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How to discuss your child's sexuality with them

   Whether you think your child is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual or
   straight how you talk to them about sexuality is important

   Child discussing sexuality with parent

   A parent awkwardly having the ‘birds and the bees’ chat with their
   child encompasses how we, as a nation, see intergenerational
   conversations about sex and sexuality.

   Of course, not many young people want to go into detail about the
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   doesn’t have to be this way.

   Healthy conversation about sex and sexuality with your child can help
   them during their teenage years, when feelings around attraction begin
   to take an active role. As our Good Childhood Report showed this year,
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   Whether your child is gay, bisexual, or heterosexual, it’s important to
   nurture a healthy attitude towards sex and sexuality, so that they have
   the confidence and information they need when navigating their future
   relationships. You may also need to be cautious about assuming that
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   The most important thing you can do is listen. Your child may want to
   express their feelings, they may have anxiety about their emerging
   sexuality, or they may want to talk about something that has happened
   to them. They may simply have a few questions about sex.

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   they say, you’re a loving and supportive parent.

   Remember, they may have spoken to you about their sexuality one day,
   but they may not want to the next. Don’t force it.

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   preferences, or they may not have feelings of sexual attraction at all.

   With young people embracing a more fluid approach to sexuality, there
   should be no assumptions that your child is exclusively heterosexual.

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   Talk to them about what healthy relationships look like, how to explore
   their sexuality safely, and how to respect other people’s sexual
   preferences or choices. Teach them that consent matters and that
   respect and being caring are key to sexual relationships, no matter the
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   towards sex that they can take into adulthood, and instil in others
   too.
   If you’d like to know more about how a child’s sexuality can affect
   their well-being, read our 2018 The Good Childhood Report.

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     * Advice for parents
     * Traditional gender roles and stereotypes
     * How to discuss your child's sexuality with them
     * If your child is anxious about their sexuality
     * Self-harm in children - statistics