First introduce around age 2
Bodies, names, and consent
Anatomical names from the start. "Your body, your choice" applied to tickling, hugs, and bath time. The foundation of every later body conversation.
Conversations
The hard talks, prepared, age by age.
Most of us were not raised with these conversations. The Compass gives you the words — and tells you when each one tends to land best.
First introduce around age 2
Naming feelings
Mad, sad, scared, frustrated. "Name it to tame it" — labeling activates the prefrontal cortex and dampens the limbic response.
First introduce around age 4
Death (of a pet, a grandparent, a friend)
Plain language. "Died" not "passed away." Concrete, not abstract. Permission for any feeling. Returning to the conversation in waves.
First introduce around age 4
Where babies come from
A mechanical answer first; the emotional layer later. Calibrated to your family. Not a single Talk — many small ones.
First introduce around age 6
How money works
Earning, spending, saving, giving. Allowance vs. chores — the evidence on each. The first credit-card conversation around 13.
First introduce around age 4
Race, difference, and fairness
Bigler & Liben: explicit conversation works; colorblind doesn't. Age-appropriate scripts — and what to say when something happens.
First introduce around age 8
Puberty (the early version)
Hair, body shape, periods, erections, mood. Best taught before it starts — typically before age 9 for both sexes.
First introduce around age 9
Phones, social media, and privacy
When, why, and what we do instead. The Anxious Generation framing. Phone-free bedrooms is the rule that matters most.
First introduce around age 11
Sex, relationships, and consent
Beyond mechanics: pleasure, communication, contraception, exits. Comprehensive evidence shows it delays first intercourse and reduces risk.
First introduce around age 10
Pornography (because they will see it)
Average age of first exposure is now around 11–12. A single conversation does not work; ongoing, calm, no-shame talks do.
First introduce around age 11
Drugs, alcohol, and the developing brain
The under-21 brain matters. Specifics work better than vague warnings. Rehearsal: how to leave a situation that's gone wrong.
First introduce around age 10
When the mind needs help
Depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation. The script for asking, the script for telling. The crisis line. The therapist conversation.
First introduce around age 6
Failure, recovery, and trying again
Praise process, not traits. Stories of your own failures. The Stoic question: "What did this teach me?"
First introduce around age 7
Who you are and where you belong
Family identity, faith, gender, sexuality, culture. The rules: curiosity, not judgment. We are with you. Always.