How Many of You Knew What Sex Was Before Your Parents Told You?

My parents were supposed to tell me? Lol
Still waiting! At 49.

I got a vague "sex is a beautiful thing as long as you love the other person..." statement.

Meh! My mom barely told me what a period was (aside from ending a sentence). I found out mostly through my sister and a LOT through Judy Blume books, some like Wifey "borrowed with discretion" from my parents' room.

Oh, and movies helped big time!

Nope, I have never had "The talk" either. I did get a little information from my Mother about starting my period and how to take care of it. It's funny to see how many didn't get the talk! I thought I was one of the very few that didn't. Great question. :)

I'm 31 years old, married for almost 8 years, and have 3 kids & am pregnant right now. I'm STILL waiting for my mom to give me my "sex" talk ;-)

When my sister and I were about 10 and 12 we went into my mom's room, found her medical encyclopedias and Q&A books and looked up everything we were curious about. I'd bet a million dollars that my sister and I both knew more about the physiology of it all by the time we finished reading those books than my mom does to this day.

Eghads! Talk about SEX?! Never! Nice girls never talk of such things! Luckily I'm the youngest of 5 with three older sister who were apparently not-so-nice girls. However every single one of us made it to 18 without getting pregnant anyhow. Just by the Grace of God I think. I am 46, my mother is 76 and we have never once had a single conversation about anything sexual.

My kids and I have been talking about sex from every imaginable angle pretty much since they could talk. Ok well maybe not THAT young but you know what I mean.

:)

When I was a teenager, my mom basically presented sex as something a woman had to put up with if she wanted children. She never gave me any details. I figured out the mechanics through trial and error, and learned about contraception and disease prevention using my library card.

I'm 37. A male friend and I sat right next to the teacher's desk in 4th grade, and it was raining so our recess was indoor that day. We were drawing GI Joe figures and talking (just my friend and I) and out of the blue he said he knows what happens to girls when they turn teens. I said "What?" and he said, "You know, how girls pee blood". I gasped and said "They do NOT" and he said "You don't have to lie, my sister told me". I gasped, totally freaked out, and looked at the teacher. She pretended not to hear, kept writing, but I could tell she had---she had a grimace on her face and seemed very tense. The next week, the 4th grade classes got a surprise class where boys went to one room, girls in another room....that's when I learned a bit...some videos with the girl that played Annie (but was older by then), and a nurse.

Mom gave me the talk a bit the summer after 5th grade, AFTER I started my period for the first time. I'm so glad that the school taught me ahead of time, so I didn't flip out thinking I was dying (some of my friends have said that's what they thought), I knew what it was and what to do. That's fortunate, especially since mom's idea of teaching me what to do was slipping a box of tampons through the cracked door and saying "the directions are on the paper in the box". The rest, I learned from health class in 7th grade.

Mom tried to do better with my brother, who's 4 1/2 years younger than me. She gave him the talk when he was in 3rd grade, don't know why. He came out of the room looking like he wanted to puke. I was like "What's wrong?" and he shook his head and walked past. Mom told me afterwards she'd had the talk. I kind of laughed, but didn't ask what exactly that talk covered or why. We survived, but yeah I'm trying to do differently with my kids.

I am 42. I got a book out of the library when I was in grade two, then found my brothers Penthouse Letters when I was in grade six. Then there was health class. Oh, I also loved listening to Dr. Ruth on the radio. I don't remember ever having a talk with my mom. I'm pretty sure lots of people figure it out on their own.

I never got "the talk" from my mom. Got the basics from older friends and a youth magazine (it had a column that dealt with sex questions - very popular among my friends) and the important stuff (how the menstrual cycle REALLY works and anything contraception, including putting condoms on bananas) from school. I am in my late 30's and grew up in Europe.

I am calling my mother and asking to have "the talk" tonight:)

My younger brother (by 2 years) told me when I was in 6th grade. He was told by the older neighborhood boys.

Um, I'm in my mid 40s and my mother has never told me what sex is. swear.

My mom told me the mechanics of procreation when I was 5. So I knew the technicalities from a young age.

What I didn't know was that intercourse had any purpose other than procreation. I remember her reading me fairy tales (most likely Thumbelina) about a kind and a queen who tried and tried but couldn't have a child. And I used to think, "Why didn't they just do that thing?"

Puberty, bodily changes, and the like, I pretty much learned from Judy Blume, lol.

I learned about sexuality, about people *wanting* to have sex, pretty much by osmosis from my peers.

I'm so glad my mom told me clearly, unembarrassedly, when I was quite young.

Hmmm... I can't say that I ever remember my mom telling me about it. I went to a Catholic school and we had "Family Life" in 3rd grade where we learned some, then 5th grade we had our "bigger" sex-ed class. By the time I was a Junior in college and had finally had sex for the first time (with my now husband), my mom just flat out asked me if we were having sex and I was so completely paranoid as to how I should answer. I truly thought she would disown me or kick me out or something. Then she said, "It's okay if you are." In my mind I said "WHAAAAAAAAAAT????? Who are you and what have you done with my mother???"

So, since I went on a tangent.... To sum up, I don't think I ever got "the talk."

LOL my parents never told us. Anything. At all. We had sex ed in school but in a Catholic school, it was all about the biology of menstruation and very cryptic about everything else.

I learned the mechanics by reading an advice column in YM magazine. I was probably 12.

ETA now that I've read the other answers, this is the BEST QUESTION EVER!!! Like we're all finally in on the secret that our parents all sucked that this. I'm 37 btw - not that old. And yeah, I probably learned most about periods and sex from Judy Blume. God bless "Are you there God it's me, Margaret" and "Forever." The kicker is that my mother is a nurse. You'd really think she would have done a better job at this. I think she tried with my older sister, who cried and threw up and that was the end of that.

I am in my late 30s and my parents have never had the talk with me so I would have to say "too late " :-) I heard some misinformation from peers and correct information from an older cousin....I cant remember exact age but I am guessing about 7 or 8.

I'm 30, and my parents NEVER gave me the talk!! I have not had one single discussion about sex with them. I do have older siblings, but even they didn't talk to me about it. I knew a little, but "the video" in 5th grade was where I learned the bulk. How sad is that? It's a miracle I didn't have any weird hangups about sex. My parents acted like it didn't exist. Of course, my sister was a teenage mother and they are raising her child. I learned a lot of what NOT to do from my siblings. This was back when girls didn't get their periods at 10, so there wasn't a lot to talk about before then...in many cases.

I do plan on being MUCH more open with my child.

I am 31 and my mom never talked to me about sex. My cousin told me what it was in one sentence - very matter of factly. I, of course, didn't believe him until it was confirmed when I was in the health class where they separated the boys and girls. The extent of any type of sex or puberty conversation with my mom was when I got my first period she said "you know what that's all about right?" I said "yes." End of conversation. The next conversation was when I was 16 and had to tell her I was sexually active because my boyfriend's parents found out and said if I didn't tell her they would. And all she said then was "you need to get on the pill" and "if you get pregnant you're having an abortion"

By the way, I did end up getting pregnant at 18, and no I did not have an abortion. I was already living in my own place and didn't tell her until I was 3 months along because I didn't even want to have that conversation with her.

Another by the way, my daughter is now 12 and I truly hope I can do better at this with her than my mom did with me - but since I have no basis to go on, it has been quite difficult so far. :(

My parents never told me. I first heard about sex from the movies at I'm not sure what age. Talking amongst friends gave me a little more information and a small talk in youth group gave me 'You shouldn't do it until you're married'.

I don't think I really knew the specifics of what sex WAS (Meaning, exactly what happened during sex) until I actually had sex at 14. Sad...

I never had that talk with my parents. When I was in 6th grade we had a unit of sex ed in PE class. On the first day we were supposed to go home and tell our moms that we were learning about menstruation. So, I worked up the guts to mention it to her (I found the topic mortifying) and she replied "well, if you ever have any questions, just ask." Ha-- as if that was going to happen!

Just my luck, the PE teacher was absent on the last day of the program, when "everything" was to be revealed. I think my best friend finally took pity on me and spilled the details. Otherwise, I would've had to wait until 8th grade when they repeated the school program.

This was in the early 70s, for whatever that's worth.

I've known what sex(intercourse)and oral sex is since I was 7 years old. I knew about it because of friends and relatives about the same age that already knew about it. I was also well versed in what to expect from puberty as a girl and also what boys went through as well. I was not a sexually active preteen or anything like that. My parents never needed to have the talk because they knew what I already knew and felt there was no need to go into anything else. Heck I had many friends in junior high that had kids long before I ever decided to engage in any type of sex myself so I was well aware of many of the negatives of sex.

I'm raising my children to know the medically relevant things as well as the social construct of what sex is and hope they wait til they're in committed relationships and at least 17 years old. Who knows what'll happen of course but I'm sure as heck not raising my children in ignorance of this topic.

I'm 32 and my parents never told me about it. It was almost like a "forbidden" subject. My mom told me about periods when I was 9 and that was it. Nothing more. I found out when I was 14 and a freshman in h.s. by just hearing some friends (who were seniors) talking about it. I was honestly horrified and grossed out, lol!

They never told me. They never mentioned anything like that! I learned in 7th grade during health class.
Never heard anything from peers.

Found out about Santa in 5th grade from peers.

Heard about it from my mom. She explained the basics early on. The intercourse/baby/period talk happened when I was 7.

I can't remember exactly when I realized what it was, but it was probably a combination of seeing things and I put the pieces together. My mom's "talk," after she thought I was already having sex, was "You'll get on the pill and your grades won't go down." So much for the birds and the bees.

My mom was ahead of the times I guess because I remember pretty much always knowing what it was and what its purpose was for - I started out learning from animal documentaries I know that much. Honestly, I think as a culture we make too big of a deal about it all together.

My mom told me when I was 5 I think. I'm pretty sure I heard the specifics from her. I had to ask again about 5 years later though because I had a better understanding of things and I needed to hear it again. She was like "didn't we go over this like 5 years ago?". But I needed to integrate all the other info I gleaned from TV, movies, books ( I was always reading well ahead of my grade level), other kids, my sisters teen magazines... thereis so much to sex, there is rreally no way to get all your info from just ONE source. I took a human sexuality class in college and I STILL picked up a few things I didn't know yet. Heck I'm still learning about, if you think about it, we go through stages, and learn new things along the way, like tricks about how to conceive which gender, stuff we weren't concerned with at age 5,15,25.

Haven't read the others. I'm 38 and my mom told me about my body and sex from the time I can remember, all age appropriate.

Added: After scanning the others, wow. I agree, depressing.

I knew I my mother told me about my period. Sex I heard from my friend when she was 16, I asked her everything because she had done it. She was also pregnant at 16. I stayed away from sex because I was with her when she gave birth. I was good for a long long while.
I had the talk with all my kids at an early age, when I noticed they liked the opposite sex. They said they knew things already but I wanted to make sure they had the correct information. My guess they knew nothing, just wanted me and my husband to disappear!

I didn't actually "get the talk" but somehow knew about it early. I remember being probably 9 and my oldest sister stayed home froma a family trip because she had to work. Anyway, we came home early and my mom went into her room to tell her that we were home and she was in bed w her boyfriend. I peeked through legs and saw what was going on. At that point, I didn't know the details of sex but knew that my sister had "had" sex.

My kid's and I have talked about it from a very early age appropriate age. As you said, different times!!

My parents told me when I was 11-12 (right before the school was covering it). I knew since 7. There was always lots of talk on the playground about it and I had stumbled upon one of my mom's sex books at home.

My friends told me first. We were playing in a church parking lot and someone said something about sex and I had no clue I was nine. I asked my mother and she said they boy puts this in there and that was the entire conversation. Nothing about waiting till I was married ,or for some special guy or that it was special, not a word about that was how you got pregnant. Just that is what sex was. Chruch was the place I got those types of talks too.

FYI a little extra food for thought. Our schools had the dare program and I never so much as took a drag from a cigg. I drink but only rum and only a few times a yr!

I knew at age 8 - school (pregnant girl in our 3rd grade classroom)
The talk at age 9 - mum

I never got the talk, but in all fairness, my mom passed away when I was a new 10 and my father was very hands off in his approach to parenting. I had a very versed older sister and by watching her I learned what it was.

I am taking ques from my daughter on what to talk about and when. I have had the talk with her about puberty about a year ago and still talk openly with her about it and what to expect.

I ask probing questions with her all the time to see what she knows and use that as a guide to talk to her. After reading this though, I may have the talk with her sooner though.

Back in the olden days, school districts were allowed to provide sex education. Our school district (NYC) offered two films, each one targeted to the genders (LGBT was NOT on the radar at that time). Boys and girls saw their respective movie at gender-specific assemblies. If memory serves, the girls saw their movie first. At the time I was in school, these films and related content were presented in 5th grade, so that makes the kids about 10. The year I was in 4th, my mother challenged our local school district to lower the age for the girls; they showed us the film. Some few years later, my father handed me a copy of the Hite Report and told me to read it; it would answer any questions I had. I got back at him though when I asked for a definition of one of the terms in the book, in front of guests! (smirk). All kidding aside, my parents (mostly mom) were very approachable about this topic, so much so, that some of my friends could talk to my parents but not their own.

We are open with our kids; they can talk about ANYTHING with us although we do provide our moral opinions to give them a compass to navigate with.

My parents never had an outright sex talk with me. I was a voracious reader, though, and I was an A student in school to boot. So I think my parents relied on me to self-learn. I didn't have The Talk with them until it was necessitated by some doctor's notes our insurance company requested that my dad looked over, and I was 20 or 21 years old. The next time we talked about sex, I was married and announcing I was pregnant, and his response was, "I guess this means you've been having sex. So, uh, I guess we don't need to have The Talk."

My parents never told me. My 11 year old cousin told me when I was about 5. Then we learned in 7th grade Science class. My parents never once had a conversation with me. My son is 10 and I haven't told him all the specifics yet (except that you need a male and female to make a baby) but I asked him what he knows and he won't say. However, they are seeing some video in school this year which touches upon this subject so I think we have to tell him soon.

never had the talk and i dont remember the exact age i knew but it was from friends. all of my friends were 4 years older than M. on my block and my brother was 2 1/2 years older then M. and i hung out with all of his friends. i learned way too much too soon

My mom never told me anything.
When I was about 11 she gave me a book. Everything a teen wants to know but is too embarrassed to ask. I read it. She popped her head in and asked if I had any questions. Nope. Okay. That was end of that!
LOL

I knew a little before my mom told me. I told my kids from day one where they came from so it wasn't like we had "the talk". It has been a continuous process of telling them how they were born, what happened, how they were created etc. I want my kids to know the truth and to hear it from me first. I have had to dispell myths already from kids in my son's kindergarten class LAST year about sex etc. So I keep it age appropriate and what they specifically are wanting to know, but it will always be a continuous process. I don't want them to ever be ashamed or embarrassed about anything. We are an open household thankfully. My childhood wasn't.

I happened on this and couldn't stop giggling because I blogged about this very topic as it referred to my life (true story):
http://www.sexcies.com/sexandacleanroom/ you may get a kick out of it, and it directly relates your question (and answers it)!
:)

My mom did when I was in 3rd grade. I could not understand for the life of me about her period. I thought she would have to sit on the toilet for a week. She didn't understand that I was THAT confused...

She gave me a book to read with pictures.

I told my kids when they were a lot younger than I was. It was necessary to tell my kids when I did. It's even more necessary to talk about it early now. You have to instill a healthy attitude about it, and tell them what they must NOT do in regards to talking about it. NO discussing it with younger children, etc.

Dawn

my parents were late too.. we never really had "a talk" we didnt need to, my elementary school did a 2 day thing where instead of having health class that day the school nurse would seperatly take the boys and the girls and tell them about puberty and sex and all of that.. it was 5th grade, but most of us knew by then.. one of my friends got her period in 4th grade so we were well aware of things before the school nurse got to us.. hell i knew a few people that had sex for the first time in 6th and 7th grade.. scary, i know, but it happens (im 24 if that makes a difference)

My mother knew she didn't have to tell me. My two older sisters did that for her. She did go through school sex ed with me but I just looked at her and said mom I know this stuff.

My sisters, god love them today, didn't leave a beat out when talking to me. Mind you they are 5 and 6 years older than me and thought it was funny to teach me all of the bad stuff. That way I took the fall for everything.

I think I first learned about it when I was 6 or 7. Gotta love older sisters.