My child says they are gay, lesbian or asexual. How do I cope?

Well realize that your child being bisexual gay/lesbian or being asexual is not wrong and support them and help them it's better they told you then feeling they should lie or cover it up its not easy for you or the child just love them and don't judge them.

You accept them for the person that they are because that's the person they always were. There will be so many other pressing issues in life other than a persons sexual preference, keep it in perspective and don't let it define you and especially them.

Tell that is completely normal. Define sex for them, sex is just an physical activity, where we get satisfaction when our hormones are released out. There are different forms of sex like straight, gay sex lesbian sex oral anal threesomes and so on. Hence tell your kid that they are completely normal, and to be safe and think twice and thrice before doing anything they want. Make them relaize that, like all they all have 24 hours in a day, there blood color is also red and its the same sun they see just like all others.

By remembering that they are still your child who you have loved and cared for -that has not changed

You accept them. You have to understand that what they are feeling is real. It may take a while to understand, do research and ask questions. Just be a supportive as you can.

They are your kid, they look up to you for everything. You should feel glad that they felt comfortable with opening up to you about such a personal topic. Right now they just need a support system from the ones that they love. It may not be ideal or what you imagined but at the end of the day that is still your kid and they need you to be there for them.

Let them talk about it with you and express their feelings. Telling you about it was important for them, so let them free to share as much as they want. If you have questions, you can ask them in an empathetic and respectful way. Support them and let them know that it's ok and you just want them to be happy. If you're new to this, do some research about these realities, and look for the support of an LGBT association. Many of them are used to supporting the family of LGBT people and helping them understand and accept this reality.

The most important thing to realize is that your child knows themselves better than you do. Your child will identify in whichever way they want, and you cannot change that. Policing your child's identity will only lead to frustration and resentment for both parties. Instead, treat your child with compassion, and get to know more about this aspect of their identity. Do some research on your own. Becoming educated on an unfamiliar topic can help you understand it better. Your child is still your child, there is just a new piece of them that you haven't learned about yet. Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community is not an inherently bad thing, and it is important to celebrate their identity rather than shaming them for it.

Never tell your child outright that this is wrong, or shun them for what they feel. For some it's a choice, and depending on your religion and beliefs, it may be a good or bad one. But for some, they can't help it; it's just how they feel, and they may grow out of it. Don't act like your child is something abnormal or dirty, because chances are, they already feel that way.

Accept their sexuality, it's their life and choices. They would be living a lie if they tried to live as heterosexuals.