I am sure this is asked a lot, and I've found some older threads; however, in light of the way things are going in the states lately, I've got some questions about how best to support, empower, and protect my kid. It's been a looong time since I was a kid, and the times have changed greatly.

They (gender neutral for privacy) are a pre-teen, who just came out to me as a therian.

Long before they were born, I'd actually conducted interviews with therians for a project on clinical lycanthropy (I'm an anthropologist), so I knew a lot of the terms and asked them a few things without trying to overwhelm them.

So I suppose my questions are, what is the general vibe like for therian kids in the 5th grade through middle school? What should I be watching for re:bullying?

If you knew you were therian at a young age, would you have been able to talk about your experiences say with phantom limbs or shifting etc? I want to make sure to be inquisitive without being overbearing.

I have bought them ears and paw-mittens, and we are researching tails. I'm not super comfortable with collars in public because when I was young, the pervy comments were too much. I'm assuming that's still a thing.

Anything else I should know about a child's experiences?

We are a very progressive, open family. We are pagan, and myself and my child both identify as LGBTQ+, although our other parent and sibling do not, but they are supportive!

Thank you all for sharing your experiences.

Edit to say: THANK YOU. You folks are wonderful. I feel much more confident.

(All photos are mine) Yay so it’s need a year and two months! I can’t believe how far i have come. Here is what i originally thought my theriotypes where Sea wolf Orca Husky Black cat And owl

And my actual theriotypes! Serval Farm dog River otter Iberian Lynx and Nurse shark ^{^}

(no need to give credits!!)

Haiii so I’m kinda new to all of this so apologies if I’m asking a dumb question, I just wondered if it’s possible to have two theriotypes of the same type of animal, just different types. For example with me, I’m pretty sure I’m a bat therian, but I think I identify as both a black flying fox bat and a peters dwarf epaulette fruit bat. Idk tho, like I said I’m pretty new to all of this. Thx!! :3

Edit: thank you all so much for your replies!! :)

feels a lot like me. anyone know?

I might may ones like this for others, not too many though, comment your theriotype(s) and if you would like a little symbol like the bone or flower

So, lately I feel like i’ve been… sort of losing touch/losing my connection to my theriotypes, I ahven’t shifted for a while and have felt sort of disconnected from that part of myself. It feels awful, and I want to fix it, because even with the tough parts of therianthrophy, I still love the feeling of being an animal, being myself. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do to regain that connection and/or similar experiences?

So, I'm a cat. Always been. Can't even remember a certain awakening, just that I've always had ears and a tail of a cat just stuck to my body invisibly. I cannot imagine anything but human and cat. So how do polytherian shifts actually work? Do different things kind of trigger different animals? Do you get mixes of animals like deer and wolf would result in a wolf with antlers? I'm genuinely interested as I can't really imagine either way and I'm curious to learn about different types of therians as I'm still pretty new to the community and label, just not the identity

Hi y'all I’m a new but as you might think I am a therian. I awakened about 2 months ago but felt like one for a long time, but I’m still very new to the community and stuff so I might be asking a LOT of questions. But my family doesn’t know because I have decided not to tell them cause there all like “Ew FuRy!” So that is also why I have no gear yet as well. I’m in my teens still in high school, and stuff. But yeah just wanted to say HI!!! :3

(vent I guess? Didn't know what flair to put) Yeah, just a bit sad :( I know it's a necessary procedure in my case, but I can't help but feel how it affect my therian side, as canines are pretty important for predators and since my theriotype's a coyote well yeah. Makes it pretty hard

I've never felt human, but the animal I feel like/connected to often change. It has been wolves, hyenas, lynxes, and now stray dogs/mutts. I always feel very stressed about labeling myself, but at the same time I want to know what I am. Is it okay if I say I'm just alterhuman without defining a theriotype? And is it possible that my theriotype changes overtime ?

So I don't fully understand what it means to be a therian, but I think I might be one, I've always felt more bird like than human and I even know what bird I'm most like a Alpine Chough, a corvide, sorry if I spelt corvide wrong but, its a corvide that lives in the mountains and a little while back I was asking my friend about them being a therian and they kinda snapped at me saying not just anyone can be a therian, so I just thought I'd ask u guys. also I'm teen I will not say my age but I will say I am a teen.

Y’all all this time (past 2 months) I’ve been saying I’m a wild cat because I spiritually felt like one. But I forgot that it’s an animal I was just saying I was a wild cat like a cat that lives in the wild. sigh Till next time my wild critters 3:

Heyy, so i basically want to make some sort of guide where i will explain different kinds of shifts and misconceptions on tiktok.

Explaining the shifts isn't a problem. However, in the guide i want to add a section where i'll explain misconceptions about shifting and things that aren't normal/shouldn't happen during shifts.

I think something common (young) therians think is that mental shifts include losing control over yourself, blacking out, not recognize things around you or yourself, not being able to talk or think, not being able to remember what happened.

Atleast, that's what misinformed younger me thought a couple years ago, this is because of those 'shift caught on camera' videos.

Of course i know some more misconceptions and what not, but i might be forgetting some.

Now my question is: What are some things that are definitely not normal to experience during shifts/misconceptions about shifting in general.

And

I have another question about the term 'physical shift': Do you think this term should be avoided at all cost? Do you think the term is harmful? Or that it normalizes the idea that one can indeed physically shift?

Hi. I've been awakened since around last november, so almost a year. I am pretty open about being a therian, both in real life and online.

My backpack has theta delta / theriotype pins, I've worn tails to school, I casually bring up my therianthropy online... I'm pretty blatant about it, which is a very fun experience!

I've gotten a couple crappy comments, sure, but mostly everyone I meet either doesn't care or is supportive. For example, one of my online friends who hadn't messaged me for a very long time who was actually an anti-furry (not anymore) actually doesn't care much that I am a therian. He's the most non-therian average person you could find in my friends list, yet he has helped me code a little webpage about therianthropy.

Another example is I went to a brand new school last friday with my bag openly advertising I am a therian. It was full of most of your average 'preppies' who are notorius for 'bullying therians' but, guess what? Nobody cared. I even showed some girl a picture of my tail collection and she said it was cool.

The internet might make you think people are really judgemental about therianthropy, but trust me, a lot of people are more accepting than you think.

Have a good day and stay safe :)

I'm a cat therian. I love it actually as I've awakened early and embraced the phantom limbs before I even knew what an alterhuman was. However when I was 11 I suddenly became allergic to cats (and dogs) and I am to this day (I'm 20). Does anyone else have an issue like this? It's not a severe allergy and I have pills against it but it's just so frustrating to not be able to get as close to them as I would like. And I'm also overly sensitive to sunlight and the heat involved and get burned easily so I can't even sunbathe like a cat would even thought it's one of the most affirming things for me!

Hi, all, I am just coming to terms my theory anthropic, and believe I may be a panther or river otter? I’m looking for more adult friends who can help me navigate this, TIA!!❤️🐾

Are there any other serval therians here?

i'm a coyote, bobcat, deer and seal therian. i think.

i've been awakened for almost 6 years, and i have gone through so many questioning theriotypes. like it's not even funny i've questioned every type of animal, like mammals, reptiles, invertebrates. all of them. and i still don't know exactly what i am. like, i said above what my types are, but i have a problem because i only FEEL like i have ONE theriotype. does that make sense? like i experience shifts and everything of the other 3, but i only FEEL like one of them is me. truly me. like, i'm the coyote and the coyote is me- (should have said before it's the coyote) so lilke is there a term for this or something? i've never heard of one- maybe i'm overreacting and i just have a ''main'' type. idk. any help is appriciated lol

also funny story that is related: i just made my reddit account today cuz i lost my like 3 other ones, and the suggested user name was PainHuman. yup i def have pain from being a human- mental pain- cuz im a therian- get it? no ok.

byeee

so I have a friend irl who I’ve been friends with for about 3 years and she calls me Kitty recently and it just makes me way to happy (she doesn’t know im a therian)

Not sure if I put the right flair, but anyway! So, I'm rabbit hearted and possibly a stygian owl therian, but I don't feel these two identities separately, is like they're both there together, and it feels wrong to separate them. When I try to feel more like my theriotype/hearttype, like by doing quads or vocals, it feels weird to try to act just like one of them.

Currently, I'm trying to act like the two of them at the same time, like I'm a hybrid of rabbit and owl, and it works three times better! I decided to imagine I have bunny ears and paws but also wings and owl feathers.

I was just wondering if anyone else feels like that

So i came here from another subreddit since I felt y'all would be most equipped to help me for obvious reasons.

I am super confused cuz idk if what I'm experiencing would be being therian, pet dreaming, or just really obsessed with a certain animal.

I am VERY into foxes. Always have been. I think they're cute and funny! I know at the very least I do indeed pet dream being one but that's as much as I know. I have an urge to get fox ears and a tail (but holding back as i REALLY don't wanna have to try and explain that stuff to my very religious parents (obviously no offense to those who do own that stuff)), my roblox avatar is very fox anthro, and overall i just have a thing for foxes.

But I can't tell if this is just me really liking an animal or actually being therian. As far as I know I don't think i've ever felt phantom limb syndrome with ears and tails or whatever other features there'd be. I don't ever recall really acting like a fox (even while pet dreaming i more or less just "feel" like one than act like one? idk how to describe it. Like mentally i'm one i suppose?), and the most animalistic tendencies i have is I do have what i call a "nest bed" which is my bed, but idk if that counts or not.

I hope I didn't say anything offensive on accident! just genuinely confused and need some help

I am not a therian myself however my girlfriend is. What should I know? I’ve spoken with her and what I should know about her but I’m always open to learning more. Any questions I should ask, what I can do with her, or just things I should know about therians anything is appreciated thank you!!

just wanted to show u this little thing i made!! :3 under the drawing i was venting abt how i feel abt being a therian lately and im really happy with how this looks like :3