Tips for Raising an LGBTQ Teen

Raising an LGBTQ teen? Here are 5 tips:

1. Be accepting. It’s important to be accepting of your teen, regardless of his/her sexual orientation (who he/she is attracted to) and gender identity (what gender he/she consider’s him/herself to be). He/she is the same person; your child.

2. Praise them for coming out. Coming out could be one of the hardest things your child does. Every time he/she comes out to a person, he/she is risking their friendship with them; so praise your child for it because it takes a lot of courage.

3. Listen and keep and open mind. This goes along with trust, if you listen and have effective communication with your child he/she is more likely to trust you and open up more.

4. Become educated about it. Learn the language and terminology surrounding this community so you can communicate with your child.

5. Connect with other LGBTQ families. This is a good way to support your child, it opens doors and connects your child to other teens who are having similar experiences.