Parents Role in Teenage Sexual Education Essay Example

energy necessary to engage.

Due to busy parents, teenagers often get information about sexuality from alternative sources such as friends and media. With easy access to various media sources, parents should monitor what their teenagers are exposed to. Research suggests that teenagers who frequently encounter sexual content in media are more than twice as likely to engage in early sexual activity compared to those who have limited exposure (Warner), indicating the significant influence of media on teens. Hence, it is important for parents to be involved in their teens’ lives. The media plays a crucial role in shaping teenagers’ preferences for music, clothing and curiosity towards sexual activities, which may not be apparent to parents. However, portraying sexual activity as risk-free in the media can give teenagers a false impression and lead to dangerous consequences. Studies have shown that films, TV shows, music, and magazines portray premarital sex as normal.

During adolescence, teens search for information and are exposed to unrealistic portrayals of the world that contrast with society's beliefs. With parents working longer hours, teens rely on TV for guidance, and schools have implemented sexual education programs. The majority of parents support these programs (80-85%) as they recognize their significance for their teens (Adv for Youth). For some, these courses can provide a basis for discussions on the covered topics and facilitate conversations at home.

Sex education programs vary in form but share the goal of complementing teenagers' sexual education at home. The type of program offered depends on location and age, ranging from abstinence-only to comprehensive approaches. However, most schools prefer the comprehensive approach since it covers all aspects of sexual education that enable teenagers to

engage in safe sex while making informed decisions. Contrary to popular beliefs, studies conducted by SIECUS show that teaching sexual health does not increase sexual activity. Teenagers who receive guidance both at home and school have a stronger foundation in sexual education than those who seek information from media and peers when lacking guidance. According to Guttmacher, 46% of teens aged 15-19 participate in sex but often wait until their middle or late twenties before getting married.

It is crucial to offer thorough sex education and parental guidance to teenagers because they are vulnerable to unwanted pregnancy and STIs for a decade. Reports indicate that almost half of the nearly nineteen million annual cases of STIs occur among individuals aged fifteen to twenty-four (Guttmacher), highlighting the importance of informing teenagers about the consequences of unprotected sexual activity. Additionally, teenage pregnancies in communities are worrisome, emphasizing the immediate necessity for sexual education.

Every year, approximately 250,000 teenage girls aged between fifteen and nineteen get pregnant. Shockingly, 82% of these pregnancies are unplanned indicating the lack of sexual education in schools or homes or insufficient awareness about the chances of getting pregnant. Guttmacher reports that a large proportion of teen pregnancies are prevalent among minority groups with an average of 132 per thousand teenage pregnancies accounted for by African-Americans and Hispanics. However, since the 1990s there has been a gradual decrease in these numbers due to more significant emphasis on sexual education in response to alarming rates of teenage STDs and pregnancies.

By conducting personal interviews with individuals from diverse educational backgrounds, religions, and beliefs, I gained valuable insights. Two interviews were conducted - one with a teenager and the

other with a parent - enabling me to comprehend the perspectives of both parents and teens. The interview process commenced by questioning AC, an eighteen-year-old teenager from a Catholic background of Philippine descent who grew up on the Hawaiian island. AC's parents enforced strict rules governing behavior that promoted abstinence until marriage. At home, she received sexual education through pamphlets discussing topics such as teenage pregnancy, STDs, HIV/Aids, and the "guys only want one thing" speech.

AC found herself turning to her boyfriend's mother for guidance on sex, rather than her own parents. She also obtained information from older high school friends, who provided more valuable and trustworthy insights than what she learned in school's sex education courses. AC concluded that the curriculum lacked crucial information on topics teenagers should be informed about, such as STDs and pregnancy.

AC accessed free condoms at a Planned Parenthood located beside her school. She advocates for schools to provide free condoms, acknowledging that regardless of any education or advice given to teenagers about the consequences of pre-marital sex, they will still engage in it. AC cited that even though she had strict parents, she still found ways to have sex with her boyfriend and believes that parents must ensure teenagers protect themselves during sexual activity, since they will find a way. AC's parents were unaware of her boyfriend or sexual activity since the age of fourteen and she now realizes she wasn't prepared. The reason for her involvement in sex was due to peer pressure, not because of any direct external pressure. In my interview with AC, she was candid and open about providing information.

The situation of AC may represent

a common occurrence in households where parents of the older generation try to restrain their teenagers, resulting in ineffective communication and disinterest from the teen. This lack of communication exposes teens to potentially harmful misinformation. AC was fortunate to receive reliable advice from other adults and avoided any long-term repercussions from the guidance of peers. The experience of AC and her siblings demonstrates that without open conversations with parents, teenagers may turn to external sources for guidance.

During an interview with SR, a 37-year-old African American Christian single mother of a 15-year-old daughter, it was revealed how AC's situation exemplifies how teenagers can engage in inappropriate behaviors just because their peers are doing so. SR shared valuable insights about her own teenage experience where her parents had a significant age difference. Her father was in his late fifties and her mother in her mid-thirties which resulted in minimal sexual education from them. The only advice given to SR was not to bring home any babies. If her parents were younger, they may have found it easier to discuss sex with their daughter which would have been more helpful for SR. However, since this wasn't the case, she never broached the topic with them at all but rather relied on experimentation when she felt ready and learned as she went along instead of turning to friends or media for information about sex.

According to SR, her high school omitted sexual education classes and did not include discussions on the topic in their health class. The school also did not distribute condoms to students, which she thinks is an essential service they should have provided. She believes that given

the amount of inaccurate information teens are exposed to via friends and media during the seven hours or more they spend at school, it would be wise to teach them the proper way and encourage safe sexual practices instead. SR suggests that parents start discussing sex with their children by the age of ten as they begin to develop physically and hormonally. SR's willingness to extend information on sexual education has strengthened her bond with her fifteen-year-old in a way that she was unable to achieve with her parents.

Although SR doesn't believe that her daughter is currently sexually active, her daughter has asked several times if she could be. SR has consistently informed her daughter that she is too young and should take her time. However, once her daughter becomes sexually active, SR plans to schedule an appointment for her to undergo STD testing and potentially prescribe birth control. Additionally, she will discuss her daughter's decision with her and gain an understanding of how she is feeling both physically and emotionally. In terms of media influence on her daughter, SR believes that she has the greatest impact. When her daughter asks about sex, she is forthright about the potential consequences and doesn't sugarcoat the subject. She restricts access to Rated-R movies but permits music videos.

According to SR, many teenagers nowadays believe that engaging in sex is a way to solidify their relationships and express their commitment to their partners. However, she emphasizes that this is not accurate and urges her daughter to avoid such beliefs. SR notes that things have not changed significantly from her own teenage years as her generation also had the

same curiosity and desire to engage in sex. Despite this, SR continues to encourage her daughter to abstain from sex by emphasizing the importance of treating her body as a sacred gift from God. She advises her daughter to wait until she is emotionally ready to share it and encourages her to treat her first time as something special that should not be rushed into.

After interviewing SR, it is evident that her approach to parenting teenagers is highly effective and prevents the same communication difficulties she experienced with her own parents. SR's daughter has a confidant whom she trusts regarding sexual issues, and can rely on accurate information rather than media or peer influence. This strong bond between mother and daughter ensures reliable information is provided to her daughter when considering important decisions and future plans. Effective communication skills will also benefit SR's daughter when she has children of her own, making her a reliable source of information and minimizing external sources of information. Before conducting research for this paper, I held a previously different view on parent-teen relationships, primarily due to my perspective as a teenager without personal parenting experience.

Based on my research, it is my belief that today's teenagers experience more pressure than any previous generation. This is due in part to the prevalence of sexual themes in media, which has sparked their curiosity at an earlier age. As a result, parents must now educate their children about these topics at a younger age to keep up with societal changes.

In addition to spending countless hours watching TV, teens also face peer pressure which contributes to their increased interest and desire for sex. While

adults can relate to the desire for acceptance from peers, conforming to the group may be crucial for teenagers' social status. It is important not to forget how challenging high school can be and how peer pressure often drives teens’ decisions, even if they are not approved by parents.

Despite the challenges that come with communicating with teenagers, research shows that parents remain the most influential figure in their children's education. Although parents may have limited time due to busy schedules, they should recognize that their actions serve as valuable lessons. Teenagers should also acknowledge the challenging role parents play in promoting safety and growth. While disagreements are inevitable due to shared experiences, open communication is crucial for both parties to ensure that lessons are learned while giving teens room to make independent decisions. In addition, sexual education courses provide essential knowledge for teenagers just as traditional education does for future success.

These courses serve to enhance or establish the sexual education of youth, providing them with valuable insight. This can either supplement home-based education or form the basis for informed decisions regarding sexual activity. For minority groups, this school-based education has the potential to significantly decrease the number of reported teen pregnancies. Although the role of parents is crucial in teenage sexual education, without solid guidance, teens are left vulnerable to external sources that can negatively influence their understanding. Therefore, parents hold an important responsibility in effectively raising their teenagers.

The Center for the Advancement of Health stresses the grave consequences of neglecting to educate adolescents on the obstacles and choices they may face. Remaining uninformed about prevalent lethal and irreversible illnesses poses a greater hazard

to teens than taking a few hours to discuss their concerns and exchange personal perspectives. Although external factors can heavily influence teenagers' decisions, parents hold a vital responsibility in their sexual maturation. Actively instructing youths on potential dangers can decrease their susceptibility to outside hazards.

A report on Science Daily from December 23, 2007 states that providing sex education can delay teenage intercourse according to a recent study. The article was originally published on April 29, 2008 and the full study can be found at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220231428.htm.

Here are some statistics about sexual and reproductive health of American teenagers according to the Guttmacher Institute's report from September 2006. The report was accessed on March 28th from the same source.

In 2008, SIECUS released a fact sheet on sexuality education, which was cited as the source by Guttmacher in their publication about adolescent and teen sexual and reproductive health. The source link to the Guttmacher publication is "http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_ATSRH.html".The Sexual Information and Education Council of the United States website was accessed on April 12, 2008 at http://www.iecus.org/.

"Opening the Channels for 'the Sex Talk" with Your Teenager" by Jennifer Johnson, as discussed by Dr. Greene.

The website address http://drgreene.healthology contains information dated from February 26, 2002 to March 28, 2008.The book "Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity" by Spencer A. Rathus, Jeffrey S. Nevid, and Lois Fichner-Rathus can be accessed at com/teen-health/article1203.htm.The 7th edition of a publication by Pearson was released in New York in 2008, including an article by Jennifer Warner on CBS News titled "Media May Prompt Teen Sex" on April 3rd.The source of this information is a CBS News article that was published on April 3rd, 2006 and

can be accessed on the WebMD website at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/03/health/webmd/main1464262.shtml.