Our final installment of “Student life: let’s talk about sex” is in this week’s edition. Last week featured interviews with parents and teens about the culture of sexuality among youth. This portion focuses on local resources and what parents can do.
The Island Reproductive Health Initiative, which is a cooperative effort among the island’s medical centers, is a critical source of information for our kids. The initiative allows local teens to receive confidential reproductive health care at minimal or no cost. Services include counseling, examination, lab work, a three-month supply of birth control, the morning after pill, and condoms.
The most important component, however, lies outside the doctor’s office and the classroom walls. Sex education needs to begin at home. We’ve heard this from teens, physicians, and parents.
Here are some tips to get the ball rolling, courtesy of Planned Parenthood:
• Show you are accepting and understanding. Try to listen before giving advice. Let teens know they can trust you and come to you, even when they make mistakes.
• Talk to teens on an ongoing basis before problems arise. Start conversations early instead of waiting for questions.
• Share your values, beliefs and concerns with your children. They need to know where you stand.
• Before age 14, give teens accurate information about intercourse, birth control, sexually transmitted infections, body parts, feelings and relationships. They need information. Knowledge is not harmful.
• Talk to boys about girls’ development and to girls about boys’ development. They need to know about both male and female bodies, feelings and responsibilities.
• Encourage teens to express how they are feeling. Be ready to hear opinions you may not agree with.
• Inform teens about sexual abuse just like you would other dangers. Let them know that you think it is wrong for people to expect sex in return for attention, favors or compliments.
• Discourage early dating and dating older partners, both of which increase the chances of having sex.
Our goal with this series is to shed light on a topic that is relevant to our community, but not often openly discussed. So far, we’ve received positive community feedback. If you’d like to give us input, please email editor@islandssounder.com.
Resources for parents:
