eye-opener for him.

We then talked about the range of choices within each of the above options.

And, even more importantly we talked about the responsibility facing the likely equally young father. It was a chance for me to speak to him about his responsibility in future relationships.

Today, many parents are having to have similar conversations with their children because of the allegations being directed to Justin Bieber.

A wise parent will see this as an opportunity. What should Bieber do if he is found to be the parent? What should a teenager consider before becoming sexually active? It is as important that we talk to our sons about the role and responsibility of the Dad.

Talking to kids about sex is rarely easy. But when an chance to speak to them in the context of a situation happening right before their eyes occurs, there can be a reason to have the chat

Whenever I talk to parents about sex, I recommend the books by Meg Hickling. More Speaking of Sex for parents and Boys, Girls and Body Science for the kids.