Tips for Talking About Sex
Are you a parent or champion of a young person and want to talk, but can’t seem to deepen your conversations about important subjects like sex and love? Here are five tips to help keep discussions going.
Champion Tip 1: Maintain an open dialogue.
When you and your young person are talking, make sure to stay away from closed-ended, yes-or-no type questions. Plus, it’s important to make sure that they know that you’re always around to chat when they want; not every conversation has to be super serious or long, an open dialogue can start and stop and start again over the course of years.
Champion Tip 2: Provide reliable resources, like Bedsider.org.
Your young person should have the tools they need to keep exploring on their own! Bedsider, a program of Power to Decide, is an online birth control support network that gives everyone the tools they need to learn about their birth control options, better manage their birth control journey, and in the process avoid getting pregnant until they’re ready.
Champion Tip 3: Offer nonjudgmental support.
The words we use can convey respect or disrespect. So be sure to hold your own judgements in while talking to the young people in your life. You can offer your opinion (if you’re asked for it) or share a story from your past to highlight your point of view, but stay away from negative reactions, whether verbal or nonverbal.
Champion Tip 4: Model respectful communication.
Respectful communication practices include actively listening, respecting boundaries, and being honest. We know that young people turn to trusted adults for information about sex, love, and relationships. By respecting your young person no matter what you can show them that you’re one of those trusted adults in their lives.
Champion Tip 5: Highlight positive role models.
Speaking of trusted adults, take time to purposefully bring up examples of people you believe are positive role models when it comes to sex, love, and relationships. Those role models may be famous, fictional, or real-life family and friends, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that your young person has examples to look to as they grow into themselves and become young adults.
