Esperanza United departments

Take action in your community You’ve developed language and now you and your children have come to understand your own world views; your views may differ from your children’s but you each respect each other and your opinions. Now the question becomes: How do we act in accordance with our values […]

Take action: Healthy relationships ​Here are some ideas for ways to take action to promote healthy relationships. As you learn more and talk more about healthy relationships, it may happen that youth or other adults will tell you that they are experiencing violence. Here are five questions that you can ask […]

Addressing confrontation ​Violent relationships in adolescence can have serious ramifications by putting victims at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behaviors, and further domestic violence. Teaching your children to control themselves when faced with confrontation will equip them with tools to build healthy relationships. Teach assertiveness, not aggressiveness […]

Understanding boundaries Discussing the importance of boundaries with your children is one of the foundational steps to understanding limits and respect for oneself and others. Set limits Limits create structure and stability. For example, if your child wants to purchase a violent video game, you have the right and responsibility to […]

Healthy relationships Whether with friends, at work, in families, or in intimate relationships, healthy relationships are based on mutual respect, trust, honesty, support, fairness, equality, separate identities, and good communication. Start talking While every family is different, characteristics of healthy family relationships include: Support, love, and caring for family members Security […]

Expressing our sexuality ​Although having “the talk” can be daunting, it is vital that your children understand your values and that they have correct information. Talk about consent Consent is simple – it is an unambiguous “yes.” It’s possible to teach even young children about consent. Doing so not only reinforces […]

Exploring our sexuality Understand that it is natural for your children to touch themselves Take off the “adult glasses,” consider what the behavior means to the child, and what the impacts of your response might be. Teach them this is private behavior; if the child is touching his or her genitals […]

Understanding our bodies Start early Affirm that the body is a good and special thing. Small children (infants and toddlers) touch themselves as they discover their bodies. They also often ask the names of different body parts. Tell them the names using appropriate language. When teaching your toddler about the nose […]

Is now a good time? When young children want information and advice, they go to their parents first. Once they reach their teenage years, they tend to rely more on friends, the media, and others people for information. As a parent, you have a wonderful opportunity to reach your children before […]

Healthy sexuality ​The strategy is simple: Tell the truth — that is, that sex and sexuality are pleasures as well as responsibilities. Start talking As children are exposed to new ideas and experiences, it can be hard to know what to say. Nobody has all of the answers; what is most […]