About the Author

Cath Hakanson has been talking to clients about sex for the past 25 years as a nurse, midwife, sex therapist, researcher, blogger and educator. She's spent the past 10 years trying to unravel why parents (herself included) struggle with sex education. Her solution was to create Sex Ed Rescue, an online resource that simplifies sex education and helps parent to empower their children with the right information about sex, so kids can talk to their parents about anything, no matter what. Cath has lived all over Australia but currently lives in Perth with her partner, 2 children, and ever-growing menagerie of pets. Despite having an unusual profession, she bakes, sews, and knits for sanity, collects sexual trivia, and tries really hard not to embarrass her children in public. Well, most of the time anyway!

Reviews

"One of the difficulties today is to distinguish who is who on the internet and when it comes to talking about sex, you cannot get someone more prepared, committed, knowledgeable or professional than Cath. I would encourage any parent who wants to talk to their kids about puberty to read and use Cath's work as it provides simple, practical and important information to make the conversation as natural as any other talk parents have with their children."Dr Madalena Grobbelaar, Clinical Psychologist, Psychosexual Therapist & Academic at Women Sexuality Australia"Cath has created the perfect book for busy parents. Talking about sexuality and relationships can be tricky for most parents - many would rather clean the oven, weed the garden or de-flea the dog, than talk openly and honestly about sex! To this book, Cath has brought her vast experience, wisdom and laugh-a-minute humour."Dr Lorel Mayberry, Sexologist and Consultant in Sexuality and Relationship Education, Department of Sexology, School of Public Health, Curtin University l President - Borderless Friendship WA Inc"I find it quite easy to talk to my son about sex, but I still felt a little unsure about puberty. Knowing that there is no 'normal' and that all kids develop in their own way is very reassuring, especially as I noticed my son's first hairs when he was 9. Because of his early signs of puberty, I had already slowly begun to initiate more conversations with him about body changes and sex. But I do know that there are bigger, more involved conversations ahead and so the book is definitely helpful in finding the right words and understanding things from his point of view. I found lots of helpful information and appreciated the conversational style along with the simple 'technical stuff'. So if you have not yet begn to talk to your son, this book will definitely motivate you to start talking as well as help you to feel more comfortable with broaching the subject."Amanda, Perth, mother of 10 year old boy"As a mum of a 12 year old boy, this has been an invaluable guide as to what is about to unfold in our household. It explains puberty for boys in a factual but personable way and has given me the knowledge to be able to relate to my son in a crucial time of his life."Alison, Perth, mother of 2 boys (12 & 6) and 1 girl (11)"As a father of two boys, I needed this book! It is both concise and comprehensive: Cath doesn't leave anything out but gives us just enough of what we need for every aspect of talking to our kids about puberty. It is a practical step-by-step guide as well as a handy reference, and it even leaves room for a family's cultural and religious beliefs. This is a straightforward yet compassionate handling of a must-have conversation with our kids."Cory Peppler, teacher, father, and founder of ParentingDigital.com"Cath has such a brilliant way of taking the confusion and awkwardness out of those conversations that can have any of us wondering how to start and what to say. Her simple, no-nonsense wisdom makes this book a must-have for every parent.The conversations we have with our kids are strengthening and life-giving, but some of the important ones can be a little awkward. Cath offers practical wisdom on how to talk to kids about sex and puberty in ways that will help to relieve the 'awkward' (for them and for you!) and open the communication between you and your child or teen on these essential conversations."Karen Young, Psychologist, author of Hey Warrior and founder of Hey Sigmund