As a high schooler, I am frequently warned of the dangers of sex by administrators, counselors, and parents. Most authority figures in my life seem to stick to the methods of educating with overwhelming facts and statistics on teen pregnancies and STDs, without offering the information regarding methods of prevention and mitigation. Fortunately, I have a mother who was willing to have open conversations with me about contraception and protection. Our conversations have been awkward and uncomfortable but that’s completely normal and what they are all about. It was important for me and her to always remain open and receptive to each other’s questions and suggestions. Although my first trip to the gynecologist was exceptionally awkward, it helped me normalize my sexual experiences and feelings and feel confident in my knowledge going into the future. The meeting my mom set up with her also opened up more discussion between me and my mom.
Some of my peers, however, are not so lucky to have these conversations with their parents. They continuously lie about their sexual involvement and curiosities to the very parents who would need to help them in a situation of an unintended pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection. I myself cannot count the number of times my friends have made me go with them to get Plan B or asked me a question relating to pregnancy risk. Every time I’m asked these questions I’m always curious about the “talk” they had with their parents due to how little common knowledge these teenagers have. Understandably, it is really difficult for growing teenagers to be honest with their parents when they feel ashamed of their thoughts or actions due to how the “talk” was taught to them, and the same goes for parents who feel uncomfortable talking to their kids about topics related to sex. Despite the awkwardness, it is crucial to have these conversations to keep them safe and well informed.
It is important to accept the awkwardness and just talk. Dr. Pluhar suggests that it is 100% about the tone parents take when discussing sexuality and puberty with their children. It is good to voice your opinion on the matter that maybe you feel they are too young to participate in certain acts, but most importantly the parents must provide their children with the information they need to stay safe if they decide to participate, and to provide a line of open communication and support when they have questions. As a teenager that is all I requested from my mom when we would talk, and due to her openness and respect I feel like I can trust her with anything that I’m concerned about.
Today’s media is over-sexualized and easy to access on any platform. Children are being exposed earlier and in order to protect them in future endeavors, their questions must be answered earlier to avoid the infamous internet searches that can lead to the spread of false information and sometimes unnecessary panic.