Wondering how to teach your kids about consent? Here’s an age-based guide to get you started

[Pelican Press 0]

Wondering how to teach your kids about consent? Here’s an age-based guide to get you started

The *********** government’s new campaign

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

challenges us all to improve our understanding of consent. It asks a series of questions to illustrate this issue is

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

than simplistic “no means no” messaging.

The campaign invites viewers to consider the nuances of consent, so we can raise these important issues with

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

in our lives.

But what is a good age to start talking about consent? How do parents tackle such conversations when this information probably wasn’t readily discussed in our own upbringing?

How it starts—early childhood (0–5 years)

Small

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

about consent that start early are best. At this age, children are becoming aware of their bodies, and this is a great

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

basic conversations around

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

,

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and boundaries.

If you’re tickling or rough-housing with your child and they ask you to stop, respect this. Similarly, you want your child to learn that

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

the feelings of others.

We should also

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

to a family member if they don’t feel comfortable. Teaching them to be polite and respectful without having to cross their own personal boundaries is key.

Bath time can also be a great setting to discuss how children’s bodies are

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and the basics of

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

.

Childhood and primary school (6–11 years)

As children enter school, their social networks start to expand and the potential for conflict is inevitable. As parents, we can help them to

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and unpack more developed ideas around consent.

The focus at this stage should be to ensure young people have the necessary skills to

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and to engage respectfully with others. You may also want your child to recognize the

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and difference that exists in our society.

It’s important your child starts to learn about

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

. Body language can provide great insight into how another person might be feeling, and children can learn how to tune in and respect others as much as possible.

As your child starts to form a

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

, help them identify and maintain their own personal boundaries.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

if someone is behaving or touching them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable helps develop skills to

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

.

Finally, remember that young people begin to connect in online spaces too. Encourage your child to think critically about

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

. Teaching children to

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

can assist with

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

too.

Adolescence and secondary school (12–18 years)

As we transition through the adolescent years, those foundations skills that first applied to relationships with friends and family,

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

, where consent is important for

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

.

If they haven’t already grasped the notion, it’s important for adolescents to understand that

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

. People have the right to

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

, even if it might be an activity they had previously agreed to.

Navigating ******* consent can be more complex than

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

. Consent must be

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

. Just because we are in a romantic relationship with someone, this does not mean we should be expected to engage in particular behaviors if they cross our boundaries.

Adolescents also need to understand that

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

. Sometimes people won’t want to go on a date with us, to give us a kiss, or to engage in a particular ******* act and that’s OK. Encourage young people to

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

, respect the wishes and boundaries of others, and be vigilant to

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Adolescents will also start to communicate regularly with peers online and may engage in sexting:

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

to one another. Teach them to express and

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

to be safe online and be

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

.

Being accessible and inclusive

Consent can be complex, particularly for ********* populations.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

is a resource designed for

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

.

The Sexuality Education Counseling and Consultancy Agency (SECCA)

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

suitable for helping to navigate discussions with

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

or people who require resources written in simple English.

The Rainbow Project has

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

about consent for LGBTQI+ people.

Final tips for families

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

focusing on

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

,

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and bodily autonomy. Consent conversations can build in an age-appropriate way and

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

as children age.

While discussions should be age-appropriate where possible, it may be relevant to

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

if need be too.

Communication about consent is best when it’s direct, free from judgment and maintains an open-dialogue. These discussions

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

or uncomfortable but they are important. Homes are

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and it is important that your child sees you as an approachable and askable parent.

Education around consent won’t stop ******* ********* on it’s own, so it’s important to have these discussions alongside other areas of importance.

Discussions around challenging gender stereotypes, modeling respect and how to intervene,

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

, as well as online safety such as

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

can assist.

Provided by
The Conversation

This article is republished from

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

under a Creative Commons license. Read the

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

.

Citation:
Wondering how to teach your kids about consent? Here’s an age-based guide to get you started (2024, May 29)
retrieved 29 May 2024
from

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Science, Physics News, Science news, Technology News, Physics, Materials, Nanotech, Technology, Science
#Wondering #teach #kids #consent #Heres #agebased #guide #started

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

For verified travel tips and real support, visit: https://hopzone.eu/