Suicide, bullying, sexual assault, and self-harm: these are incredibly difficult topics to broach with your kids, and many parents avoid them for exactly that reason. But 13 Reasons Why not only handles many of these issues sensitively and authentically, it provides a ready-made framework for talking about them.
As Emily K. Ryzuk, a psychotherapist who specializes in trauma, explained to me in an email, "The great thing about a TV show, is that it contains a beginning, middle, and end, and wraps up in 60 minutes, so it provides the perfect opportunity for parents to broach these difficult topics. Often, kids are exposed to the beginning and middle of a real-life scenario, but never witness the resolution, which leaves kids struggling with the inability to resolve conflicts and deal with difficult real-life issues."
And for parents, she said, just being next to your kid for the duration of an episode puts you in a perfect position to start talking. "A parent can gauge the child's curiosity, or even prior exposure, to similar vignettes," she said. "This experience can open up conversations with children and allow them the opportunity to ask clarifying questions or even self-disclose — giving a rare opportunity for the parent to engage and intervene if necessary.
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