Learning about boundaries and consent is a process that takes place over many years. By starting the conversation early, your children have more time to internalize body-safety rules and practice setting boundaries. And likewise, by talking with caregivers and family members about boundaries, you can model for your child, and the adults in their lives, what consent looks like and that it matters.
Talking about consent will help your children have safe and healthy relationships throughout their lives. This article has three parts and can be accessed in it’s entirety on the Parenting Safe Children blog.
1. Giving Children Choice Around Affection. Read now.
2. Talking with Children about Boundaries. Read now.
3. Talking with Teens about Consent. Read now.
What Does Consent Look Like at Different Ages?
This article shows you concrete examples of what consent looks like for toddlers, children, teens and adult committed partners. It’s the toddler who’s learning body-safety rules and exclaims, “My vagina is mine.” It’s the dad who asks his mom to respect when her grandchildren / his kids do and don’t want a hug. It’s the teen who knows she has the right to say, “No, I don’t want to have sex.”[Read more]
A Healing Presence
As you and your spouse or friends are talking about sexual assault and consent, please be kind and gentle because for every incident broadcast in the news, millions of women and men are being re-traumatized, and they need a safe place in which to courageously share their story. You can listen and be a healing presence.
Register now for Parenting Safe Children workshops in January.
Author: Mile High Mamas
