Teen_Pregnancy__Parents_Fault_

Natasha Naquin Professor Richards English 111-11 8am November 28, 2010 Project 4 Prevention of Teen Pregnancy Lies with Parents Sex education and relationships, a fond development that should happen at home, in private quarters with parents, not in school where it’s open for discussion. Providing this for teens gives them the ability to make correct choices individually without parents being so assertive. The independence they receive helps carve the way to discovering themselves. Sex education and relationships, is a “lifelong learning process that provides skills for life that can make a difference to individuals” (Weyman 80). Has anyone ever thought to teach our teens that self-esteem doesn’t revolve around sex' We all know how much pressure there is to have sex these days. “In the U.S., 45.3% of female and 48% of male adolescents between 15 to 19 years of age have had intercourse” (Commendador 1). “One fourth of adolescents have reported they had intercourse prior to age 15” (Commendador 1). Young girls feel their virginity is the only valuable item they have to offer. Some men feel women are insignificant, and they have tossed their life away after having sex; which leads to self-esteem issues. Women have more to offer than purity; in efforts to teach this importance, young girls seem to be interpreting it differently. Girls aren’t the only ones who have self-esteem problems. Boys need to know that they’re more than just the number girls pegged on a board. In that same sense, if a schoolboy decides to wait until he’s ready, he shouldn’t feel like a loser, or not man enough, and for that matter shouldn’t be judged by other boys. Educational programs for students should teach the significance of self-esteem to their students, as well as the impact of their choice and how much thought and consideration is needed the selection doesn’t characterize who they are. Not only is self-esteem a problem receiving the correct information is major part of teenage pregnancy. If they don’t obtain the accurate data on sex they tend to rely on rumors and we end up with situations where girls say; I can’t get pregnant the first time, that won’t happen to me or they believe their boyfriend saying Don’t worry, this isn’t sex. The truth is teenagers can get pregnant for the first time even if the girl is on top, and during their menstrual period. Excellent sex education program can also teach this as well as how to cope with hormones and abstain from having sex for personal choice, religious or culture beliefs. “Young people say that schools are the main source of information on sex and relationships,” (Weyman 82) or they have access to information online. This shouldn’t stop parents from discussing pregnancy prevention with their child. Some parents think, “They aren’t asking me about sex so I don’t need to talk to them, right'” Wrong! Many parents feel they shouldn’t have to talk to young adolescences about teen pregnancy due to culture, social or religious beliefs. Although there are sex educational programs like these, they don’t seem too exist. Schools don’t have the time, money or even the staffing to invest in these, and parents are depending on them to strongly. The best prevention of teenage pregnancy lies within the intellect and soul of the parents. How a child is raised proves to be relevant in decision making once their hormones are active. Interest in sex is unavoidable, like all other human nature. Parents must take this wonderful thing called “time” to connect with their child, talk to them, listen and most importantly teach them what sex is, what can be involved, and how to deal with pregnancy. If you think a few words of caution appears to be all that’s needed, think again. Sex education should be taught to teens by loved ones. Parents are the biggest influence in children’s lives when it comes to moral issues like sex. The importance of teen-parent relationship remains crucial to teens contentment regarding sex and pregnancy. The lack of sex education, as well as unhealthy, unreceptive teen-parent relationships are the reasons for teen pregnancy. “Parent-adolescent communication and parent responsiveness to sexual discussions play an important role in delaying early sexual intercourse (Commendador 4). Many teens haven’t had a good example of a solid, working relationship between their parents and themselves. Setting that example of a positive, strong, open relationship is key for many young women. Upholding this will bring confidence to teens and self-assurance will factor into their future decision making (like sex). Having an open connection with young adults will make it easier for them to come and talk to their parents about private issues. If teens don’t feel secure enough to come up and talk to their parents about basic issues like how school is going or how the football team is doing, what makes you think they will talk to an adult about being pregnant' If the parent-teen relationship isn’t close, the teen will feel uncomfortable and ashamed to confide in the parents. Not all parents are hostile and sarcastically opinionated, but it makes talking a lot harder. The correct measure of affection, support and attention from parents usually keeps young women from trying to find love in other places. Young women who results to relationships that are based souly on what the boy wants, leaving the girl to feel that’s the only love they receive and having sex is the only way to get it. Openness allows trust and understanding to come into the relationship. Showing teens love, support and attention gives the teen a sense of belonging and shows them they still are important to you. Granted my mother always showed me affection we were either best friends or worst enemies. There was no in-between. Sometimes I would confide in her as a friend. Sometimes all I wanted to do was hang out with her - Mostly when she offered to take me shopping or go to the beach. We would talk sometimes in a polite and summery way. But other times, we couldn’t even be in the same room without insulting each other or launching items - Yes, I admit it, I was very disrespectful. The worst part was everything was fine between us until she made some tiny suggestion to me: Why don’t you go practice' Your other pair of jeans would look better with that sweater-made me very irritable at times. I always accused my mother of trying to control me in the smallest decision I could have made myself, like what to wear but at times I would ask her for advice on what I was wearing. This was a crazy time in our lives. I can tell you that teenage girls want freedom and a connection to their parents, but they’re just not sure how to find their way, and as a result, parents get mixed messages, which make maintaining the relationship even harder. When teenagers are trying to lighten their way parents get pushed a far. I know from experience that teenage girls feel a bigger need to fight, defy, and rebel against parents’ control in order to increase their sense of who they are. This leads to teenagers longing for independence and parents not listening to what their teens are really asking for. The importance for parents to take the time to talk to their child each day is fundamental for their teen’s independence. Whatever the topic may be, it creates an open relationship, once that is established. Slowly introduce sex until teens feel they are equipped. Eventually teens will come to the parents with questions about sex, NEVER turn them away and NEVER scream at them, doing this will only make the trust disappear, and sometimes parents make hostile decisions without thinking them through. “Sexually active adolescents were more likely to use contraception if they were taught at home about delaying sexual activity and using birth control” (Commendador 4) Be open to your teen’s thoughts and needs, not just your own opinions and judgments and in return you will have a not so rebellious teen. Understanding the “key components of sex education and relationship” (Weyman 83), will help you help your teen to gain their independence. As a I was once a teen, now I know the importance of young people understanding reproductive correctness, fruitfulness, qualifications to correspond with teens, withstanding social demands, and finding solutions to problems, in addition viewpoints and morals have a consequence, and that encouraging confidence are crucial ideas in effective sex education and relationships (Weyman 83). This is a program provided by many community groups for free courses that enable parents to talk to their children about sex and relationships” (Weyman 83, 84). “Congress has provided 114.5 million for programs that are effective” (Halbert) such as programs as this to help parents who need help talking with their teens. “Sex education is a critical part of education Americaas youth” (Halbert). Teens require open relationships with parents enabling them to talk candidly about sex education; community groups are available for parents who need assistance getting to that chapter to prevent teenage pregnancy. Sex education and relationship programs “provide the skills teens need to make informed decisions about their personal live and help then take responsibility for their well-being” (Weyman 81). Doing this will improve and prospect this generation of young people and their children. Providing community groups to help parents is a solid and dominant way to make progress in teen-parent relationships. Having a strong, open connection with parents will provide more opportunities to complete the highest education available and achieve other life goals without having an unwanted pregnancy. Sex education in schools is not merely the answer to teach teens this. If we think closely about how parents teach children, does it not start from birth' Parents are teaching their children from the time they are born to the time they die. Its parent’s responsibility to teach teens about sex education just as it’s their responsibility to teach them integrity. There’s a time and place for sex education; it certainly isn’t in the middle of Times Square. Parents want to give a big round of applause to their children, having an open teen-parent relationship will help teens decided whether or not to keep virginity until marriage to a partner of the opposite sex. Sex has always been a private issue, why should the education to teens be any different' The truth of the matter is sex education in schools will not disappear due to the reliance from parents. Where else would our youth learn the importance of sex education if not parents aren’t teaching at home and teachers aren’t teaching at school' They of course would learn from each other and it starts this vicious cycle is repeated.