When believing children say they are gay
In reality, regardless of how you feel, the way you respond in the first five minutes could set the tone for your child for years to come. On the contrary, you may feel angry or shocked. So, what might that look like? Likewise, you may struggle with the idea and have a natural tendency to shut down the conversation or put it off as merely a phase they're going through.
Devon Mills is a licensed therapist in Atlanta, GA, we'll highlight five powerful things you can do to help create a place of safety and love, regardless of how you feel about your child's sexual orientation. Learn how to support and understand your child when they come out as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Your child has just come out to you as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. As a result, the news may simply confirm your suspicions, and the conversation may be easy. As a result, this could also affect your teen's plans for college and largely impact their future.
We turned to experts to learn more about what to say and how to offer support to your LGBTQ+ kid. The best way to respond is through genuine curiosity. Therefore, your child likely wrestled with this consequence long before they chose to talk to you. There's a difference between being curious versus inquisitive versus going into problem-solving mode.
Before any child or teen talks to their parents, they must work through a variety of potential fears they realize they could soon face. Do check your tone. How do you respond to your child telling you they're gay? As a result, they may believe they're gay. Do become curious.
Next, they may fear you will kick them out. First, they may feel less attraction to the opposite gender. You may not have been expecting to hear the words "I'm gay" from your child. So, what do you do now? As such, their thoughts and fears leading up to this moment were likely intense and worrisome.
It's no secret that many kids' parents refuse to accept that they're gay. If your child comes out to you, how you react matters. In response to your teen being gay, you may feel the urge to say, "We'll pray the gay away." Likewise, you may feel inclined to tell your child this is a phase or how wrong they are for their choice.
Having this conversation with your child may be difficult, especially if you weren't anticipating the news. Next, they may not feel interested in their same gender, and they're exploring what that means to them. What should you do?. Not only did you never envision it, but your religious beliefs and values also do not align with same-sex relationships.
A lot of feelings may come up when your child comes out. As a parent, you may have had the inclination that your child may be gay. In an ideal world, the response would be, "We love you no matter what and always will. As such, they've decided they can no longer hold it in and want you to know.
In this article, we'll discuss the critical moments after your child comes to you and says, "I'm gay. As you respond, you can ask a question like, "Help me understand, what does it mean when you say you're gay? Finally, it could mean they feel a sexual attraction to the same gender, and they can confirm it is part of their identity.
Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for parents to tell their child they must find a new place to live. For example, when it comes to sexual orientation, the top concern is often the fear of losing your love. Therefore, expressing your unconditional love and praising them for their courage could be pivotal for you and your teen.