Times are changing and teens are engaging in sexual activity at younger and higher rates. It is inevitable; therefore as health educators we need the ability to teach teenagers about safe sex practices. One can talk all day long about abstinence, but in the end it is the teen’s choice whether they will abstain or not. Abstinence plus would be the ideal choice for me because it is still promoting abstinence; however it is providing the teens with the knowledge and tools if they ever decide to engage in sexual activity.
Many teens have inaccurate information they have heard or misinterpret. When I was in nursing school one of the instructors shared a story about a young girl (not even a teenager) who got access to her mother’s birth control and she gave one to each of her friends and told them this would prevent them from getting pregnant . One of the girls friends mother was a nurse and decided to have the talk with her daughter. The little girls was like I know mom, I have this for my first time. Her mother asked her what it was and the girl told her mother about the pill her friend gave her.
Can you imagine how this is such a dangerous misconception about birth control? It is crucial for teens to know precisely how to take birth control in order for it to work at its optimum level. It is also important for them to know that it does not under any circumstances protect them from STD’s. Teens do not know the risks in engaging in unprotected sex, therefore this may ease their mind that there are no risks or dangers in engaging in unprotected sex.
Many teens do not have the talk and will never have the talk. I can vouch for that because my mother, especially not my father gave me the talk. The only one that received the talk was my brother. I am sure you can definitely see the problem with their way of thinking.
I have always been curious about health issue and took elective classes in high school. I also hear radio announcements about Planned Parenthood and researched the site. This is how I was unknowingly pro active for my own health care. This was the time that 5 of my cousins and friends got pregnant at the ages of 15 and 16, which is what struck my curiosity even more. One of them had already had an abortion. Also later on, my cousins and friends were on their second baby and their younger sisters were 16 soon became pregnant as well. By this time I was convinced there was something definitely wrong with our parents not talking to us and the school not teaching us anything regarding these issues.
I agree that sex education should be taught to adolescents. Teenagers need to be educated on health concerns that could result from sexual activity, especially females. Human Papillomavirus is becoming more prevalent among teen girls. This virus has many different strains and can lead to genital warts, or even cervical cancer. Many teens have misconceptions about sex and information regarding STD’s.
ReplyDeleteIt is important females are provided education on the seriousness of sexually transmitted diseases and the effects they have on the body.
I agree with you in that abstinence-plus should be taught to kids. Especially now since kids are having sex at younger ages. Also, becasuse instructors of sex education will have up-to-date information than kids. In the 1980's when news of Aids was first coming out, everyone thought it was just a disease that affected gay men. Well, through research and as new cases developed, it became known that anyone could get aids by sexual activity, blood transfusions, or sharing of needles for drug use. Also, regarding misinformation, the Oprah show mentioned that in Africa, men with Aids came to believe that if they had sex with a virgin girl, this would cure their Aids. So how many innoncent girls were infected by men, because of this? This is serious,sad issue that needs to be corrected somehow. There is so much misinformation, that educating the masses will help, with the spread of a disease or myths that are assocciated with sex.
ReplyDeleteI do agree, times have changed and young ladies are becoming sexually active at so early that it is hard to imagine. Which is why I do think that sexual education should continue to be taught in the schools. I do prefer children to substain from sex but if they are going to do it anyway, at least they are properly educated.
ReplyDeleteGabriela said
ReplyDeleteMarlex is a great how you shared your experience with us about your cousins who are a younger age they are getting pregnant, I really enjoy your blog because I am really interesting in this subject too, also I posted in my blog my own experience too on how some parents did and did not talk very well with their adolescents about sex.