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5. Sexual Literacy with Tweens and Teens

Episode #5

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/

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected]   Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

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