Moment of Truth

In the past couple of years there has been an influx of the most annoying and, at times, provocative signage appearing all over the place.

Apart from the usual scantily clad girls promoting shoes and cars, there is a more annoying one, one that my son reads and then asks what it means.

Nasal delivery technology to help maintain erections and help with your sex life.

Needless to say, young boys with curious minds read the signage and want answers.

So, S asks me later on whilst we are home what is nasal delivery technology. What does it have to do with your sex life.

I need to tread carefully here as each answer points to a new alley way of questions. I explain about erections and why one needs an erection. Which he knows from previous conversations anyway.

But there are other things to be mentioned in the conversation as I don't want him to think that young men essentially need to use medication to get an erection. I have to explain the role of recreational drugs and excess alcohol and how they affect the body. Then I have to explain that older men with vascular problems and other health issues may need help.

The conversation seemed to go well and he was satisfied with the explanation.

Later on though he says to me that whilst he knows that having sex is an expression of love and caring between a male and female, do you have to love someone to have sex. Can you just have sex and not love someone.

I have to tell the truth here because the last thing I want is him constantly associating love with sex and vice versa as, although in an ideal world it would be wonderful, the reality is that nature is at work and wanting humans to shag and populate the earth. That is the bottom line. I just need him to be mindful of the emotions that can enhance the experience.

Blah blah blah stuff.

So I say to him that you can have sex without being in love and you can love someone and not have sex.

"Oh, like you and dad?" he says.

"What?" I say laughing.

"Well, you know, you love dad but don't have sex", he looks at me for confirmation.

"Oh, I don't think you are right there", I answer and the atmosphere changes. There is absolutely no need for me to elaborate as I can see he knows exactly what I mean.

He looks at me and then his eyes open a little wider and he pulls a face of disbelief combined with borderline horror.

"It's okay to be freaked out that parents, family and old people have sex", I cannot stop laughing by now.

He changed the subject.

Talk about a moment of truth.

I almost heard the clink of the penny as it dropped.

Ciao
LC