Is it ok for the teen to have sex? Who cares? That's none of anyone's business, and it's irrelevant to my point. So here's what I say to people who think that birth control gives teens the ok to have sex: Teens are going to have sex. That's how it is. Birth control is protection so that an unexpected surprise doesn't pop up. I'm not saying that birth control is, all in all, a good thing. I mean, it probably does get rid of some of the worries of teenagers, and by doing so, giving them incentive to have sex. But the point is: They're going to do it at some point. Why not do as much as we can to prevent a bundle of joy from arriving too early? It's one of those "You're damned if you do; you're damned if you don't" situations. If I have to be damned, then I'd rather be damned if I do, just sayin'. So maybe it's a good idea for people to put their teenagers on birth control, and for them to give as much information about sex to their teens as possible. Because if a teen has questions about it, they'll figure out the answers somehow. And, by then, it may be too late. And if a teen wants birth control, but his/her parents won't let him/her use it, then this issue may very well turn into an even bigger issue in the form of a child or a disease. The point is, it's probably a better idea to let your teen be on birth control, and to give him/her information about sex, rather than hiding it. You may say the simple solution is to close your legs, but let's face it. I'm a realist, and teens aren't going to close their legs. Period.
So don't yell at your teen when you find him looking at pictures of boobs online. Sit down with him, and talk to him about it. Tell him that, if he has any questions, he can ask you. Give him pamphlets to read, if you must. Don't make sex out to be a bad thing, or your teen will just want it more. It will become more interesting and scandalous to him, and therefore, he will chase after it. That's how teen minds work! They like to do things that give them a rush. They like to rebel. They are curious. And that's ok. Sex isn't a bad thing! It can be beautiful. And it's natural. So don't get mad at them and call them "pigs" and punish them for looking at boobie pictures online. Your teen is bound to do that at some point. Be open about it. That way, when your teens have a question, they will trust you and come to you about sex, rather go out and find out about it themselves. And you don't want that. You don't want your teens to distrust you and not want to come to you when they have questions and concerns. And you certainly don't want them to go out and have sex, just out of curiosity, because they don't feel like they can satisfy that curiosity simply by asking you about it. And you certainly don't want your teens to think they are bad for having sexual feelings. Those feelings are natural and normal, and you don't want your teen thinking he/she is wrong or weird for having those feelings. And one other thing. "The first time too many teens have the sex talk with their parents is when they're telling them that they're pregnant. Parents - if your teens have a question about sex, don't assume they're doing it. And teens - if your parents aren't talking to you about sex, don't assume they don't care. Teenage pregnancy is 100% preventable. Start talking. For more information, please visit stayteen.org or abcfamily.com." That is a great quote from the ABC Family tv series The Secret Life Of the American Teenager.
By the way, you could say the same about condoms, but no one does. Just throwin' that one out there, for what it's worth.
Now, onto another dispute about birth control. My dad always says "The more medicine you put into your body, the worse off you are." So is it good to constantly be taking medicine? Are there symptoms of birth control that we'll come across down the line? If I take birth control, am I going to end up with cancer when I'm 60? I would not be pleased with that outcome, even if it happens when I'm old, rather than when I'm young. Obviously we won't know the answer to this until birth control has been around for way more tests, but I just thought I'd throw this point out there just to get your minds thinking more.
I would so take this.
No comments:
Post a Comment