Start Talking Today: Talking Is Power 2021

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Start Talking Today: Talking Is Power 2021

May 6, 2021
A graphic that reads, "Have you talked to a young person today? #TalkingIsPower"

Are you a parent or champion of a young person and want to talk, but aren’t sure where to start? Here are two conversation prompts to help move things along. 

A prompt to start a conversation with a young person that asks, "What do you think are indications that someone likes you as more than a friend?"

What do you think are indications that someone likes you as more than a friend? // ¿Qué son las cosas que te indican que a alguien le interesas más que como solamente un amigo? 

This question can be tailored based on the age of the young person you’re talking to and will help start a conversation around relationships. You can learn what your young person values in a relationship, how they view other’s actions towards themselves, and how they would interact with those they have romantic feelings towards. 

Ideas en cuanto a la conversacion, "Cuales son tus limites en cuanto a tocarse?

What are your boundaries when it comes to touching?  //  ¿Cuáles son tus límites en cuanto a tocarse? 

Understanding and verbalizing your personal boundaries when it comes to physical contact is very important no matter your age. Talk to your young person about the situations in which they find themselves touching others, ask them how they feel about it, and, if necessary, brainstorm ways ask others to respect their boundaries or find a middle ground. 

Now that you’ve started a conversation around sex, love, relationship, and birth control, here are two tips to help things continue smoothly. 

Consejos para llevar a cabo la conversacion, "No te temas al silencio. Algunas veces el proceso de la conversacion toma tiempo."

Don’t be afraid of silence. Sometimes it takes time to process a conversation. // No le temas al silencio. Algunas veces el proceso de la conversación toma tiempo.

Silence can be very frightening, even when you’re not talking about something intimidating like sex. But it’s an important part of conversations. Don’t rush to fill every gap or assume that the discussion is over just because there’s a long pause. Give your young person the time and space they need to think about what’s been said so far. And take time yourself if you need it too! 

A tip for starting conversations with young people that reads, "Don't rush it. You don't need to cover everything right away."

Don’t rush it. You don’t need to cover everything right away. // No te precipites. No tienes que hablar de todos los temas de inmediato.

 It’s tempting once you’ve started to just keep going. These talks are stressful so better to get it all done at once, right? Not so much. Don’t give in to the temptation and bounce around. First, it’s impossible to cover everything in one sitting. Second, even if you could talk about it all, it’s not fair to ask a young person to try and absorb all that information. And third, leaving the door open for future conversations lets the young person in your life know that you’re also open to any questions that might come up for them. 

Stay tuned all month long for more tips on how to start discussions about the topics your young people actually want to hear about! Remember: talking is power.