Most parents don’t talk to their pre-teens or teens about sex because . . .

 

• They think they don’t know enough.
• They think their son or daughter won’t listen or isn’t ready.
• They know what their son or daughter is doing “all the time”.
• They think that if they tell their pre-teen or teen NOT to have sex, they WILL have sex.
• Their parents didn’t tell them.

But the problem is that . . .

• Teen pregnancy is rampant. 1 in 3 teenage girls in the United States becomes pregnant at least once before the age of 20.
• 1 in 2 (50%) of every newly diagnosed STDs infects a teenager or young adult. That means that teenagers and young adults are getting infected with STDs faster than any other group in America.

Parent, you are a vital part of the solution.

• 9 out of 10 teens (94%) think that adults should let teens know they should wait to have sex at least until they get out of high school.
• Nearly 9 out of 10 (88%) teens say it would be easier to avoid early sexual activity and teen pregnancy if they were able to have more open, honest conversations about these topics with their parents.
• 6 out of 10 (59%) teens say their parents are their role models of healthy, responsible relationships.

This is the bottom line: your voice counts.

Your pre-teens and teens want you to talk to them about sex. They want you to help them develop healthy relationships and make good choices. They want you to help them to think smart!

Check out these amazing resources for more tips on how to help your teens make smart decisions about sex:

Statistics taken from www.4parents.gov.

ThinkSmart Resources for Parents of Teenagers:

Flyer for Parents: Talk to your teen about abstinence until marriage

ThinkSmart Info: All about our Health Education programs

Summer Safety for Parents of Teenagers

For more information on talking with your teens and pre-teens, visit: