6 Ways Parents Can Inculcate The Idea Of Consent In Young Kids

Consent is a term that children must know about at a very young stage. It is the duty of parents to teach their kids what it means, how to implement it and what to do when someone else tries to cross this boundary.

According to Interpol data, India reported 24 lakh cases of online child sexual abuse between 2017 and 2020. Of those victims, 80% of them were girls below the age of 14. Almost every day, we see a headline about a child abuse case somewhere in India.

Hence, it is imperative that we start teaching our kids about consent. It will help them understand their surroundings and develop them into a better adult.

Here are a few tips for parents to teach kids about consent.

Never Force A Child To Hug, Kiss & Touch Anybody

If your kid is resistant to kissing or hugging someone, you must favour their wish. You can give them an alternative to maybe blow a kiss. According to Talk With Your Kid, you can always speak to other adults and explain why their kid was resistant before.

You can also tell adults that respect the wish of your child and not force a hug or kiss. You have to choose what is right for your kid.

Teach About Absolutely Not Okay Touch

In a video of India Ahead, Sexuality Educator Anju Krish asked parents to teach kids about good touch, bad touch and an ‘absolutely not okay touch’. She asked adults to teach children good touches like a high-five or a pat on the back.

You should also tell them about bad touches that hurt them like slapping or pinching. Last comes the ‘absolutely not okay touch’ where a kid should know that touching private parts is off boundaries. If any child ever comes across such a scenario, they must immediately leave the room, lock themselves alone in a room or bathroom and report to any neighbour or other adult, if they can.

No Means No

As parents, you not only have to understand this concept but also imbibe it within your kids. You can start it by teaching children by not forcing them to do something. It will help them understand where the line is drawn and when they cannot cross it.

For example, if a child says that their stomach is full, believe them. We know that you know better about them, but allowing them to listen to what their body is telling them is a good thing.

Call Every Body Part By Its Name

Swati Jagdish, Sexuality Educator & Location Counsellor, asked parents in the video to help kids identify private parts with their actual names like vulva (issues your vagina might be suffering) or penis. The culture of associating the word ‘shame’ with these can create curiosity in a bad way.

However, when you teach your kids to call every part of the body by its name, it becomes a natural thing much like our hands, eyes, stomach and other body parts.

Ask Permission

You cannot just list a few guidelines and think that children have understood them. You have to be patient and teach them about consent in the littlest of things. For example, you must always seek their permission before kissing, hugging or changing clothes.

You must tell your child (how to motivate teenagers) that it is only who can remove their clothes before or after the bath or when they have to use the washroom. It will inculcate the habit of seeking permission before touching anyone. You must also tell the adult around them to do the same.

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Teach Them To Read Facial Expressions

It is not a one-day job that you can get over it. It will need a lot of time, and you will have to keep playing charade. You must teach them what a happy, sad or frustrated face looks like.

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It will help them become empathetic towards others. Most importantly, it will help them identify the intentions of other adults. It could help them avoid people whose company make them feel uncomfortable.

As adults, we need to create a safe space for our kids to talk about things that bother them emotionally and physically. It will only be a step to building a better future where no kid or adult feels unsafe.