Having that little talk with your kids isn’t easy. And now research shows that just one talk may not be enough. A study in the March issue of the journal Pediatrics suggests that parents should have an ongoing dialogue with their kids about sex.

Continuously talking to kids about sex can help lower their chances of engaging in risky sexual behavior, the researchers say. The study also found that when teens and parents had multiple conversations about sex and related topics, teens reported that they felt closer to their parents and felt more at ease talking to them about sex.

For more information about how to talk to your kids about sex, check out the Spring 2006 issue of Real Health.