Gosh. I have just spent the past half and hour reading back to page 3 of the posts (too tired to go back further. Soul, this jumped out at me:

My daughter and I sat here together and read through this, and she like me shook her head at some of the accusations as me being irresponsebile, and yes that is what some of you were more or less saying. And yet, I am trying to protect my daughter not wrap her up in cotton wool so she does not understand what choices she has out there when the time comes.
It really struck a chord with me because I don't think that a parent can ever be the font of all wisdom for their child. Either we don't know what do say, haven't been there, have problems with saying it - whatever. My point is I FIRMLY believe it takes a village to raise a child and so if you can expose your child to as many different views and experiences of others as possible, they have more or a chance of making the "right" decision when the time comes (whatever "right" may be).

I say this from the perspective of one who got all my teenage ideas about men and sex from Cosmo and Cleo (hence I have no hangups LOL!!) because my mother didn't ever discuss anything like that with me (I am not having a go at her -she had her reasons). So I went into the world of adults at about age 15 or 16 ready to have sex. There were plenty of situations where it could have eventuated (including with a 33 year old when I was 16 - OMGGGG!!) but it never did. And so when I met my DH and finally DTD with him at 19 years of age he was my first (and only). And I was his first (and only). So I am COMPLETELY aware of the fact that I have no experiences of casual sex, long-term committed but broke up sex, having sex and being dumped or sex with someone who has had previous partners. I am totally clueless. But, as I said, I am very open minded and understand that my way is not for everyone and that it is a sheer fluke that it turned out this way for me.

So Soul when I read your comment about reading this thread with your daughter I think you are doing all you can, and probably much more than most mums.

PS: Just thought I would add - the one thing my mother used to say to me about sex was "I will not accept any illegitimate grandchildren". I reminded her of this when Flynn was born (he's not illegitimate BTW - nasty word - DH and I were married nearly 12 yeasr before he was born) and mum was horrified. As she gazed lovingly at Flynn she said "but I wouldn't really have rejected an illegitimate grandchild - how could I??" I said to her I sure as hell wasn't going to test whether she would LOL!!