About Communicating with your kids

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My research and practice have led me to understand that there are some things that have a real impact on whether parents teach their kid/s about sexuality and relationships education. 

The first is that words and actions and silences and inactions play a large role in what kid/s see, hear and do. Sometimes the silences speak louder than words! Building your confidence and comfort having these conversations is important because it doesn't always come naturally.

The second thing is that we carry a lot from our own childhood that can impact the way we teach our kid/s. We usually want to do a better job than our parents did, but often fall short and don't know why or how to change that. Through a reflexive process, our seminars can help parents understand what they carry from the past and how it impacts how they teach their own kid/s. 

The third thing is that we have all been through puberty, adolescence and young adulthood and we all have varying experiences of that. For some of us it was an easy transition, others not so. Often the memories we still have are affective (feelings and emotions), which sometimes have a real impact on future you. Some of us even have memories of those times saying  things like "I will never do that to my kid/s". You can change the story.

It is important to make sense of why sexuality and relationships education is so difficult to talk about. This topic brings in morals, values, religion, culture, ability, age, sex, gender, sexuality, education, access to resources, etc. - so many variables that again no one's experience will be the same. 

As parents we don't often get a chance to really contemplate what we experienced as we were growing up, often in our time it was a matter of just getting on with it. So to have the opportunity to go back and realise what happened, why our parents did what they did and then how that impacts our practices with our kid/s is a really valuable exercise. 

What I want is that every parent has the opportunity to have enriched relationships with their kid/s, where they both feel comfortable and confident coming to each other to talk, especially when there is something not going right. To know that their parent is on their side and that they will help them in difficult situations, that they are not judging their decisions and actions. 

It is so much easier to have a conversation about body parts with young kids than one about sharing nudes or gender-based violence with young adults.  They will test you with 'easier' questions at first. When you start early, your kid/s know that you are there if they need, know you will tell the truth, know that if you don't know the answer you will attempt to find it and get back to them. This builds trust and they seek you out again for harder questions/advice. 

Often sexuality and relationships education is thought to be "The Talk" an once off conversation about the 'birds and the bees', where everyone involved is so uncomfortable and can't wait for it to finish! Let's build the practice of ongoing, topical conversations that build as we get older. 

I am a single mum of three kids. I hadn't received comprehensive sexuality and relationships education from school or home, so I was adamant that I would provide a different experience with my kids. I believe this should start at birth! So my kids have always known that there is nothing that they can't tell me and that I will always be open to talking to them. 

I was so passionate about all kids, including mine, having a good sexuality and relationships education, that I set a program up in my kids primary school. I would often give advice to fellow parents and friends about this topic and support their kid/s who sometimes found themselves in crisis. 

I've worked in fitness, drug education, as a youth worker, support worker and sexuality and relationships educator before teaching at a uni. I now also get to train our future teachers in how to teach this topic (amongst all Health Education topics). I advocate for all teachers to build strong relationships with their kid/s' parent/s.

We have great Sexuality and Relationships Education curricula in Australia, teachers will be trained in due course so it is now time that parents are given priority to have the opportunity to learn. This is what I am presenting to you.

We offer evidence and strengths-based approaches to developing knowledge, understandings and skills to engage and communicate with your kid/s. Our sessions are informative, engaging, fun and will set you up for success in future communications with your kid/s. All sessions lead you through a reflexive process where you build an understanding of you as a sexuality and relationships educator of your kid/s.

Everybody comes to sexuality and relationships education with varying experiences, needs and wants, so a one size approach doesn't fit all. When a parent and their kid communicate - right there is now two lots of varied experiences, needs and wants. Who's experiences are more important, more valued or hold more weight? Our education seminars take an ethic of care approach, where we teach you when care underpins all the communication you have with your kid/s, everyone's experiences, needs and wants can be heard, understood and actioned. 

Going to be a parent for the first time, or have just begun that journey? We know that the earlier you start having conversations with your kid/s, the easier it is, especially when the issues get harder. At this young age, it's about planning your strategies, learning about the messages we are sending (both implicit and explicit) and developing a consistent and caring approach. It is never too early to start to think about how you will set up your communication style with your kid/s. 

Formal sexuality and relationships education starts in kindergartens and schools. Do you know how to support the kinder/school's curricula? Are you concerned about how you can best prepare your kid/s to engage with this. Learn about state and national curriculum and learn approaches that can help to start the conversations with your kid/s and keep these conversations going. The more you do earlier on the easier it is later when the issues get harder and have more consequences. 

Ever had a teenager block your attempts at communication, especially about sexuality and relationships education? They appear to know everything, and possibly more than you do? It's a tricky time! Regardless of their age they appreciate a consistent and caring communication style. Learn how an approach based on care can help start the conversations with your kid/s and keep these conversations going. It's never too late.

We offer a range of Professional Learning seminars for Maternal Child Health Centres, Early Childhood Settings, Primary and Secondary Schools to better engage with parents. Instead of just providing Parent Information Sessions, provide a Parent Education Program, where you build stronger relationships with parents and build a more authentic whole of school or community approach.

Ready to take the first step? Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your goals. We look forward to hearing from you!

Email: contact@communicatingwithyourkids.com.au

Phone: 0412 110 865