Talking about awkward subjects is hard at the best of times, however there are certain issues that parents need to tackle, to ensure their child is educated on the world they are growing into. From divorce to racism, these subjects are tough to explain to children and that’s why it’s vital to take care and approach all of these issues with sensitivity and respectfulness.Having these conversations will create trust with your child and it will also avoid certain subjects becoming a taboo. It’s important to create a safe talking space with your children, so that if they ever need to come and talk with you, they feel you will listen and be ready to deal with the situation, no matter now embarrassing it may be.
Although some parents may argue that 12 year olds are too young to know about these things, it is better that they learn it from you, a trusted, knowledgable adult, than through school friends and gossip. In the United Kingdom, many children start their high school journey at the age of 12 and being around older children and dealing with more grown up subjects will mean they have to hear about and be witness to things like sexual orientation, relationships and break ups.
It can often be tough to even begin the conversation, as you most likely haven’t had to explain anything like this before, and you still want to keep them safe from the problems each subject can cause. Make sure to choose a topic relevant to your lives to start it off with, don’t panic if they ask questions, and don’t come across as too assertive. After all, you’re trying to open a dialogue that they’ll hopefully feel they can come back to at any given time, without feeling too embarrassed or judged.
To lend a helping hand on the tricky topics, PlayLikeMum.com have tackled 11 of the issues you need to chat with your child about, at, or around the age of 12.
It’s also important to remember that every child is different and that parents will know when their children are ready to learn about these things.
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