RESOURCES WE LOVE
for raising strong, connected tWeens
The resources on the site are meant for adults. However, we also included some resources that adults and youth can use together!
BULLYING prevention
List, 3 minute read
These scenarios are helpful to jumpstart conversations about bullying. You may need to adapt some depending on the child’s age or experiences.
Article, 5 minute read
These six steps are helpful if you find out your child is bullying another.
FAQs, 20-30 minute read
This is a helpful resource if your tween is being bullied or sexually harassed at school.
EMPATHY
Website
This is a great resource for empathy-related activities, tips, resource lists, discussion guides, and more to help you raise caring and ethical children who are concerned about others and the common good.
List, 3 minute read
This list of books helps teach young children about empathy. The link also includes links to other lists of books that parents, teachers, and caregivers may find helpful.
Healthy sexuality
Website
Sex Positive Families provides education and resources that help families raise sexually healthy children using a shame-free, comprehensive, and pleasure-positive approach.
Podcast
AMAZE.org creates free educational videos and resources to help families talk openly, honestly, and less awkwardly about sex, health, relationships, and growing up. Their goal is to help you become an askable parent through short, actionable podcast episodes.
Website/conversation guides
Without good sex education from parents and at school, porn becomes sex education. The Porn Conversation is a helpful resource for parents who want to talk with their kids about healthy sexuality and offers conversation guides to help you get started.
Website & web series
Every Body Curious is a fun and illuminating web series for young people (and their parents!) that explores the birds and the bees with ease in today’s digital landscape.
Website
Sexual education for young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities is extremely important. This website has a number of resources to help.
Online Safety & Responsibility
Toolkit, 30 minute read
The Online Safety Parent Toolkit breaks down the challenges related to online safety into a simple and practical guide to help parents with digital parenting in a rapidly changing world.
Document, 2 minute read
The Family Media Agreement helps you set realistic tech and media rules that make sense for your child and family.
body image & changes
List, 5 minutes
A Mighty Girl offers a list of books that can help parents of girls talk about bodies and self-esteem.
Video, 3 minutes
Messages about body image impact both girls and boys. Boys hear the message that in order to be more masculine they need to get a chiseled physique. This video includes tips on how to help your son develop a healthy body image.
Multiple videos & guides
AMAZE.org created many videos about puberty to help tweens and teens understand just what is happening with their bodies. The videos are accessible and fact-based and each is accompanied by information for youth, parents, and educators on how to talk about the topic addressed in the video.
Website & web series
Every Body Curious is a fun and illuminating web series for young people (and their parents!) that explores the birds and the bees with ease in today’s digital landscape.
Website
Gender Spectrum works to create gender-sensitive and inclusive environments for all children and teens.
Website
Planned Parenthood offers parents developmentally appropriate ways to talk about gender and sexual orientation and provides some context for your child’s development related to those topics.
gender, sexual orientation & identity
Sexting & Photo Sharing
Article, 5 minute read
This article provides helpful information for tweens and teens about sexting. It is also helpful content for parents to read because it helps model useful information and ways to talk about sexting.
Video, 2.5 minutes
AMAZE.org’s video features a scenario of sending nude photos via text or sexting. It covers the potential consequences of sending nude photos, such as the photos being shared with others or posted on the Internet. It also covers the legal consequences of having nude photos – in some states, it is considered child pornography or sexual harassment. The video emphasizes that while feeling attracted to someone is totally normal, there are more respectful ways to show someone you like them. The additional content includes information for youth, parents, and educators.
supporting survivors
Know Signs of Abuse
All adults who have or work with children should know the signs of child sexual abuse. This is a good tip sheet to learn about warning signs.
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If you are the parent of the child,
you can talk to an advocate here.
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