The Sex Talk

Sex education should be implemented at an early age beginning at the middle school level. A discussion of contraception, the risks of diseases, the risk of becoming an unwed teen parent and the disadvantages of not having an education will help decrease the number of teen pregnancies with future generations. Parents should not feel threatened of having their children learning about sex in class. Parents should feel empowered; it will allow their children opportunities to feel they are able to discuss future topics of sex at home to help promote

I don’t believe that there is a right or wrong way to deal with sexuality, but I feel it is important to educate youth about sex so that they can make a decision for themselves. I feel the parents are the most important people to do this difficult job. If children feel comfortable discussing these topics with their parents then they are more likely to make appropriate and responsible decisions through this very challenging time in their

Planned Parenthood aims at getting families to talk about sex and relationships, encouraging parents to speak openly, frequently, and honestly about these issues with their children. Family communication makes a real difference and is a good way for parents and their children to connect in order to help their children wait longer to be sexually active. According to Planned Parenthood, studies have shown that teens want to hear what their parents think about sex and relationships and how to say no if a child ever feels

The role of educating students about the importance of healthy sexual relationships has fallen hard and fast on public schools. School aged boys and girls are not receiving information from their parents on what decisions they should make in regards to sex. Parents are finding this topic of conversation too taboo to breach and as a result, students are getting what little information they are receiving from school. Less then half of school aged adolescents talk to their parents about sex and abstinence (Smith, 2005).

We have all heard the stories about the rise in teenage pregnancies, girls dropping out of school to care for their newborns, and even those who get pregnant on purpose. This new trend is everywhere. Most parents fail to have the “talk” with their children and are left without the proper education regarding sex until its too late. With the current rates of teenage pregnancy correlated with the current rates of spreading epidemics of STD’s and HIV/AIDS, steps should be taken in an effort to aid the situation. Schools are a main source of information and education for teens, and are in a unique position that can provide adolescents with knowledgeable skills and understanding that promote sexual health. With consistent speculation surrounding

After reviewing a few websites I got really into the Planned Parenthood website. It had many topics to choose from and a few videos parents can watch as well. What I liked most about the website is it had some questions certain age groups might ask about sex to their parents and the website provided answers for you. The info that was most useful was to begin talking to your children about sex or sexuality at a very young age. You need to be honest even when your five year old asks where a baby comes from. You just have to be honest in their terms. The website also gave great insight on not having just one big talk about sex with your teen because you do not want to overwhelm them. A big thing for me is talking to your teens about STDs. They

“The ideal of what historian Anne Higonnet calls the Romantic Child, our modern image of a naturally asexual, pure child, is at the heart of century-long conflicts over sex education. By definition, the romantic child’s innocence depends on protection from sexuality” (Talk About Sex 13). Parents, in general, do not feel at ease thinking about their children having sex, nor do they want to encourage them to do so. The fact that most parents are not comfortable talking about the subject with their children only increases the importance of doing so in our schools.

First, with young students this subject may be a little uncomfortable to talk about, but without learning about sexuality extensively many students may be unaware of the hazards of unprotected sex. Being open with our children and explaining the natures of sex will help them make the best decisions for themselves without scaring our students by focusing on the dangers. Second, some may say that our sexual education course is fine how it is, but there always room for improvement. A questionnaire was presented to graduates from Ontario Canada. They were asked what they think should be mandatory concerning sexual education in high school. Many agreed that talking about sexual decision making, communication about sex, relationships and more should be mandatory throughout sexual education creating a better understanding of safe sex. (Meaney 112). Why isn’t this in the United States curriculum? Whether teachers or parents like it or not, every teen is curious and full of questions. Being prepared for that is the best solution to protect our youth from sexual transmitted disease and pregnancy. Last, you may know someone who has had a child in their teenage years and question how hard could it be? They could do it, why can’t you? Talking to

Talking Parents, Healthy Teens is a program consisting of eight weekly one-hour sessions that is offered in the workplace for parents of adolescent children in Southern California. This program aims to help parents acquire the ability to discuss sexual health topics. Talking Parents, Healthy Teens uses resources such as games, discussions, and role play to teach their children assertiveness and decision-making more effectively. A study by Schuster et.al tested a sample of 569 parents their adolescents randomly assigned to either attend the program or to a no-treatment control group. Participants were assisted at baseline and again one-week, three-month, and nine-month after completing the programs. Participants were to report having discussed

not lecture them. Parents need to realize that TEEN SEX HAPPENS and it is happening

Furthermore, since I grew up like this, it was very difficult for me to attend sex aid class while I was still in high school. All because I was not used to it and as for my culture it a shameful thing to learn about sex at that young age. So, I literally skipped the sex aid class in high school because I didn't feel comfortable enough to learn such things at that age I was in. Now going back to the question, it very difficult to discuss sexuality to adolescents depending on culture, family morals, beliefs, and background. Since I grew in an environment where learning about sex is not permitted at an adolescent age than I don't see myself teaching other adolescents or even my future children about sex. I think that the more children are exposed

Sex is always a touchy subject, adolescents feel embarrassed discussing it with their parents or teacher and adults feel awkward answering questions. When people discuss being pregnant or breastfeed it’s often referred to as a natural thing, but when discussing sex it is a natural thing that a lot of adults feel uncomfortable confronting. There can be number of problems that can occur in the area of adolescent sexuality, but it is important to keep in mind majority of adolescents have healthy sexual attitudes and engage in sexual behaviors that will not compromise their journey to adulthood (Adolescence pg. 193). Are the “suttle” and “private” talks about sex harming adolescents versus helping them? Is the sex education that is being taught being embedded in adolescent’s heads? Many people have a different opinion on wither sex education should be taught in school and how it should be taught. When looking at the statistics, sex education can play an important role in adolescents now days. In 2011 54% of twelfth graders have had sexual intercourse and 38% were currently sexually active (Adolescence pg. 197). Many adolescents that are sexually active do not use contraceptives. 34% of the sexually active adolescents did not use contraceptives the last time they had intercourse (Adolescence pg. 206). I am all for teaching adolescents about abstinence but truth of the matter sex is becoming more and more popular in adolescent lives. The way sex education is being presented

The reason parents are fearful of the sex talk is because they cannot or do not want to picture their child having sex, even though it is a possibility, and the child will feel embarrassed to have their parents talk to them about sex. Because of these feelings, the talk repeatedly becomes delayed, and it either does not happen at all or it happens too late after their child has already had sex. “In the latest study on parent-child talks about sex and sexuality, researchers found that more than forty percent of adolescents had had intercourse before talking to their parents about safe sex, birth control or sexually transmitted diseases” (Park).

Other parents believe that you can teach a teenager about sex until there ears turn blue, but if the believes of a religion or a parent then all the sex education will not work. Ubell says that "however, programs that focus on helping teenagers to change their behavior-using role playing, games, and exercises that strengthen social skills-have shown signs of success" (18). The morals of the child needs to be taught before the knowledge of where to go and how to have sex is given to them. A teacher can teach where to go to have safe sex but not if it is right or wrong to have it, that is where being a parent should come in.

Therefore, the approach on sexuality should different. It is essential to start the sex education program early so that young teens could know what is positive and negative when it comes to sex. Educational graphics and encouragement to remain abstinent are some ways that young teens can learn about sex. The youth of all ages should have the basic knowledge about sex education, what it is, and how to properly be protected during sexual intercourse and thoroughly educated about the risk and preventions of diseases.