Beyond Birds & Bees is a parenting education program designed for parents interested in learning about how to successfully communicate with their children about sex.
Each age-specific session reviews research on family communication and child and adolescent sexuality, offers guidelines and topics appropriate for that age level, and suggests conversation starters for tough issues.
All sessions focus on the parents' own family values and helping parents learn how to communicate those values to their children at that age level.
Media
Dr. Heidi Croatt
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Dr. Heidi Croatt is a professor of Communication Studies, teaching courses in interpersonal communication and relationships. She received a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, where she studied communication and researched the way families communicate about sex. Heidi has been active in the field of family communication for over 15 years and has a passion for helping families communicate more successfully. She established the Beyond Birds & Bees parenting education program to provide parents with children of all ages information and guidelines on how to communicate with their children about sex. Her goal is to help parents navigate the often taboo topic in a way that is consistent with their own family values and also in touch with reality. Heidi lives in Maple Grove, MN with her husband and their two young children.
What is Beyond Birds & Bees?
Beyond Birds and Bees is designed to help parents identify, understand, and communicate their own family values.
Heidi doesn’t tell parents what they should believe, only how to identify what they believe and communicate those values to their children.
Beyond Birds and Bees can be offered in several formats depending on what you and your organization are looking to do. Heidi can do a series of sessions focusing on various age groups (parents of different aged children would attend the session appropriate for their family) – this is where parents would most benefit because the content would be specific to what they are experiencing with their children and each group would get sufficient time to discuss their unique needs – or Heidi can prepare a one-time event for parents of a specific age group.
Who is it for?
Heidi tailors the event to meet the needs of your organization or group's goals and demographics. She has spoken to:
» MOPS groups
» Parenting groups
» ECFE classes
» Community Education
» Schools
» Parent-Teacher Organizations
» Corporate Working-Parent Groups
» Church groups
» Or just a group of friends!
What people are saying
‘Heidi did such a great job focusing on facts backed by research’
“Our group consists of moms with school aged kids from K-12 and beyond. Because teaching kids healthy sexuality today includes addressing gender identity and sexual orientation, we asked Heidi to address these topics in her talk. Heidi did such a great job focusing on facts backed by research and giving us a framework for how to share our values with our kids based on child development stages. Heidi is warm, smart and engaging as a speaker. You won’t regret inviting her to speak at your next meeting!”
~ Dana Stob, Moms Connect, Calvary Church (2019)
‘She spoke to our group with humor, confidence, knowledge and professionalism’
"I was so impressed by Heidi's talk she gave our MOPS group; informing us about our children's curiosity about their bodies and being "geographers" of their bodies. She spoke to our group with humor, confidence, knowledge and professionalism. I was so impressed with her speaking abilities - she was a joy to listen to. After I came home from her presentation, I began to apply what I learned from her when talking to my daughters about their bodies."
~ Amanda Haugen, Big Lake, MN MOPS (2015)
‘Real, honest, and practical advice and tips’
I want to thank you again for speaking to our group. It really inspired and motivated me to have more conversations with my boys. The conversations have gone well and they have both been continuing to ask me questions in the days since. It is so encouraging to me, because that is one of my goals as their Mom. For them to be able to feel comfortable and safe asking me their questions. I did not get much guidance or teaching in this area growing up, and it was very confusing and difficult for me for many years. I am determined to break that cycle and do better for my kids. Thank you so much for your real, honest, and practical advice and tips. It made so much sense, and you delivered it with humor and grace. You’re great at what you do!
~ Eva Trojanowski (2019)
‘I would absolutely recommend her to anyone or any group looking to discuss healthy sexuality’
“Heidi is a gifted speaker who makes simple the often over complicated topic of sex and sexuality. She provides easy and clear language in a non-threatening and easy to implement fashion no matter where you are in the discussion with your kids. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone or any group looking to discuss healthy sexuality. Heidi, you were fantastic. Thank you so much for all you do! You have a much-needed gift.”
~ Sarah Spinner, MOPS White Bear Lake, MN (2017)
‘Very knowledgeable and engaging, and clearly passionate about this topic’
"Heidi was a superb presenter for our parents of 7th and 8th graders. She is very knowledgeable and engaging, and clearly passionate about this topic. She gave us a forum to think about and discuss what we hope for our kids' sexuality and how to share that with them in the context of the values most important to us as parents."
~ Amy Niemann, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries,
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Plymouth, MN (2015)
‘We continue to hear stories about how this has changed a parent's perspective and opened communication in their home’
"All the parents who attended this workshop agreed that they want their child(ren) to be sexually healthy and live by their values, but felt concerned about how to teach this often tough topic. Dr. Heidi Croatt explained how parents can prepare themselves to navigate the various developmental stages with their child(ren). Parents left feeling encouraged and much better equipped. We continue to hear stories about how this has changed a parent's perspective and opened communication in their home. We look forward to offering this session more regularly so other families in our community can benefit."
~ Shepherd of the Valley Church, Afton, MN (2017)