Are you ready to parent a transgender child?

So I've recently seen quite a few parents deal with the very early stages of transition for their children. And I had to wonder, if you all knew what you were getting into? I think we're never prepared for every little glitch along the way, but I thought it might be a good idea to offer some food for thought.

You may want to ask yourself, first, how committed you are to supporting your child's transition;

*Are you able/willing to seek out a counselor who has solid experience with transgender issues? Will you be able to travel if they're not local? Is it affordable? Most good therapists will recommend that your child live as their preferred gender for a year, and continue counseling throughout that period, before referring them to an endocrinologist.

*Is there an experienced endocrinologist in your area? Is it affordable? Hormone therapy is generally not covered by insurance for the purpose of treating gender dysphoria. Even some of the lab tests are not covered, and can be very pricey.

*Hormones; Is your child willing to self inject the hormones every week for the rest of their lives? Is it affordable? We are lucky to have a doc who prescribes smaller amounts of testosterone every few months so it's not a big hit, but generally a six month dose costs around $100 in the U.S. The needles, however, are covered.

And that's just the nuts-and-bolts of it.

After that first year, and upon receiving hormone treatment, you may be faced with a legal name change, change in social security cards, school records, etc. etc.

Then there's the transition itself. Are you able to accept that your child is no longer a boy/girl? Are you able to gain acceptance from your family, friends and community? What will life look like a year from now? Two? Twenty?

If it sounds like I'm being negative about the process, trust me I am not. I am, however, hoping that parents will think very carefully about their OWN situation, as well as their child's. I think all too often we neglect our own needs and abilities in an effort to be a good, supportive parent to our kids, no matter who they are, or who they want to be.

Please check out my "resources" tab, for links to info and sites that you may find useful.

Best of luck on your journey together!

Lee