Teens and Adults Learning Knowledge and Skills About Sex – TALKS About Sex!

Dr. Karen Rayne presents a four-session class for parents on how to talk with children and teenagers more easily and effectively about issues of sex and sexuality.

Topics include: Current trends in adolescent sexuality, common assumptions about adolescent sexuality (right and wrong!), parental hopes vs. adolescent reality, and talking with your teenager (what to do, what not to do, and how to get started). There is plenty of time for bringing specific questions to the class. More specific information about the course and course content is available below.

Cost is $175/individual or $300/couple.

For more information:
E-mail: karen@karenrayne.com
Blog: www.karenrayne.com

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First Meeting – Adolescent Sexuality Today: An Introduction
The first gathering sets the tone for the subsequent group meetings. We begin by introducing ourselves and talking about what brought us to this class. We discuss group rules, including issues of confidentiality, respect, and language. The remainder of the first meeting is devoted to discussing current trends in adolescent sex, sexuality, and romantic involvement.

Homework: Write a narrative of your most important memories about sex and sexuality from childhood through adolescence up to the time you assumed your adult life. You may keep your writing private, or you may bring it to the next meeting to share if you open about it.

Second Meeting – What We Assume
In the second class we will talk about what kinds of assumptions we have about adolescents, particularly in reference to their sexual and romantic relationships. Sometimes assumptions may be based on our own adolescent experiences, rather than our children’s or our adolescent’s experiences. We will talk about sexual/romantic assumptions both in general terms and in specific individual terms where and when it is appropriate and the parent feels comfortable doing so.

Homework: For each of your children, answer the following question: How would you like to see your child engaging (or not) romantically, physically, and emotionally, at the following ages: 11, 13, 16, 18, 21, and 30. Begin at the age your child is currently if she/he is older than any of the listed ages. Bring your answers to the next meeting for discussion.

Third Meeting – Our Hopes vs. Reality
In the third class, parents will share and discuss their hopes about their children and teenagers’ budding sexuality and romantic involvements. We will relate these hopes to our assumptions of adolescent sexuality. After allowing these hopes to be spoken, we will talk about the reality of adolescent sexual behavior, and how to guide teenagers along the path to responsible sexuality. We will end with a discussion of how to best respond to our teenagers if they take a different path than we hope for them.

Homework: Initiate a conversation about sex, sexuality, gender, or romantic relationships with your child or teenager about a topic that is currently relevant to you or your teenager. Later, write a description of the conversation, including how you initiated it, how your child reacted to your initiation, what topics you talked about, and how the conversation was brought to a close. Bring your description to the next meeting for discussion.

Fourth Meeting – Talking With and/or At Your Teenager: What To Do, What Not To Do
We will begin with everyone sharing their conversation experience with their teenagers. Actually talking with your teenagers about sex can be an intimidating process. Therefore, this final meeting is designed to be very practical in format. Using the conversation descriptions as a starting point, Karen will work with parents to create a set of guidelines for language, usage, and approach for conversations with teenagers about sex.