How should parents of teenage children educate them on sex?
919520
Get over the embarrassment.  It could be more embarrassing when your 13 or 14 year old daughter comes home pregnant.  I have a 17 year old.  I began teaching her about sex from the time she started asking questions about the difference between boys and girls.  That was when she was three.  All through her growing up, there were different age related questions, and I gave her age appropriate answers.  Because we talked about it from such a young age, she is still a virgin and not afraid to tell a guy no.  All her friends, male and female, know she is waiting till she finds that "someone", though not necessarily marriage.  At this age, she knows all there is to know, including safe sex.  She knows about the pill, the shot, the patch and condoms and that condoms ALWAYS need to be used even if on the pill.  \n\nIf we don't teach our kids, their friends will.  That is what happened to me and I became a parent too young.  I don't regret having her EVER.  I do regret that I had her so young.  Schools can't teach them but so much, and not even EVERY school is allowed to teach a sex ed class.  Who do you want teaching your child about sex?  You or the one that gets your child into bed the first time, swearing that a pregnancy or disease can't happen the first time?
1077418
Teenagers these days need morals given by their parents and enforced. A lot of parents don't open up to their child by these issues until its too late. Not only do teenagers deal with this problems, but so do pre-teens. Some parents think, "Oh Jonny is only 11 years old. We don't need to talk to him about that yet." Unfortuantly, many of them are very wrong. Most kids are learning about sex and drugs before they are a teenager.\n\nSociety & the media plays a huge role in a childs mind. There are more bad infuences than great role models out there. A child gets confused. \n\nMorals aren't set into the childs mind. Discussions about sex, drugs and its concequences. Its not taught in school until after a child has had its glimse of drugs and sex. They are already tring to figure it out on their own because they are not getting other help from anyone other than their friends who are already experiencing this issues. \n\nParents need to open up with their child and visa versa.  Family discussions and meetings can connect a family is positive ways. Its not only beneificial to the child but the parent. Sometimes family counciling is very helpful to families with difficult issues. \n\nWith all that aside, A teenager (or pre-teen) who feels threatened by the peer pressures of drugs or sex. Just say "No thanks".  Its not worth the concequences. Enjoy your life as a kid, follow your dreams and reach them. Be knowledgeable and make something good for yourself. If you fall into the traps of peer pressure, you lose yourself. There is only one "you" out there. Make "you" someone good, someone great.
202356
1) 5th or 6th grade.\n2) At that age, just the basic biology and mechanics behind procreation.  Birds & bees type stuff.\n3) Not a teacher so not familiar with methods.  Definately separate the boys & girls, teach facts like a science class, then have a Q & A.\n4) Teach facts, dispell myths, prepare kids for puberty, and identify children with potential problems.\n5) By how many people you piss off <--- joke.  Standard quizes or tests for factual retention.  Example: name parts of the body, T or F sections on myths, etc...\n\nBut success really depends on the school's viewpoint.  Is this a class to teach morality?  Biology? Or to alter behavior?\n\nSide note:  I never really understood why sex is so tabboo in America.  It seems like the only time Americans want to deal with sex is when a company has something to sell you.  Sex is part of biology, everyone does it - it's as common as breathing.  I'm in favor of sex education in schools because I believe most parents only impress a child with morality issues and don't know much about the mechanics of the reproductive system.  And to ignore it altogether is medically neglectful.  How can you teach and guide a child about the do's and don'ts of their bodies and skip that entire section?  Why not skip diet and nutrition education as well?
313343
I am in Michigan, and in our small town they do not do that here. It's funny that you asked this, because my daughter is going to middle school next year and I had a meeting with a couple of teachers about the sex ed program at the middle school. One of the teachers was from the middle school and I asked about the sex ed. I wanted to know if they address abstinence or birth control. In my home we stress abstinence, for the biggest reason because of our Christianity, but the next biggest reason, for their health and safety. I think it is every parents duty to teach their children before the school does so that the parents values are instilled first. I agree schools need to respect what parents teach in their homes. If a school is teaching about birth control and it is in opposition to what a parent is teaching then the child should not be part of that one part in teaching kids about unwanted pregnancies and diseases prevention.
222023
I think you're mother is right. What do kids at 13 and 16 know about love let alone sex? Let yourself grow up and then worry about bf's and gf's!
610721
First of all......if your not ready for careing for another human being or mentally ready you should NOT be having sex at all OR use alot of conterceptives. Teenagers and young adults have NO idea what kind of responsability children intale. Don't be in such a hurry to grow up you'll get there.
768604
That is the totally wrong way to tell your kids about sex.  You don't show your 5 year old your penis.  At 5 you don't tell them anything, if you have to tell them that you guys were just horse playing.  Then when they are about 13-15 then you tell them about sex.  They are way to young to get the concept about sex.
131903
When a 12 year old begins to ask about sex we as adults sometimes overact and think they are asking about everything you ever wanted to know about sex.  An important point is to make sure you answer the question being asked.  Listen to the child and have a straight forward discussion about whatever is asked.  Let the child know that he is free to ask any other questions he is curious about.  Buy some appropriate books and read them with your child and leave them where your child can peruse them on his own.  \n\nMake sure you also ask your child questions.  Discuss your family values in terms of sex and birth control.  Discuss the ramifications of early sexual activity - the intense feelings he might not be ready for, disease, pregnancy, parenthood, commitment, etc.  Let your child know that he can always come to you no matter what the question and no matter what the issue.\n\nA previous poster mentioned that you start at birth, and you have probably had conversations with your child about topics leading up to this one throughout his life.  Be straight forward.  Don't be embarrassed.  Teach the child whatever he needs to know - and at 12 years of age, that is a lot.
731202
i do believe there's much too much sex on tv. i know i sound like a prude, but it's a fact. sex sells. and that's all the television programs are concerned with - making money. i believe it is completely a parent's responsibility to educate their children as to what is right and wrong. parents are at duty to monitor what their children are getting into and to set limits so that young children will not grow up thinking that everything on tv is "ok". we cannot blame television alone or even strongly blame it for high teen pregnancy rates because the fact of the matter is that those youths most prone to promiscuity and sexual tendencies(not to mention violence and drug use) are those raised in households  with less family support and guidance (more often then not). the same is for the obesity problem rising in this country - we can take ads out and change the menus in our children's schools, but it is really up to the parents to explain to their children what is healthy or not, and instill in them, as early as possible, healthy habits that they can carry into their adulthood. by blaming the media, we are basically saying that our children are solely raised by it (the media) and this is simply not the case. every child has a guardian of some sort raising them, and it is the obligation of every guardian to raise their children with morals and ethics proper for healthy growth in society.
1175668
I know many kids who get pregnant and they have unprotected sex because their parents are too scared to talk about that touchy subject with their child.\n\nMost schools teach about the science of sexual intercourse. How its done, how STDs and HIV are transmitted, and they teach about the cycles of pregnancy.\n\nIt is the parents' "job" to teach their young ones about teenage pregnancy and about the emotional effects of sex. If your kids do not know about what sex is, then how will they know if what they are doing is right or wrong? Schools will not teach our kids about the emotions that come with sex. \n\n"What happens if my partner leaves me after sex and after I get pregnant?"\n\n"What happens if I get pregnant, what are my options? What if my parents will kill me?"\n\n"Does sex hurt? What are the reprecussions of having unprotected sex?"\n\n"If my partner wants to have sex, does that mean I should just do it?"\n\nThese are questions that only a parent can answer. Schools do not have the authority or the "legal rights" to answer them since they can only teach students the science of it.
220466
of course teens should protect themselves against stds and pregnancy.  it should be used.  it should be openly given to teens.  ive got two views on this:\n\nmy grandma:\nteenagehood is when you are suppose to have kids!  that is when you are healthy and active!\n\nschool newspaper:\nif we are going to give teens condoms, why dont we give them sterile needles?  since drug use is increasely!\n\nmy view is as followed:\ncontraceptive should be in schools.   it should be used my teenagers.  after i told my mom i was having sex, she told me that i had to go to planparent hood with my boyfriend for the pill or i would be in trouble.\n\n16
487923
I personally think that it's in the student's best interest to taught about how to protect themselves. There should be a message in there about abstinence, though. People have to understand that no matter how much you tell students not to have sex and educate them about the risks, they're still going to do it. The best way to keep them safe is to educate them about how to be the safest they can and not have any life-ruining consequences come of it. If they aren't educated about protection and are only taught about abstinence, the students who decide to have sex regardless of being taught about abstinence will not know how to protect themselves correctly and could end up with an STD or pregnant.
1113220
yes...\n\nbut most school districts don't teach everything, due to cetrant concervitive parents/school boards (or just plain anal/control freaks/parents starerptypes that they're children will repeat the same stuff parinoid parents).\n\nThere are sex eds that do teach a veriety of stuff, such as abstance, safe sex, and other procotions to other types of sex for safe sex.\n\n;-)\n\nWhy are some people still ignorant, well it's up to them to pay attention in class.\n\nParents need to do more (like be open minded), you'd rather have a young person prepared then to fall into something that they haven't been fully educated on. That way you run less of a risk hearing "Mom, I'm pregnant". "Mom/Dad I think I got something (STD)", or the stupid people who become addicted to sex or the werdos who just were deprived of everything logical about it.\n\nYou got to admit that someone can still get an STD even from a simple kiss, skin contact, and of course oral sex, and regular sex. There are safe practices for oral sex, but not all sex  eds teach it so some youth think it's risk free. That's why they should be informed so they can make an informed decision.\n\nBUT yes parents NEED to pick up the slack (and remeber to not assume that they're youth will not experiment, such as have premarital sex, or even have sexual relations with the same sex as them or not... you just can't assume anymore now-a-days so it's just best to teach them everything, half of the most homophobic people I've meet turn out to be denying their own sexuality b/c they have done or are thinking of doing something with the same sex their just to brainwashed to think that might be ok).\n\nNEVER asume.\n\nThe earlyer the better (in education to keep them safe). My BF's little sister is having probs in Middle School... there's even 8 year old for some odd reason trying to have sex... some thing needs to be done and tooken seariously, for one they should at least be told it's unhealthy even more to do it before puberty... this is crazy...\n\n::: Peace :::
41464
Chances are he already knows a lot about it.  Kids are finding out at younger and younger ages about sex.  First, you have to find out what he THINKS he knows (a lot of the peer information is also incorrect).  Then, you have to make sure you are open and honest, letting him know he can always come to you with questions.  Most importantly, you must remain calm.  Otherwise, you may not be able to build a form of open communication between the two of you.  Most children and parents have certain ways of talking to each other, through jokes or activities, maybe you are comfortable enough to go in his room and speak to him outright about it.  That's something you'll have to decide. I've included two links with further information.  The first is an article on the subject.  The second link is a site entirely devoted to talking to kids about difficult subjects.  Good luck.
1001567
well, really, we should. we have it at my school. however, i think it's a combination of two things. the first is schools wanting to let parents decide what sort of information to give (or not give) their children on the subject. otherwise it's just the kind of people who think that it's better to tell your kids to abstain than give them condoms because you're just "asking for it".
304278
I think it's very important, and a good idea.  Not just "how to do it" but it's important for young people to learn the biology of the human body.  A lot of kids don't learn about this stuff at home.  They need to know what to expect when their bodies change so it's not a shock.  Puberty can be awkward, embarrassing and emotional- why not give them a heads up?\n\nI also think it's important to teach safe sex.  I'm not condoning teenage sex, but it happens.  What makes people think that once teens become adults they will automatically know how to use a condom, or how important it is if they never heard about it?  Of course parents want their kids to wait to have sex, but the surge of hormones that a teen goes through is powerful.  They need to learn how to control themselves, and what the consequences are if they have unsafe sex.  Keeping it all a big secret is dangerous. \n\nMy 16 yr old half-brother is home schooled and has never been told the facts of life.  I think it's sad.  \n\nKnowledge is power.
912555
no.  it is a laughable idea--don't teach them how to be careful, just tell them not to do it, and pretend that they will listen.  we all know teenagers have sex.  not all of them, but enough of them to warrant an actual sex education program.  teaching abstinence is no more sex ed than saying "just don't drive" constitutes driver's ed.  it's ridiculous and dangerous.  it is also completely out of touch, not to mention out of line.  schools are supposed to be teaching facts, not pushing morals.  it is up to the family to discuss when and if a teenager should have sex, not the school.  they should either teach safe practices and tell about the consequences of unsafe practices, or they should just drop the sex ed altogether.  pushing abstinence is puritanical and, to me at least, toes the line on teaching religious ideals in public schools.