What does consent mean?
Merriam-Webster defines consent as "compliance in or approval of what is done or proposed by another." In the past year I feel like consent has been talked about a lot in the media. This is a good thing. Have we been talking to our kids about it though? I'm not so sure.
From a young age, we need to be teaching children to give consent. Here are some ways to do that.
In regarding to touching, kids should be given the option to give hugs and kisses (even to relatives). You can talk to the child in private about why Grandma wants a hug and why it might hurt Grandma's feelings to not have one but the child should not be forced to give one. The lets the child know that its his body, his choice.
As the child ages, talk to them more about ways to say no and that it is okay to walk away.
Let your kids know that if they are called names for not engaging in certain activities, that it is okay to be sad/embarrassed and that it also shows that they did the right thing. Think about it. If your daughter decided not to kiss a boy and he call her a prude, it means he is a jerk which reaffirms her decision to not kiss him.
Make sure you are also talking to your kids about making sure they receive consent. Both boys and girls need to know that when they touch another person, the other person needs to want them to do that. Talk to them about both verbal and non verbal ways they can tell the other person is enjoying what is going on.
Lastly, (it is sad that this has to even be brought up) if the person is unable to give consent for some reason, like they are passed out, then consent is NOT given. Make sure your child knows this.
