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TalkStarter: Parents Are So Embarrassing

August 31, 2016 by Jill Whitney

When you’re a teenager, pretty much everything your parents do is embarrassing. But anything they say or do related to sex? Especially if anyone else is around? OMG–mortifying. Even if it’s been a long time since you were a teen, I bet you can remember things your parents said about sex that embarrassed you. This […]

Filed Under: Everyone, Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens, For Parents of Young Children, TalkStarters Tagged With: parenting, preteens, sexuality, teens

What Makes It So Hard to Talk about Sex?

August 10, 2016 by Jill Whitney

When I tell people that I write about sexuality, some are enthusiastic or curious. More often, people cringe, or get pale, or flush. Sex is such an uncomfortable topic that we have a physical reaction to the mere mention of it. Folks have sex and (hopefully) enjoy it…but talking about it is a whole ‘nuther […]

Filed Under: Everyone, Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens, For Parents of Young Children Tagged With: communication, parenting, relationships, sex, sexuality

TalkStarter for Teens: So, What Are You Reading These Days?

August 3, 2016 by Jill Whitney

Is the stuff your kids read having an impact on their understanding of sex and relationships? Probably. Whether that’s a good thing or not so good may depend on the material—and whether you’ve given them context that helps them put their reading in perspective. Some teens are big readers; others may rarely pick up a […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: books, parenting, reading, sexuality, teens

Does Your Teen Know This Crucial Fact about Sex?

July 27, 2016 by Jill Whitney

We live in a world where we—and our kids—are bombarded by sex. TV, movies, and other media are chock-full of casual sex, jokes about sex, pitying comments about the few poor unlucky souls who aren’t getting laid…. It seems like every (non-pitiful) young person you see on screen is having sex—a lot of sex—often casually–and […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: hooking up, parenting, sex, teens

Why Do Little Boys Stop Dancing?

July 20, 2016 by Jill Whitney

If you happen to be at a family-friendly music event (say, a concert in the park), notice who’s dancing. Here’s what I’ve seen: Toddlers and preschoolers of any gender get right up there and move their bodies. They sway and jump and wriggle to the music with great delight and big grins, clearly having a […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens, For Parents of Young Children Tagged With: boys, children, dancing, parenting, sons

Teens, Power, & Sex

July 6, 2016 by Jill Whitney

There’s so much going on in teens’ social world that it can be hard for parents to know where to start. Even if kids were inclined to talk with parents about school social dynamics (which they usually aren’t), they’re so immersed in it that they have no frame of reference. We may not know the […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: dating, parenting, power, sex, teenagers, teens

TalkStarter: Gender and Restrooms

June 22, 2016 by Jill Whitney

There’s been a lot in the news lately about who can use which restrooms. A recent federal mandate requires schools to permit students to use the restroom that matches their gender identity, even if that’s not the sex on their birth certificate. Whatever your views on the subject, it’s a great opener for talking with […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens, TalkStarters Tagged With: gender, gender identity, parenting, sexuality, teens, transgender

Protecting Your Child from Heartbreak

June 8, 2016 by Jill Whitney

We want to keep our kids safe, physically and emotionally. We don’t want them to be hurt or disappointed—especially the deep kind of hurt that comes from unrequited love or the end of a relationship. Woe to any teenage boy or girl who breaks the heart of my beloved child! Alas, there’s nothing you can […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: breakups, dating, heartbreak, parenting, teens

Talking about Sex: What a Difference a Word Makes

June 1, 2016 by Jill Whitney

Often, it’s not so much what we say as the way we say it. Case in point: the words we use to talk about sex, especially when talking with our children (or whenever they can hear us). Think about these alternatives: Have sex Screw Fornicate Do one’s “wifely duty” Get laid F**k Be intimate Make […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens, For Parents of Young Children Tagged With: children, parenting, sex ed, sexuality, teens

The Key to Getting Teens to Open Up

May 26, 2016 by Jill Whitney

There’s so much going on in your teen’s head and heart—but that doesn’t mean you’re hearing about it. When our darling little kids become adolescents, parents can feel that there’s a wall between us and them. We care so much about what’s going on inside them, but they may be reluctant to share. This is […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens, TalkStarters Tagged With: communication, parenting, teens

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About the Author

Jill Whitney is a licensed marriage and family therapist dedicated to improving communication about relationships, sexuality, and intimacy. Learn more about her and her practice at Green Tree Professional Counseling.

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