Consent = permission for something to happen or agreement to
do something
You may have seen our video from
earlier this week, “Consent is not…” If you haven’t, we encourage you to check
it out on Facebook and Instagram. Learning about what consent is and what it is
not is only part of the conversation. How do we teach consent to kids and
teens?
Start early- you don’t have to talk about sex to teach
consent.
Consent is about
so much more than sex. Start the conversation with kids young so they already
understand the concept of consent long before you have the talk with them. Model consent for your kids. “Would you rather
hug or fist bump?” “Do you want a goodnight kiss tonight?” Respect the answer
your child gives you. It may be difficult not to give your child a hug, but it
empowers them to know they have control of their body. When they become teens
it will make it easier for them to tell their friends and dating partners what
they want, and they are more likely to respect the boundaries set by others.
Talk openly- create a safe space for your child or teen to ask
the tough questions.
You will probably
feel uncomfortable talking about consent and/or sex, and that’s okay. Be honest
with your child and teen. You won’t fool them anyway if you lie about not feeling
awkward. Talk to them and not at them. Ask their opinion and listen to what
they say. Also try to make your questions open-ended to keep the conversation
flowing. Talk openly and talk frequently, even if your child and teen gets
tired of the conversation. Kids and teens get tired of a lot of things we say
to them (“Do your homework.” “Take out the trash.” “Because I said so.”) and
that doesn’t stop us. Consent is no different. Talk about it even if your child
and teen doesn’t want to.
Educate yourself- don’t go into these conversations before
doing your research.
Having a hard
time talking openly to your kids and teens about consent? You are not alone.
Not sure how to keep those conversations age appropriate? It’s a struggle for a
lot of people. Do some research first!
Below are great additional resources to check-out:
Still not sure what to say? No problem. Show these videos to
your kids or teens:
The SafeHouse
Prevention Team has some great brochures on the topics of break-ups, sexting,
and dating violence as well as other informational materials. Email Sarah, our
Prevention Coordinator, at sarahr@safehouse.org
to request our free materials. Sarah is also available for presentations and
workshops!
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