home news about rpa constitution weekly meetings coming out guide student resources parent resources schedule of events members directory capital district guide message board about safe zone allies directory training calendar email the officers contacts links	Parent Resources You may be reading this guide because your 16 year old son just told you he is gay. Or perhaps your daughter just came out to you as a lesbian. You may have even stumbled upon this site in your web browsers history or your child's favorite list. Maybe you suspect your child is gay or lesbian and you want to prepare yourself before he or she approaches you. Regardless of your situation, the fact that you are reading this guide shows that you care about your child. That goes a long way towards understanding and hopefully affirming your child. For many parents their children are the embodiment of their hopes and dreams. The bond shared between a parent is child is stronger than any other relationship. Because of this bond it is not unusual that parents feel a range of emotions when they discover their child is gay. You may be upset, confused, angry, guilty, shocked, accepting, or a combination of feelings. It is helpful to remember that the feelings that you are having are your feelings and reflect more about you than your child. We are all a product of our environment and experiences. Your values, thinking, and feelings are all shaped by your conditioning, assumptions and access to information. "We often fear what we do not know about. Help yourself by beginning to learn more." Although this time might be tumultuous and challenging it can be looked at as an opportunity to learn more about your child. Over and over parents have report that sharing and communication increased since their child has come out to them. If your child has chosen to come out to you they have done so because he or she cares enough about you to be honest. Accept this revelation as a gift - an affirmation of love and trust. Our Resources The following is a list of documents we've compiled for your benifit. Hopefully you can find something of use to you here. Common Questions: This text identifies and attempts to answer some of the common questions a parent of a gay student might have, and also questions a parent should ask him-or-herself when dealing with this situation. Books and Literature: We've compiled a list of suggested reading specifically designed for parents. Stories By Parents: Parents tell about their experiences with their GLBT children.