Kansas City, Mo. - Sex. Alcohol. Other Drugs. Harassment. Eating disorders. Violence. Abuse. These are some of the toughest topics for parents to discuss with their children.
Who wants to drag ugly realities into a child's world? Unfortunately, the real world is working its way into childhood earlier and earlier, and the best way for parents to rear healthy children, in the midst of all of this, is to talk to them about the tough stuff.
Parents cite many reasons for not talking to their children about tough subjects. But the most common, by far, is not knowing what to say. They never had these conversations with their parents, so they have no model to follow. They often don't know enough about the topics to feel comfortable answering questions, and they sometimes don't even know what words to use, especially when it comes to talking about sex or drugs.
Parents need information to feel comfortable talking to their children about tough subjects. Armed with the facts, they can start these conversations with confidence.
Information is available from different sources, but one of the best is your family physician. Your family physician can answer your questions and has lots of information to share with you and your child. Parents know that the materials from their family physician are up-to-date and factual.
Talking with your children about tough subjects may never be easy, but it can be more comfortable. Get the information you need from your family physician and then get started! Once you start talking, you might find it's hard to stop.
To talk to a family physician about tough subjects that affect children, call Dawn Zimmer at (800) 274-2237.
