Mom Talk: Teaching Consent to Toddlers

Last weekend I experienced one of my proudest parenting moments to date. At a friend’s birthday party, an adult guest was tickling my 2.5 year old kiddo. When my kiddo said “stop” the tickler did not stop. Frustrated, my child called out loudly, “When someone says stop, you stop!” The adult recoiled in a mixture of shock and shame. Inwardly, I beamed with pride. I had just witnessed my 2.5 year old child explain the basic concept of consent to an adult.