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TalkStarter for Teens: What Counts as “Having Sex”?

April 9, 2020 by Jill Whitney

When we talk about having sex, what, exactly, are we talking about? On one level, this may seem obvious. Most often we mean sexual intercourse: penis-in-vagina (PIV) sex. But if you stop to think about it, isn’t there a lot more to people’s sexual experiences? Is PIV the only thing that counts as sex? This […]

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

How College Kids Really Feel about Hookups

August 13, 2019 by Jill Whitney

The whole hookup trend fascinates me. I get that for some people, sex with no strings can be fun and exciting. But most of the young people I talk with either don’t have much casual sex or don’t really like it when they do. So how did hooking up get to be such a big […]

Filed Under: Everyone, Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: college, hookups, sexuality

Should Your Kids See You Naked?

July 24, 2019 by Jill Whitney

When kids are infants, privacy is nonexistent. Nursing babies spend a lot of time with mom’s bare breasts. You might keep an eye on little ones by bringing them into the bathroom when you pee or shower (I sure did). They may sleep in the same bedroom you do. We see our babies naked all […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens, For Parents of Young Children Tagged With: kids, little kids, nudity, parenting, privacy, sexuality

What Teens Learn from Self Pleasuring

May 14, 2019 by Jill Whitney

I know, I know…it’s almost too weird to even think about. But you remember being a teen. You remember the sexual feelings that could be so strong, whether or not you acted on them. So if you’re the parent of a teen, you have an idea what’s going on for them, even if, you know, […]

Filed Under: Everyone, Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: masturbation, parenting, self-pleasuring, sexuality, teens

With Birds & Bees, Questions Matter as Much as Answers

February 19, 2019 by Jill Whitney

It can be hard to talk about sexuality with kids. It’s even harder if you think you need to have all the answers. Good news! You don’t need to know everything in order to be a valuable resource to your kids. Rather than worrying much about information, pay attention to the emotional tone of how […]

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

Casual Sex: Is It Right for You?

January 22, 2019 by Jill Whitney

Sometimes it seems like everyone is having sex with lots of people they hardly know. That’s actually not the case; many people choose physical intimacy only when they feel emotionally intimate. Other people have sex casually and love it; others hook up and don’t really like it. One size does not fit all. The key […]

Filed Under: Everyone, Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: casual sex, dating, hookups, sex, sexuality

Men, Women, & Self-Pleasuring

November 13, 2018 by Jill Whitney

Most people self-pleasure at least sometimes. Some people do it a lot. It’s normal. It’s healthy. But we don’t talk about it much. Well, sure, masturbation is private. But we need to talk about it enough that people know there’s nothing wrong with touching yourself in whatever ways feel good. That’s true for both men […]

Filed Under: Everyone, Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: masturbation, self-pleasuring, sexuality, teen sexuality

What to Say When Your Kid Comes Out

October 9, 2018 by Jill Whitney

It’s one of those conversations that’s always a watershed moment. When someone is gay, bisexual, transgender, or otherwise LGBTQ, there comes a time to tell the family. I’ve never met an LGBTQ person for whom this conversation was no big deal. For most, it’s somewhere between anxiety-producing and terrifying. Will they hate me? shame me? […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: coming out, parenting, sexual orientation, sexuality, teens

Birds & Bees TalkStarter: The Kavanaugh Accusations

September 18, 2018 by Jill Whitney

Whatever your views on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court and the recent accusations against him, one thing is certain: It’s an excellent opportunity for a conversation with your teen about sex and consent. Some teens may be aware of the headlines; others may be oblivious. If your teen hasn’t mentioned anything […]

Filed Under: Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: consent, date rape, Kavanaugh, parenting, sex ed, sexuality, teens

If Your Body Is Aroused, Does that Mean You Consent?

August 7, 2018 by Jill Whitney

Consent is a complex topic. In theory, it’s easy: No means No and Yes means Yes. In reality, things can be murkier. Minds can change; someone can think a partner’s mind has changed when it hasn’t; there may be mixed signals. One way signals can be mixed is when a person’s body is aroused but […]

Filed Under: Everyone, Featured, For Parents of Teens and Preteens Tagged With: arousal, consent, sexuality

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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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