There are effective ways in which parents can discuss sex with their teenagers.
For those who are parents, raising a child is the most important responsibility they have. As a child becomes a preteen and then a teenager, the dynamic between parents and their children changes. Teenagers have this unrelenting need to assert their independence, and while this can be in positive ways, it can also be in dangerous ways, like having unprotected sex. Too many teens have sex without being properly informed about the consequences, and that is why many parents are seeking help about what to do when then time for "The Talk" comes.
Staying Safe
While older people might refer to a time when society was less sexually charged as "the good old days", the reality is that sex has always been a major part of society in one form or another. Look at any old film that was not strictly intended for children and thinly veiled references to sex can be found. Indeed, in "the good old days" it was all about the double entendre.
In some ways, it is easier for parents to talk to their teenagers about sex nowadays because sex is all over the media. There is no escaping sexuality, and children are born into a society that thrives on it. So, for parents to discuss such a topic , they need to acknowledge that the media has probably already given their child a basic sex-ed course. However, the key is informing teens about the importance of abstinence or protected sex.
Being Informed
Some parents choose to avoid talking to their teenager about sex and letting the sex-ed classes at school do all the talking. While this will, of course, provide the teen with the technical information, it is not the same as having a parent talk to them too. This is why it is important for parents to have good communication with their teens whenever possible. This is why the Adolescent Sex Education website is an excellent reference for parents.
Teens who aren't especially close to their parents might reject the idea of having such a conversation with them. However, this doesn't mean that well-meaning parents can't point them in the right direction. A website like Teen Growth provides valuable information that teens can discover on their own. For parents, it is as easy as sending them an e-mail with the link, or writing down the link on a piece of paper. A teenager who is properly informed about sex will also be properly prepared.
