I’m Talking to My 5-Year-Old Son About Sexual Assault, and It’s Not Too Early
8 years ago
A few weeks ago, my husband and I were at a weekend gathering with food, friends, and a handful of kids running around. My 5-year-old son — the biggest one at the party — was chasing the other kids while playing Monster. The children ran around the kitchen yelling, "Don't get me, monster!" and their happy and imagination-filled squeals nourished our souls. But then the cute squeals turned into a worry-filled, "Stop! No!" My son had jokingly tackled a 4-year-old girl. While he didn't do any damage and genuinely thought they were all just playing, I knew I needed to act immediately.
Any other time, I would have taken my son aside and given him a quick but stern chat about being more gentle when playing with other kids. But this time, in this moment, I felt the heavy responsibility as a parent to do more. The Time's Up and #MeToo movements have made me much more aware of the importance of teaching both my son and daughter about sexual assault. The courageous women who are..