Talking to Your Kids About Healthy Relationships

By Jessica Gada, MA, LGPC, JCADA's Teen and Young Adult Clinician

A recent article in the Washington Post offered practical advice for parents on talking to children about healthy relationships. The article featured local therapist, Robyn Brickel, who owns a private practice in Alexandria, VA, and works with the DV prevention program, Saving Promise. Brickel reminds us that, "repetition is the best way to learn," so starting conversations early on —and having them frequently—is essential. 

Here are a few of her tips for talking about relationships:

• Make your home one where kids can have dinner and hang out. That way, you're going to have the option of seeing relationships. And if all of a sudden your child doesn't want to bring someone over, that may be a not-great sign.
• If friends of your child don't like their boyfriend/girlfriend, that's a big tell.
• If your child suddenly starts thinking differently, or doing things differently, you need to pay attention.
• Be curious. Ask questions as straightforward as, "How are things going with Johnny?" It can start a conversation, or show you where there may be issues to deal with.
• Make sure kids know — and this is one of those things that you can develop over time— that healthy relationships are about respect. No pressure, no control.
• Let them know that it is supposed to be fun! The hard stuff shouldn't come until later.

JCADA strives to promote healthy communication between children and their parents by offering a range of programming that includes:  It’s Not Love, #healthyfriendships,  prevention workshops focused on healthy teen dating and friendships, respectively; individual and group therapy for teens and young adults (14+); and outreach through various social media platforms that promote and provide access to helpful resources for families of all backgrounds.

Remember, encouraging an open relationship between you and your children begins with taking them seriously and validating what they say.  Follow Robyn Brickel on Facebook by clicking here, or read the full article in which she was featured here.

Joyce, Amy (2014, March 14). How to ensure your child will have healthy relationships. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/regional/