Source: CNN.com
Unsettling the coming out process of a child where their parents deny it and ask them to act more normal is what takes a toll on kids. Another is denial: One young came out to his conventional parents in a session. Their immediate rejection has caused a rift to this day. He's hurt by their rejection, but not broken -- he's happily in a relationship with a man his parents have never met. Some parents make their kids feel less than OK and others reject their kids. Then there are the supportive parents, who join their kids on this path. I work with a transgender boy who has been on his transition journey together with his parents. Their journey has not only brought them closer together, but he tells me his parents' support saved his life. How a parent reacts to their child's coming out process is crucial. Supportive parents can create a spirit of collaboration, and a soft place to fall when these situations prove trying. It can be difficult for parents in my practice to process, much less accept, their LGBTQ+ child. Initially, most feel undereducated and ill-prepared.
Some feel a sense of fear and even grief. It's still important to try.
Parents need to talk with their kids and listen to them, about their own sexuality, and acceptance of that of others. Otherwise, kids may be maintaining a wholly unnecessary, but emotionally taxing, secret from you. Parents can free them from that burden.Also read: How Dr. Becky Became the Millennial Parenting Whisperer
