What WorldlyAndre said:
tolerance, respect and understanding
from infancy.
Open Mind
At what age would you dicuss homosexuality with your children?
by llbh 40 Replies latest jw friends
-
Open mind
-
Mincan
Knowledge is power. As soon as the opportunity arose, and they can understand what I mean.
-
chickpea
really hits close to home here.... my 14 YO daughter has approached me with all trepidation several months ago now, telling me she was bi-sexual... i admire her for that forthrightness and courage as at the time i was not sure if i was in/out as far as the borg goes.....
for the record, i told her " i do not care if you are attracted to insects... YOU are too young for any kind of intimacy and so is any one else you might be attacted to.... too young for the emotional and mental rigors of a committed relationship, blah blah blah......"
i think it was in that moment i decided i wanted my kids in my life for all time..... and d@mn the judgmental and narrow viciousness of the uber-righteous....
that being said..... she later told me that she KNEW in 5th grade she was different ( and the shame and horror she felt sitting in the KH listening to damnation and judgment).... that age is about 10 or 11, so i think your child is ready for, at lthe very least, an introduction to the possibility that there are other lifestyles.....
now she has progressively revealed she believes she is a lesbian.... and i STILL dont care except i maintain she is too young for ANY of it..... and we are comfortable where it stands..... she rolls her eyes and i quote the studies in the Frontline report on the teen brain..... it is all good....
-
llbh
Open Mind - from infancy only if appropriate imo
Maddie i agree that children do vary in maturity therefore we need to be aware how mature they are, the corollary of that is we must communicate and thereby understand them, our children.
Momz The coming out of your sister shows the need to think about this, as we are more aware of, and likely to knowingly meet gay people..
regards llbh
-
momzcrazy
Although I wasn't necessarily surprised, it was a big shock to have HER accept it and decide to live it. It honestly came out of the blue. Her disassociation is being announced tonight. Or however they do it now.
momz
-
darkuncle29
You could slightly turn the table and directly ask your son, "Son, what do you think about ...?" and take it from there. Or you could sit down with him and tell him that "This conversation is for him to ask ANY questions that he wants answers to, and you'll give him no BS answers." Such a conversation might be hard to start, to break the tension, but once it gets going takes on a life of its own.
-
helncon
Personally it should be talked about from a young age. Not in depth but how people love differently. Gradually over the years you can explain more.
For my daughter (9) has picked up a few things mainly she plays the sims and that you can have two men or two women fall in love.
For her it is different as we have no gay friends. Though i have explained that either two men or two women can love each other and be a family just like hers.
Also just on the weekend the little girl from accross the road (she is 8)came over and they had been playing and when she left she was talking about how they were role playing(like having a different name) and that she was a lesbian !!!!!!
Helen
-
Open mind
llbh said:
Open Mind - from infancy only if appropriate imo
I'm sure we're on the same page here, llbh, but I'll split the hair just to make sure.
I excised the words "tolerance, respect and acceptance" from Worldly Andre. Those concepts alone should be fine for an infant. The infant can observe his parents openly, honestly, happily engaging with those around them regardless of whether they happen to be a different skin color, sexual preference, nationality, etc.
As for the specifics of what homosexuality means, uh no, I think I'd wait a while. But not too long in this culture which is still pretty homophobic, IMO.
Open Mind
-
llbh
Hi Momz, How prescient eh? This DA df is really wrong, why should they care? I think we that they should not be bothered what we do or do not do in the bedroom. It is our business .Why the need to feel guilty?
Chickpea I think that the way you dealt with your 14y daughter is great!! That more than illustrates the need to talk and also to accept people for what they are and not what we think they should be!!
The sad thing is I could never have this conversation with my JW wife and daughter.
llbh
-
momzcrazy
She feels no guilt. Just wants the "loving" visits from the elders and pioneers to stop. It is good to have a period before starting a new sentence. She also felt the need to explain her new life, as her late husband was the service overseer and she had friends in some elders. One we have known for nearly 20 yrs.
I feel no need to explain myself to any elders, but none have been bothering me as they have her.
momz