Consent is defined as giving permission for something to happen. At its core, consent is the notion that we should respect one another’s boundaries, in order to be safe, preserve dignity, and build healthy relationships. Teaching kids and teens about the skills of consent can help reduce sexual coercion, harassment, and even assault.
Resources to Teach Kids and Teens
Conversations about consent can begin as early as preschool and continue throughout childhood and the teen years. The following resources help guide these talks in age-appropriate ways.
-TeachConsent.org offers resources for parents and teachers to teach kids about consent.
-My post, Talking to Kids About Consent, includes additional resources and videos that I have found helpful.
–This article by the Harvard Graduate School of Education breaks down how to talk about consent at different ages and stages of child development, from preschool to high school.
A Book for Teens that Touches on the Importance of Consent
A few weeks ago, I attended a writer’s conference where Laurie Halse Anderson, author of the award-winning young adult novel “Speak” was the keynote. I’m reading “Speak” now along with my daughter. It’s a profound look at rape, high school dynamics, and speaking up.
My daughter and I have been talking a lot about consent, courage and speaking up in our house lately and this book opens the door to many more conversations. Thank you Laurie for your groundbreaking and courageous work!
“Courage = Doing the hard thing in the presence of fear.”
– Laurie Halse Anderson
Teaching consent is an important part of educating your child about sexual health. It’s a fundamental concept that can be taught at any age.
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This book is even more important in light of the current National discussion about sexual assault and its survivors. Bravo for reading it with your daughter, and starting the conversation!
I totally agree Amy! A really important time for these conversations. I’ve been trying to carefully increase awareness, but not instill unnecessary fear in my daughter. Reading books together is always a great place to start.