When you’ve chosen to sit down and talk to your child about pornography, how you enter into the conversation can seriously impact the tone and the outcome. Here’s the second part of our discussion on taking time to prepare yourself for the conversation:

Find a safe person and share your thoughts.

Do you feel shocked, sad, repulsed, embarrassed, disappointed – in your son/daughter? Or in yourself? Do you feel disrespected, hurt or ill-equipped? It will be very helpful for you to find a safe, healthy place to vent and process your underlying feelings so that they don’t all come flying out like daggers when you are talking with your child.

Not exactly sure that you have a “safe” venting place?

Deb Laaser defines safe community this way: “It is a place where you can open your heart, admit your inadequacies, own your mistakes, share your anger and grief, or just vent. You can be you, with all of your flaws, and still be accepted and encouraged and loved. In return, safe [people] will also share their stories, be vulnerable, and not try to fix you. They will listen to you, comfort you, and encourage you. That is safe community.”

If you want to talk to a professional counselor for more support or for more specific help and direction, check out our list of GROW therapists.

Check out additional blogs on:

• Talking with Your Teen About Porn: Is Today’s Porn Really Harmless?
• Talking with Your Teen About Porn: Overcoming Barriers
• Talking with your Teen About Porn: Having the Conversation(s)

Mindy Pierce, LPC
mpierce @ growcounseling.com

Photo Cred: Anna Levinzon