A recent question at my 'Mums group' lunch ignited so much conversation, it gave me pause: “At what age should I say yes to my child’s request for a sex toy?”

Underneath the nervous laughter and strong opinions, I could see a single fear connecting us all: “What are the implications if I get this wrong?”

Most of us received minimal, awkward, or fear-based sex education. We had to learn in small, fragmented ways, like ripping open the sealed section of a Dolly magazine or attempting to find things out from our peers (who were honestly just as clueless as we were). Pleasure was rarely, if ever, discussed and our bodies were seen as problems we needed to fix or manage.

This is not our children’s world.

Sex toys are advertised openly. Influencers frame orgasms as self-care and sex positivity has never been more mainstream. In many ways, this is progress. Research shows that shame-based silence around sex is linked to higher rates of distress, difficulties in communicating needs, and poorer relationship satisfaction in adulthood (Brotto, 2018;........

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