Navigating preadolescence is scary enough but when questions arise around cultural identity or gender identity, things can get pretty overwhelming for our tweens. How do you parent a child who doesn’t feel at home in their own body? Or a kid dealing with prejudices and peer pressure on the playground? And how do we arm tweens with the self-confidence to find or even change their identity. 

Dylan Lewis chats with Carolyn Tate, a mum of 3, whose eldest son started their transitioning journey when he was 12 years old after experiencing gender dysphoria. We also hear from Andy Saunders, a father of 2 and foster father of 2, whose relationship with his grandfather shaped the way he’s shared his Aboriginal heritage with his own kids. 

In this first episode of Navigating Parenthood: Growing Great Tweens, brought to you by HCF, we talk about gender identity and diversity, as well as the importance of culture in shaping our young people.