Meet Jodi Kaye

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jodi Kaye.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jodi. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been a Registered Nurse for 20 years. I have always enjoyed sitting down with people when they are being discharged from the hospital, and getting the time to teach them what they needed to know upon returning home. Fast forward quite a few years and I am now a mom of three girls. I knew, as they were getting older, that I would be the one to talk to them about puberty, their bodies, sexual relationships, and all of those “tricky” topics. I have always wanted to have an open and honest relationship with my girls so we could talk about anything they were willing to let me in on.

Once I figured out how I wanted to discuss these topics with my girls, I quickly realized that I couldn’t be the only one struggling with this. Our generation of parents mostly never grew up with any of this education ourselves which gives us no starting point to have these conversations with our kids. Most parents are afraid, embarrassed, and feel totally unequipped to discuss these topics but very much want to have open and honest relationships with their children too. My business is mostly about communication believe it or not. Yes, I teach about puberty and reproduction, but the most important thing to me is to establish a comfort level with children and to let them know that this is not a taboo subject, that it is perfectly healthy to talk about, and that their parents do want to be a part of this stage of growing up.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My greatest difficulty has surely been breaking through the false beliefs that if we don’t talk to kids about sex, we can keep them innocent for longer periods. Study, after study, after study proves that kids who talk freely with their parents about puberty, sexuality, sexual relationships, etc., actually delay the onset of sexual debut, reduce the frequency of sex, reduce the number of partners, STDs, unplanned pregnancies, and so much more. What I have learned over the years, is that it takes time to break down long-held beliefs that we should try to preserve our children’s innocence by not talking about it.

We live in a world of instant information. Parents are doing a disservice to their children by waiting because they WILL learn about it elsewhere. While parents are waiting to talk to their children until they feel their children are old enough, they don’t realize that their kids are learning this very information from their friends and the internet at younger and younger ages. A school-aged child who learns about sex as an act that expresses love and begins new life actually retains their innocence. It’s all in the presentation.

Tell us more about your work.
I work with parents who struggle with talking to their children about the changes associated with puberty, reproduction, and sexuality. My clients understand the importance of talking to their children about these subjects but often don’t know how to do it effectively while stressing the beliefs and values that are important in their families. I educate and teach parents and children how to comfortably communicate with each other about puberty and sexuality. I’m in a unique position to help my clients because I’m a Registered Nurse but even more important, a parent myself.

I once faced the same struggle of not having any idea how to talk to my kids about these subjects, but very much wanted to talk to them in a way that didn’t make either of us uncomfortable and got them the essential information I knew they needed. I wanted my kids to come to me with their questions. I have developed a method of teaching that can help just about any parent become more comfortable with these conversations and also realize why it is SO important that these conversations come from mom and dad and not friends or the internet.

My classes are educational, informational, and fun for both parents and kids. My best feedback is hearing frequently from parents that their kids tell them they didn’t realize it could actually be fun to talk about this stuff. I have had children walk into my classes in tears because they are afraid to talk about this. By the time they walk out, they are smiling, have participated, and even had fun learning about their bodies and not feeling ashamed. That is what I strive for in teaching my classes. I want to empower children to feel confident and ready for these stages instead of fearful and ashamed, like so many are because of the stigma that still exists about talking to our children about these subjects.

What are your plans for the future?
I really hope to be able to get some of my classes online so I can be reachable outside of Arizona. I have been contacted from parents all over the country asking me if I know of any other resources like my business in their state. I don’t unfortunately. I’d like to be able to at least be online for anyone outside of Arizona because EVERYONE needs this information.

Pricing:

• My classes are broken into age groups so that the information is always relevant to the age being taught. I also give group presentations to parents to learn about talking to their kids about these topics. Prices range from $25-$140 depending whether it is just a parent vs. a parent/child couple and also how many classes there are.

Contact Info:

• Address: Primarily based in north Scottsdale but I teach all throughout the valley mostly.
• Website: www.theritesofpassage.biz
• Phone: (480) 250-2431
• Email: jodi@theritesofpassage.biz
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theritesofpass/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ritesofpassageaz

Image Credit:
Jennifer Bowen Photography

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