Q: My son is being teased about liking a girl. How can I help him?
Skills
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It is important that you talk to your son and ask him what happened. Try to find out who is doing the teasing and how long it has been going on. You want your son to know that his feelings matter to you, so be sure to ask him how it makes him feel when he is being teased. Reassure him that there is nothing wrong with liking a girl and that he doesn’t have to be ashamed about it. Encourage him to practice standing up to the children who are teasing him by role playing with you. Make sure to tell him that he can always ask for help or walk away if he does not feel comfortable standing up for himself, and that he should tell you if he continues to be teased at school.
Jennie Ito, Ph.D.
Child Development Expert
Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.