Are there things you'd like to know about sex but you're not sure who to ask, or maybe you're too embarrassed to admit you don't know everything? Even if you think you have all the facts, are you sure you know it all? For example, can you honestly name the 15 different forms of contraception?

You might talk to your friends, or get advice from school – but do you ever talk to your parents about these issues? It might be difficult or embarrassing to bring up, but actually your parents know a lot more than you might think - and you could benefit.

In fact, over half of 16-18 year olds felt that more conversations, aside from the usual 'birds and the bees' chat, would have helped them make better sexual choices, including waiting to have sex.

If you want to know how to chat to your parents, teachers or doctor, but don't know how, don't worry help is at hand. Teen agony aunt and author, Anita Naik, is offering tips and advice on how to have better conversations as part of the new Sex. Worth Talking About campaign.

Log onto this live WebTV show where Anita will be offering her advice on how to tackle potentially difficult conversations.

Anita Naik joins us live on Thursday 25th March at 15.00

Anita Naik is an author, columnist and journalist. She started her career as advice columnist on the teen magazine Just 17, leaving to write a sex and relationship column for More magazine and then Closer magazine. She is now the agony aunt for the COI Bebo page, Lady Lounge. She was the figurehead for the Department for Children, Schools & Families' Everyday Conversations Every Day report (2008), which encouraged parents to have regular, everyday conversations with their children and teenagers about sex and relationships.

Anita writes regularly for women and teens on the subjects of relationships, sex, parenting, sex education and self-esteem and is the author of over 40 non-fiction books on everything from health, and beauty, to relationships and mumpreneurs. For more information, visit www.anitanaik.co.uk

For more information visit www.nhs.uk/worthtalkingabout

H: Vicky Letch, host
A: Anita Naik, agony aunt

H: Hello I’m Vicky Letch and welcome to the Sexual Health Show for teenagers. Are there things you'd like to know about sex but you're not sure who to ask, or maybe you're too embarrassed to admit you don't know everything? Even if you think you have all the facts, are you sure you know it all? For example, can you honestly name all the 15 different forms of contraception? I’ve got a guest here, I’m going to ask you later on! The results of a new survey by the Department of Children Schools and Families and the Department of Health for the Sex Worth Talking About campaign, reveals that over half of 16-18 year olds felt that more conversations would have helped them make better sexual choices, including waiting to have sex. Well if you want to chat to your parents, teachers or doctor, but you don't know how, don't worry help is at hand. I’m joined in the studio by someone whose written sex and relationship columns for the likes of Just 17, More and Closer, it’s Teen agony aunt Anita Naik, hello,

A: Hello

H: Welcome. 15 different types of contraception

A: I know, don’t ask me, we’ll be here all afternoon.

H: We’ll talk about it a little bit later on. I just want to start off by actually talking about this survey, because actually it revealed some quite interesting statistics – so 78% of teenagers were talking to their parents about sexual health issues, and relationships

A: That’s right

H: which is massively positive

A: Yes

H: But on the flip side, I think it was over half of the 16-18 year olds who said actually they wanted to have more talk so they could make better, wiser choices

A: Yes I think over half felt that had they had more open conversations they would have made better choices around sex, including delaying sex or maybe safer sex, so I think while teens are talking to their parents probably not talking about everything they want to be talking about, and that’s I guess what we’re going to chat about

H: Yes, yes – well we will. But first we’re going to take a question, a live question – remember if you want to ask us anything please do so, this one is from Kerry, thank you Kerry – “OMG talk to my parents? So embarrassing! Would rather speak to my friends rather than my dad.” I think that is actually going to be the case for lots of people

A: I think so, I mean I understand that’s how I used to feel and how I think a lot of teens feel, you know especially if your parents aren’t talking to you, aren’t making the first steps or have never ever spoken to you about anything

H: Yes

A: Even things like watching people kiss on the TV is really embarrassing so where do you start

H: Yes

A: But you know you can’t always be sure of what your friends are telling you, if they know what they’re talking about. I mean there’s a lot of playground whispers that go on, a lot of myths that go on, I know, I’ve been going round the country talking to different teens in schools, and some of the things that they’re saying that their friends have told them, and their friends’ friends have told them, you know it’s just not true.

H: Completely inaccurate. So it’s fine so talk

A: Fine to talk to your friends

H: Yes fine to talk to your friends but probably a good idea to get it backed up by an adult

A: That’s right, preferably your parents because they do know what they’re talking about, I know it might seem like they don’t but they do

H: Yes absolutely. What about some of these myths that you’ve heard, can you remember any of them off the top of your head?

A: There’s a lot of myths around what you know will safeguard you from getting pregnant and what won’t

H: Yes

A: Basically you know it’s contraception is the only thing other than not having sense. And you know there was one about you know if you have sex in the swimming pool you’re not going to get pregnant

H: Oh yes I think that originates from 1982

A: Yes, yes lots of that. Sex standing up, sex for the first time, all of these things, you know it won’t get you pregnant – yes they will you know. And I must say you don’t want to be having sex in a public swimming pool

H: No you really do not. Heavy petting is banned from most public pools. This is one from Sally, thank you Sally, she says “I’m worried that my parents will judge me if I talk to them about this kind of thing. What should I do?” I suppose if you are having that conversation with your parents, all of a sudden there’s that chance your parents might think you are sexually active and that might not be the case

A: Yes and I think you know parents, as I know my own parents, they are very good at jumping to conclusions,

H: Yes

A: They’re very good at taking a little nugget of what you’re saying and running a mile with it, so it – you know I’d say reassure your parents, start by saying I’m not having sex but I need to know about this because I’m really confused, or someone’s saying this at school or I’ve read this in the paper, you know clear it up for me. So kind of be really clear about what you want and where you’re at with them, and then it kind of stops all that Oh My God you’re having sex – don’t do it, kind of thing

H: Ok that’s a good tip. This is from Ryan, hello Ryan, thank you for your question. “Every time I try to talk to my parents about sex it turns into an argument. What should I do?” I think that’s quite an important question, I think that you know you’re not always going to agree with your parents, and they’re not always going to agree with you, and that’s actually fine, even if your parents don’t like it, that is actually fine, you’re entitled to have an informed opinion, “informed” being the key word. So talk to your parents about the issues you wont argue about, so maybe the – safe sex, also about relationships, I mean the research shows a lot of kids actually want to talk about relationships, emotions, how to know when they’re ready to have sex, how to say no, how to stand up to peer pressure. All things that aren’t really you know – you’re not really going to argue with your parents about that. It would be more of a discussion

H: And why do you think the arguments are kicking off because – I suppose it’s a heightened subject for parents they want to protect their child and –

A: I think there’s differing morals, there’s also people being defensive, or maybe they’re asking you something and you’re, you know snapping back at them or maybe they’ve totally misunderstood what you’ve said to them so again it’s about being very clear and concise about what you want and what you need

H: Ok. This is from Clare Dart in Hastings, thank you Clare. “I’m 17 and I’ve just got a boyfriend. He’s older and more experienced than me and I’m too embarrassed to talk to my parents about this. What should I do?” I mean I know when I was younger and I had an older boyfriend, my mother was just petrified. I can still see her expression on her face, and it was quite hard to tell her that you know just trust me, have faith in me.

A: Again I think yes that’s what she should go in and say to her parents about it. I mean obviously there’s something that she’s worried about with this older boyfriend that she does want to talk to her mum about, so in a way that’s a really good way to get into it, because basically her mum obviously knows she’s got an older boyfriend and if she’s worried she could first up by reassuring her mum and then having a discussion about – maybe she’s afraid the relationship’s going too fast or he’ll want too much too soon – they’re all things she can talk about with her mum by making it clear that he’s not pressurising her, which I hope he’s not

H: Yes absolutely. Anna, thank you Anna – Anna says “how can I bring up the subject of sex with my parents. I think my parents are too embarrassed to talk about it.” There’s probably a huge amount of teenagers actually watching now thinking I want this conversation but my parents aren’t forthcoming with it, they don’t want to have the talk with me, and actually it’s probably flipped around and –

A: Yes there is – there was a survey we did last year and it was something like 64% of parents wanted to talk to their teens and their kids about sex but were waiting for them to make the first move, which is really unfair to make you make the first move, but they think if you’re not talking about it you’re not interested in it and you’re not thinking about it. Not true. So in a way sometimes you’ve got to bring it up, and an ideal way to bring it up is not to make it really personal but to sort of feed off what you’re watching on television, what you’ve just seen on this program, you know what you’re reading in the news, those celebrities that are always unfaithful – all those kinds of things, yes

H: Yes. But I mean that’s hard I think for the child to be the person that has to bring it up

A: It is

H: And again I think that almost makes it feel more weighty than it need be because if the child’s bringing it up, are they bringing it up because of x, y and z

A: That’s right

H: And that’s why those assumptions come into play again

A: Yes I think that’s the shame, that’s why it’s better to bring it up in small, little doses and again not make it personal, just have a really, start with a really general conversation about relationships or something that you might have seen on TV, and then you know after a couple of days build it up to something else and slowly over time build it up to where you want to be with them

H: Great. This is from Mia, Mia thank you very much. Mia says “what should I tell my parents? I know they worry about what I get up to, but how do I reassure them that I won’t do anything stupid?”

A: Well I think she should just say that to them. I think you know most parents just want their kids to be safe and actually if you reassure them that you’re not being silly and you’re being sensible about things, talk to them about what you know, maybe ask them some questions, I mean parents don’t always have the answers, that’s the thing, I think sometimes you think if I turn to my parents and they don’t know the answer then what’s the point of talking to them? And maybe go and look it up together on the internet or something on one of the sites, try and find out where they are and where you are, and you know what information there is in the middle that you can fill the gap

H: Yes. I think that actually that’ quite a tough one. Oh actually it ties in perfectly with Anita’s question. “I’d like to talk to my parents about sex but I don’t feel they know anything, why should I talk to them?” Anita, you are here are you not, they know some things!

A: They do know some things indeed, but they – you know that’s a really good point, they may not be completely up-to-date I mean perhaps what you and I learnt in sex education and relationship education years ago may not be what you know what’s happening now

H: Yes

A: So actually in a way allow your parents to get informed, or encourage them to become informed, by you know there’s a website we’re going to mention at the end isn’t there –

H: Yes

A: They could go to, has some excellent tips and advice on there, and say you know allow them to get the answer wrong as well because you’re asking for their view and you’re probably going to disagree a bit

H: Yes of course

A: You’re human yes

H: Yes exactly. Sophie thank you Sophie. Sophie says “I usually ask my sister for advice as she’s older and knows about it all, why should I speak to my parents?” And I suppose that’s a fair enough point because if you do have an older sister and that’s the person that you would always go to for advice then why not go for your sex issues as well?

A: That’s great, I mean you’ve got an older person giving you advice whose trusted and you know that the information is right because that’s really important. But you can go to lots of people for advice, you don’t have to just go to one person, and actually it’s quite nice to talk to a lot of different people, including your parents because you get differing views, differing ways to approach dilemmas, differing life skills, so you know the more people you talk to the more informed you’re going to be at the end of the day

H: Yes absolutely. It’s like with anything in life, if you want to go to a new college, or start a new course, you would get lots of people’s view points on that, wouldn’t you?

A: That’s right,

H: so it’s the same thing

A: I think so and you know your parents have your best – you might not always feel like it but they do have your best interests at heart and they just want you to be safe

H: Yes exactly. So we have about that much time left, do you have some wise words or just some top tips of how we can get that conversation into the home and it feels slightly more normal than perhaps it does for some people at the moment?

A: Yes I think – no forget that one big conversation, because that’s I think what a lot of teens think, their parents are going to do to them, and a lot of parents will do to you if they don’t get it right. It isn’t like having one big conversation that covers everything, that’s really embarrassing and it’s excruciating. It’s having lots of little conversations over time, that kind of feed into where you’re at in your life at the moment and maybe what you’re worried about, so don’t bring up everything at once, leap at your parents feet, but you know basically bring up one topic at a time and be really clear and really concise about what it is you want to know and why

H: Brilliant, thank you so much and thank you for your time

A: You’re welcome

H: And thank you for all of your questions, I hope that’s helped you out. If you are looking for more information and advice do check out Sex Worth Talking About Campaign website which is nhs.uk/worthtalkingabout and I’ll see you soon, goodbye