Healthy Relationships
Parents Say
"We wanted our daughter to really think about the kind of person she wanted to be with. She appreciates how supportive and loving her boyfriend really is."
Veronica and Roberto, parents of 16-year-old Angelica
Talking to Your Children about Relationships
Part of being a teenager is exploring new relationships. This is exciting for teens, but can be scary for parents, who don’t want to see their kids get hurt. Relationships can be supportive and help people learn more about themselves. They can also be difficult and frustrating. Your teen needs your help learning about the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships.
Share your values.
You can help your teen understand what it means to be in a healthy relationship. By talking to your teen about respect, healthy relationships, and what your teen wants out of his/her relationships, you can help your teen stay away from or get out of unhealthy relationships.
Talk to your teen about what you want for him or her:
- “I want you to have a boyfriend who respects you.”
- “I want you to have a girlfriend you feel really comfortable being around.”
Ask about what’s important to your teen.
Here are some questions you can ask your teen to get started talking about relationships:
- What would your ideal relationship be like?
- What do you look for in a boyfriend?
- What comes to your mind when you think of real love?
- What comes to mind when you think of abuse?
By sharing your values and listening to what’s important to your teen, you can help your teen think about what she or he really wants in a relationship.
