Make eye contact and ask follow-up questions to show that you’re listening. You might ask things like, “Could you tell me more about that?” or, “I’m not sure I understand. Could you explain that more?”

You might say, “Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me this. I know this probably wasn’t easy for you. ” Or, “I really appreciate you confiding in me. ”

You could try, “I’ll always love you, you know that, right?” Or, “This doesn’t change how much I love you. You’ll always be my child. ”

“I’m really sorry that I yelled at you last week when you first came out. I was surprised and a little upset, but I shouldn’t have reacted that way. ” “I didn’t mean to brush you off the other day when we were talking. I want you to know that I support you, and I hope you feel comfortable talking to me about this kind of stuff. ”

You might ask something like, “How’s everything been going lately?” or, “Is there anything you’d like to chat about?”

For instance, if you don’t understand what your child’s sexuality means, you might ask them, “Could you explain what being bisexual means? I’ve heard the term, but I’m not really sure what it means for you. ”

This is especially true if your child identifies as bisexual. Bisexual people often hear that their sexuality is “just a phase,” and that they’ll eventually be either straight or gay. However, this isn’t true, and many people identify as bisexual their entire lives.

For instance, if your child wants to change up their wardrobe, you might take them on a shopping spree. If they want to dye their hair, you could make them an appointment at a local salon.

Kids often don’t want to open up about being bullied. You can watch for signs that they might be having trouble at school, like a loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, frequent stomach aches, or self-destructive behaviors. [10] X Trustworthy Source StopBullying. gov Website run by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services providing information related to identifying and preventing bullying Go to source

You might say something like, “I’m excited to see your friends! Have you come out to any of them yet? I don’t want to say the wrong thing if you haven’t. ”

Try looking at sites like Advocates for Youth, The Family Acceptance Project, and Parents, Families, Friends, and Allies of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

You could also talk to friends and family members who are part of the LGBT+ community themselves. They might have some valuable insight that could help you out.

Your religion or political views may also play a role in how you view the LGBT+ community.