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Talking to Your Teen About Consent and Dating
The consent conversation at home isn't a one-time talk — it's an ongoing dialogue that starts with respect and boundaries and grows into dating and relationships. This guide gives parents age-appropriate language to start these conversations without sounding like a lecture or a legal textbook. The key is to make it normal: consent is just respect, applied to bodies and relationships.
Steps
- Start with respect, not sex: ask 'What makes someone worth dating?' and 'How do you know when someone respects you?'
- Make consent normal: 'Consent isn't just about sex — it's about asking before you touch someone, borrow something, or share a photo.'
- Teach the ongoing rule: 'Consent isn't a contract you sign once. It's a check-in every time. Someone can change their mind.'
- Address alcohol directly: 'If someone's been drinking, they can't give consent. That's not a technicality — that's someone's body and life.'
- Give them language: 'If you're ever not sure if someone wants to do something, just ask. It's not awkward — it's respectful.'
- Talk about silence: 'If someone isn't saying no but isn't saying yes, that's not consent. Only an enthusiastic yes counts.'