5. Sexual Literacy with Tweens and Teens
In this episode, Tess Connolly and Natasha Singh, sexual literacy expert discuss how and when to talk about all sexual literacy with tweens and teens.
- Her story of doing the work in sexual literacy and gender and her mission of creating a context for safety, ethical relating and meaningful accountability btw parents, school and community.
- She talks about the idea of scaffolding and taking the long view with the discussions with all different age kids
- With younger kids to talk about body parts, gender and friendships
- Body autonomy and puberty
- Important to start these conversations earlier on before puberty
- Encourage cross-gender friendships
- She talks about media literacy and living in a visual culture and to think about what they are seeing
- Helpful to reinforce the sex education happening at school, at home
- Ways to bring in conversations at home; with 6-8th grades and move towards porn discussion and what not to say at home to your middle schooler
- Important to articulate your values in your discussions
- A gap in the teen years discussions is talking about sexual harassment and they often don’t know what this looks like or what it is.
- Importance of identifying safe adults for our teens to talk to, who are the “askable” adults
- As soon as kids have devices and talk about ethics with those devices
- She talks about what “flexing”is and “sexortion”
- Importance to affirm the positives and the pleasure in relationships, dating and romances with tweens/teens and building relationship literacy
- The value of mixing up gender when having these discussions and teach comfort and literacy with each others bodies
- Don't’ be afraid to make mistakes and have a “do-over” if needed and model humanity and awkwardness
- Gratitude: the loving relationships in her life
You can find out more about Natasha Singh, her work and classes here: www.sexlited.com
Natasha noted the Making Caring Common Study https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/
Get your free Tech Reset Agreement here: Tech Reset Agreement
Want to get on the wait list for The Parenting Reset Membership? Click here: The Parenting Reset Membership Waitlist
