Talking about dating before they're dating
[Two-sentence summary of what this teaches, written from its sources.]
If something happened to you, it was not your fault. Learning to protect yourself is never a way of saying otherwise.
Still to write
Working description: Red flags and the helpline, before they need them.
Why this matters now
Still to write
Why this conversation matters at this age, numbered to the sources: T26, T16, T14.
How to start
Still to write
Ways in that don't feel like a lecture: small pieces, ordinary moments, before it's needed.
Questions to talk through together
Still to write
Three or four questions or scenarios to talk through, from the sources.
If they tell you something
Still to write
How to respond if your teen tells you about something that happened to them or a friend, and where to get help. Needs expert review.
Sources
- Expect Respect · Helping Teens Make Choices About Sex · Teen Dating Violence: Tips for Parents (AAP / HealthyChildren.org) (T26)
- loveisrespect: warning signs · types of abuse · helping your teen set boundaries (National Domestic Violence Hotline) (T16)
- About Teen Dating Violence (CDC) (T14)
Summarized from public sources with the help of AI, reviewed by Stacy Willis.