James Donaldson on Mental Health - How to Support Kids Who Are Questioning

Dealing with bullying Kids who are questioning may also be targets for bullying .

Whether or not your child is openly discussing their gender and sexual identity with you, it’s important to be ready to advocate for them.

If you suspect bullying, start by talking with your child about what they’re experiencing and how they want to handle it.

It’s best to get the child’s consent before talking to their teacher about bullying, Dr.

At the same time, you can let them know that it’s important to stand up for themselves and that you’re ready to back them up: “We don’t have to do it right away, but we might need to talk to your teacher if this keeps happening.” Later, you might consider going to the principal if your concerns aren’t addressed after working with the teacher.

Even if you don’t have specific concerns about bullying, it may be helpful to bring up the subject at your next parent-teacher conference.

How to handle your own challenging feelings It’s normal to experience upsetting feelings of your own if your child is questioning their gender or sexuality.

You might feel anxious about the challenges your child could face, how to share news about their identity with extended family, or how to support a child whose identity is different from your own.

In particular, parents of kids who are questioning their gender identity might feel a sense of mourning for the child they imagined they would have — the daughter who was going to walk down the aisle in a white dress, for example.

You might find it helpful to join a support group for parents for kids in similar situations.