how to start warming a child up to eventually getting "the talk"?

So the mother hasn't been doing her job (the 10 year old should already be completely informed, and the 6 year old should know the basics) and now it's suddenly your problem? That's a situation I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

You don't 'warm up' kids to get 'the talk'. Sexual education is something that should happen throughout childhood, answering kids' questions in an age appropriate manner as you go along. For goodness sake, my TODDLER knows that babies grow in their mother's tummy, and that boys and girls have different genitals!

And yes, if you are unwise enough to step in, you could find yourself facing criminal charges when the boys tell someone that you have been 'teaching them to masturbate'.

If you don't have a romantic relationship with the mom, you probably should dodge this, no matter what your relationship with the kids.

I have two sons. One was into "the all", the other not so much. I did it when they were 8, because that's how old I was. And the talk me dad gave me was crappy .

I'm 16 yrs old girl, and being somewhat of a child myself, I believe that you don't really have to be there long, but make the time that you do spend with them very fun and caring and never let them feel any tension between you guys. You can't also be very serious, you need to approach it like anything else. Reassure them everything's normal, that we all go through it, and that you completely understand and will always be there to listen. I don't know If you would be ok with being somewhat of a father figure to them, but you have to show that even if you are this tough big man, that you also have the child inside you and you won't ever judge. They won't think it's awkward UNLESS you make it seem like it is. And don't make it boring either, make it funny, make them laugh. This get enough lectures at school. Be a pal vs. a "parent" at this time, because parents just make it seem way too weird 0_o good luck!!

This is definitely NOT your job and you should NOT be doing it. It could be totally misunderstood by other people . Say the little boy tells his teacher " Oh my Mom's friend Bob has been telling me all about masturabtion and sex !" She'd be calling the Child Welfare Department before the end of the day and you'd have the police knocking on your door, thinking you are a pedophile. Don't do it - this is a parent's job.

Comfortable with you or not it is the parents responsibility to talk to their kids about sex. It's the mother who is uncomfortable and she needs to put on her big girl pants and talk to her own children.

What 'talk' is that? Talking about his body and relationships between men and women should have been an ongoing process, beginning in infancy. (And no, as a 'friend' it's not your job to do this.)