Reorienting the Sex Talk is an invitation to reconsider everything about how we think and talk about sexual relationships. This book helps parents, teachers, and counselors be more at ease and more effective when talking with kids about sexual relationships. "Talking about sex with kids makes us uncomfortable. Our discomfort makes sense. Sexual relationships are private, complex, and potentially amazing and not easy to explain to young kids. I taught Sex Ed for ten years. Being in conversations with kids and young adults about relationships pushed me to write this book. Here are the big ideas: 1. We don't have to start these conversations by talking about genitals and babies. 2. Sex is about pleasure and so much more. 3. We can discuss the uncomfortable cultural norms shaping our relationship behaviors. It's like teaching someone to fly without explaining aerodynamics when we don't. 4. We can claim our truths while respecting our kids' truths. 5. We can be willing to learn about current norms in dating and sexual activity. We may not like what we hear, but we need to know. We can help our kids become wise and wonderful sexual beings. We can be truthful and matter-of-fact about the complexity and nuance of developing and maintaining good, intimate sexual relationships. We have to make some changes. May we be humble enough to be challenged and brave enough to change. We can talk about all of this. With extensive experience teaching, guiding, and having tough conversations, Katharine McCarthy makes these conversations easier and more useful. The persistent motivator was the annual question from an 8th-grade girl: "Does sex hurt?" Reorienting the Sex Talk is McCarthy's best answer to a question no one should have to ask

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