Can I kiss you?

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  • By Staff Reports
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Seems like a pretty innocent question right? But when parents start moving into the years in which their daughter or son want to date, or if they're already there, that question can take on an entirely different significance. For many parents this time is a dreaded time, but it doesn't have to be.

Enter: Mr. Mike Domitrz, an author and speaker to audiences all over the world. Mike has been engaging young people in high schools and on college campuses and parents for 20 years in an open discussion about dating, healthy relationships and positive communication. Two of his books, "May I Kiss You?" and "Help! My Teen is Dating," are straight-forward approaches to understanding the importance of asking, not assuming, what is wanted on dates or in relationships, and talking to your children about respect and open communication in relationships.

Asking for what you want before trying to take what you want is a way to communicate respect in relationships. Asking is essential before any kind of intimacy is attempted - and that includes kissing and holding hands. A main point of Mr. Domitrz is to teach about consent and respect. Before attempting physical contact young men and women need to know they have choices when it comes to their bodies and feelings. Parents should be concerned about how to teach a child the idea of having their boundaries respected and respecting their partner's boundaries.

Mr. Domitrz will be making three presentations. One for college age Airmen, high schoolers and middle schoolers March 25, at 1300 and 1630 at the Incirlik Combined Club. Mr. Domitrz will cover a fun, thought-provoking look at dating and intimacy in high school. He will help parents know how to navigate the sometimes uncomfortable topic of dating, relationships and sexual feelings. He can help parents overcome that obstacle of making a connection with their son or daughter so he/she can listen and absorb what their parents are saying. The cultural landscape that parents grew up in is quite different from the one encountered by their children today. However, Mr. Domitrz can help parents to focus on what is the same. Even though the sexual culture and the openness about relationships is more exposed today, the decisions that people make regarding their behavior on dates has been the same for centuries.

You can be assured that your time with Mr. Domitrz will be well worth it. He is interactive, captivating, motivating, funny, and his thinking and reasoning make sense. His main points resonate with his audience. You will go home knowing how to talk to your teen and you'll be wondering, "Why didn't I think of handling this topic like this before. Hey, this will be fun!"

For more information about this presentation, speak to your School Liaison Officer or Incirlik's Sexual Assault Response Coordinator at 676-7272.