The first response a parent gives shapes everything
Dr Helen Webberley on Robby Starbuck: transition and children, Robby Starbuck
When a child comes out to their parents, the most important thing is getting the long-term decisions right. The first conversation is just the beginning, and there's time to work out how to respond properly.
That first moment is the one that stays. When a child finds the courage to say "I need you to help me with this," and the answer is "no, you're not," what they hear is that the person they most needed is not available to them. I'm not saying parents have to understand everything immediately, or agree with everything immediately. But there is a difference between "I don't fully understand this yet, but I love you and I'm listening" and a flat denial of what the child just told you about themselves. The denial doesn't stop anything. It just means the child goes through it alone.
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