3 Conversations Every Parent Should Have with Their Teen Before 2025 Is Over

3 Conversations Every Parent Should Have with Their Teen Before 2025 Is Over

Your teenager has already heard about love. And sex. And what it means to be 'wanted.'
The question is: who told them first?

Was it a friend in the group chat? A trending TikTok? A Netflix series that made it look simple and consequence-free? Or was it you, sitting with them before the world got there first?

Many parents wait. We assume they are not ready. We tell ourselves we will have 'the talk' when the moment feels right. Meanwhile, our teens are quietly navigating pressures and questions we know nothing about.

It is not too late. And it does not have to be awkward.

As the year draws to an end, here are three conversations every parent should prioritise. These are not lectures or one-time speeches. They are ongoing, honest conversations that build trust and give your teen something steady to hold on to when everything else feels uncertain.

Drawn from the book Wait! Let’s Talk About It: Love, Sex & Purity for Teens, these conversations may be what your family needs right now.

1. Talk About Real Love vs. What Culture Is Selling

Your teen is learning about love from somewhere. The question is where.

Is it the song that romanticises being treated badly? The Instagram couple that looks perfect but is anything but? The friend who says, 'If they really liked you, they would ask for more'?

Most of what teenagers hear about love is shallow or misleading. And because it is everywhere, they hardly notice how much it shapes them.

Real love does not confuse you or rush you. It does not shrink you or make you feel unworthy. Real love is thoughtful and intentional. It is a choice, not just a feeling that sweeps in and out without meaning.

In the book, Ozioma, one of the main characters, begins to understand this:

'The world treats love like something you fall into by accident. Like tripping over a rock. “Oops, I am in love.” But love is more than a feeling. It is a choice, a commitment, and it reflects God’s heart.'

Helping your teen see the difference between cultural hype and healthy love protects them more than you may realise. It equips them to guard their heart and recognise when someone is treating them poorly.

How to start:
Ask, 'Where do most people your age get their ideas about love? Do you think those ideas are real?'
Then just listen. You might be surprised by what they already think or what is confusing them.

2. Be Honest About Sex and the Pressure That Comes with It

Your teen already knows about sex. Perhaps from a friend, from something they saw online or from a conversation you wish they had not overheard. They have heard something. The question is whether what they have heard is true, and whether they can talk to you about it.

Many teens are learning about sex from places that make it seem casual or like something everyone is doing. They rarely hear about intimacy, respect or God’s design. Instead, they hear about pressure, performance and the need to keep up with what others claim they are experiencing.

In the book, Aunty Valerie, the mentor character, explains it clearly:

'Sex is everywhere: on TV, in music, in conversations at school. But the real question is, what is the truth about it? Sex is not bad. It is a gift from God. But like every gift, it is meant to be used wisely and in the right context.'

When parents open this conversation early (yes, even with younger teens), the secrecy and shame lose their power. Clarity replaces confusion. And you become the person your teen can trust, not the person they avoid when things feel overwhelming.

How to start:
Try asking, 'What do you think are the biggest pressures teens feel about sex right now?'
Then let them talk. Do not rush in to fix or correct. Listen. Your calm presence will matter more than your perfect words.

3. Help Them Set Boundaries Before They Need Them

Most teens do not realise until much later that boundaries are not created in the moment. They are decided beforehand.

If your teen has not considered their values, limits and responses long before they face pressure, they are far more likely to go along with something they will regret.

And pressure today often arrives quietly. A DM. A late-night message. A chat that starts harmless and then shifts into something they struggle to control.

Teens need to know that purity is not only about avoiding certain things. It is about protecting something valuable. It is about knowing their worth and refusing to let anyone treat them, their heart or their body casually.

Aunty Valerie puts it simply:

'Purity is not just about what you avoid. It is what you protect. It is saying, “I value what God has given me, and I am not going to treat it like it does not matter.”'

When your teen understands their worth in God’s eyes, they are far less likely to hand pieces of themselves to people who do not value them.

How to start:
Ask, 'What do you think it means to guard your heart?'
Then guide them as they set practical boundaries, not rules you impose.

Do Not Wait for Them to Ask

2026 is fast approaching. With it will come more noise, more pressure and more voices trying to shape how your teen sees love, sex, identity and their own worth.

But your voice matters most.

You do not have to be perfect. You do not have to know everything. You simply need to start the conversation.

Do not wait for them to bring it up. Do not assume someone else will say it better.
Just start.

👉 Pick up Wait! Let’s Talk About It: Love, Sex & Purity for Teens and see how these conversations can unfold naturally, clearly and with confidence.

The world is already talking to your teen.
It is time you joined the conversation.

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