Joanna Fortune: How can I have the talk about sex with my teenage daughter?

It is essential to keep the doors of communication open on this so she can come to you to talk through aspects of her relationships with you in a safe and supportive way.

You will need to enquire if she’s thinking about having sex and ensure she knows how to keep herself and her boyfriend safe. Picture: iStock

My oldest child is 17 and has a lovely boyfriend of the same age. They are madly in love and want to spend any spare time together. In between dates, they are constantly texting each other. We’ve casually met his parents, who are very relaxed about the relationship — he’s the youngest of four.  His mum says she has no issue with the closeness between them as long as it doesn’t interfere with her son’s schoolwork. While I’m delighted to see my daughter so happy, I’m worried about an unplanned pregnancy. How can I have the talk without upsetting her?

I assume you have already had many conversations with your daughter about the facts of life over the years, and what you’re facing now is something more specific and personal.