Teen Health Issues-Teen Sex
Practically everyone who has access to the Internet these days knows about Web MD. It’s one of the most, if not the most popular site for medical information. Recently, Web MD reported on a news study published by the journal Pediatrics on the emotional toll of teen sex.
In this study, all of the teens reported having vaginal and/or oral sex by spring of the 10th grade. It also reported that girls were three times as likely as boys to say they felt used as a result of having sex, and twice as likely to say they felt bad about themselves.
To me, this says we need to be talking more with our teens about sex. Not just about whether they should or shouldn’t be having sex, but about their feelings and emotions regarding themselves and their sexual activity. I’m not advocating telling your teen that it’s okay to go out and have sex any time they want. But if they are sexually active, we need to get over our moral outrage enough to talk with them about protecting themselves both physically and emotionally.
Talk to your teen about their emotional relationships and how sex can affect them. Tell them about your own early experiences with sex and how you felt about it. Yes, it can be difficult to get the words out-difficult to talk about something that most people feel is a very private matter. But remember, this is your child. If he or she isn’t worth doing something very difficult, then who is?
This goes for boys as well as girls. The longstanding double-standard in our society is that, while boys are looked up to for having sex, girls are seen as either “good girls” or “bad girls” depending on whether they are sexually active. While this standard is easing, it is still out there.
Talk to your teenager today about sex and its effect on their emotions. Let them know that you are there for them. If they are feeling bad about a sexual relationship, talk with them about the reasons for this. Did they have sex before they felt really ready? Did the sexual partner do or say something which made them feel this way? Whatever you do, don’t shy away from this subject. It is one which teens need to discuss. Some guidance, or just being able to talk with you about it, can make all the difference.
teens, teenagers, sex, teen sex, teen sexual activity, parents, parenting, Web MD, Pediatrics
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