Dads today talk more freely with their teens about sex and relationships

For many dads, talking with their teenager about sex and relationships can feel like a minefield.

Popular culture doesn’t provide many good examples of how to have these conversations, and many fathers didn’t have these conversations at all .

For instance, in a , 65% of fathers reported inviting their children to talk with them about sexuality, while less than 30% reported that their own fathers talked with them about it – a jump of 35% in one generation. This finding aligns with , which finds a similar generational discrepancy.

This huge cultural shift is fascinating to me as a research scientist who studies adolescent development, sexual health and risk-taking, and family communication about sexuality and relationships. . In recent years I have delved into the role that fathers play, why that’s important, and what fathers need to support their teens’ sexual health.

Generational differences

Compared to fathers from the 1980s, current fathers are in raising their children and beyond serving as a financial provider. A 2026 paper from the American Institute for Boys and Men found that since the pandemic, college-educated dads have increased their time doing housework and childcare by .

Research shows these changes . When parents work together to parent their children, to their parents and . This also applies to divorced parents, whose when their parents cooperate with each other.

Benefits for both fathers and teens

Fathers’ increased involvement in parenting extends to talking with their teens about sex and relationships, and research shows that both fathers and teens see benefits to this.

to supporting their teens’ healthy development, while . While many that their with them about sex and relationships, research shows that .

Sometimes the role that fathers play in talking about sex and relationships shows up in how they work together with their spouse. Collaboration in parenting extends to talking with their teens about sex and relationships. In a qualitative study of fathers with adolescent children, over 75% of participants described talking with their . This often involved strategizing about how to talk with their adolescent about sexual issues or updating each other as to what they learned about their adolescent.

Beyond the general benefits of connecting with their kids, father-teen conversations about sex and relationships .

However, , talking with their teens or don’t realize that their involvement matters. Compared to mothers, fathers have fewer resources to support these conversations, ranging from a to support fathers’ communication with their teens to less access to informal connections – such as moms’ often extensive text message chains – where they can discuss these topics.

Support for dads

Only a few programs specifically support fathers to talk with their teens about sex and relationships. These programs on they want and need to support talking with their teens about sexual topics. This includes tips for how to approach the topic with teens as well as opportunities to talk with other fathers.

For example, is an in-person group intervention that provides fathers with sexual health information, guidance on how to talk with their teens about sex, and take-home activities to do with their teens. Another program for fathers, called – short for informed, motivated, aware and responsible about AIDS – was adapted from an HIV prevention program for mothers and daughters.

I lead a team that developed an online program called . It includes sexual health information, skill-building and practice talking with teens, as well as a peer support group for fathers to share tips, experiences and challenges in talking with their kids about sex and relationships.

Fathers and teens who in sexual health knowledge and confidence in and frequency of sexual health communication. These programs can help provide fathers with tools and confidence to talk with their teens in healthy ways about sex and relationships.

Communication from parents to , comfortable, trustworthy and responsive to their teens.

Similarly, about sex , open and easy to talk to. As these findings suggest, many of the effective and engaging approaches fathers can use to talk with their teens about sex overlap with skills fathers already use to talk with their teens about other topics.

Listen first

So, when opportunity presents itself, take time to listen to your teen’s perspective before telling them your own, and try to restrain yourself from judging your teen for their relationship choices.

These approaches and make it more likely they will come to you when they have questions or concerns in the future.

And while it’s important to stay in the game and talk with your teen about sex and relationships, think about other trusted adults in your teen’s life who can join the conversation. , , older siblings, coaches and religious leaders, for talking with teens about these issues.

If you think you may not be the best person to talk with your teen about a specific topic, such as getting their period or a conflict in a dating relationship, consider whom your teen feels comfortable with and providing background support for their conversations. This can help you stay engaged and be an active participant in promoting your teen’s health.

Though dads play an important role, it’s not all on them – or on any single person – to be there for their teen. The more supportive connections teens have in their families, schools and communities, .