What to Say? How to Talk to Kids About Non-Monogamy, Sex, Kink and Other Stuff

Talking to kids about topics like non-monogamy, sex, intimacy, kink and relationships can sometimes  feel daunting parents. It's easy to worry about saying the wrong thing, making things awkward, or just plain messing it up. 

In this episode, we sit down with sexuality educator Ms. Ashley Robertson for a deep dive into guiding these conversations with kids of all ages—from toddlers to teens and beyond!

Together, we share practical tips, advice, and recommended approaches for discussing these topics at every stage. We cover what the focus should be, how to approach these subjects, which words to use, and even how long these conversations should go.

We also discuss what not to say, how to avoid oversharing, and ways to build a “scaffold” of knowledge that helps your kids climb layer by layer without falling off.

We touch on essentials like when and how to introduce non-monogamy and partners to kids, what to say if a partner is no longer in your life, and how to manage those moments when kids bring up people from your past that you’d rather forget. And we explore concepts like “chosen family,” the “onion” and “buffet” analogies, being an “askable adult,” consent and how kids are “bystanders”, the “skipping stones” strategy for teens and more!

Plus, we answer questions from our Let’s Talk Polyamory community. 

And… spoiler alert ...a lot of these tips are great for adult conversations, too!

Tune in for practical advice, a few laughs, and all the insights you need to make these talks a little less intimidating and a lot more meaningful!

You’re going to love it!

Resources:

• Black Friday Poly Newbies Digital Course Offer at $27 for 6 months of access - https://courses.letstalkpolyamory.com/polynewbiesblackfriday
• Website Ms. Ashley Robertson: https://www.msashleyrobertson.com/
• Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/msashleyrobertson 
• Ms. Ashely's booklist - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WaZGbek31WYEbHcdPB3NJd4CKj5dIUhmjmmOL3zheAM/edit?usp=sharing - The 2 books mentioned in our conversation: Penny and the Plain Piece of Paper by Miri Leshem-Pell and Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson
• DSM -  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. We specifically referred to the DSM-5 - This is an article that might be helpful - https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/fetishes-and-dsm-v-when-is-kink-mental-health-issue-0829138 
• T&A Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taraandandre/ 
• Looking for therapy? Reach out to host André Turcotte and book a consultation call at [e-mail] 
• Let’s Talk Polyamory Facebook Group & Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/letstalkpoly 
• Find out more about us and services, programs and more at .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}