What Teens Want You To Know
Research has shown that parents are the most influential person in teenagers lives. Teens value and appreciate adult advice and support. Listed below are the top nine things your teen wants you to know as reported by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy’s Talking Back: What Teens Want Parents to Know about Teen Pregnancy.
1. Show us why teen pregnancy is such a bad idea. Share with your teen real life experiences that you or others you know have gone through to help show how teen pregnancy can get in the way of reaching their goals.
2. Show us what good, responsible relationships look like. Lead by example. Kids learn what is acceptable and expected by watching those around them so set a good example for your teen by being respectful and responsible.
3. Talk to us honestly about love, sex, and relationships. Just because your son or daughter is young doesn’t mean they don’t have strong feelings and questions about love and sex. Teens want your opinions and advice on these issues so it is important to form a trusting relationship where both you and your teen feel comfortable talking and asking questions.
4. Telling us not to have sex is not enough. Teens want to know how you felt as a teen, but also remember that things may be different for them. Your son or daughter wants to discuss more than just the health and safety reasons behind waiting to have sex, don’t forget to talk about emotions!
5. Even if we don’t ask, we still have questions. “How do I know when having sex is the right thing to do?”, “How do I handle all the pressures from my friends?”, “Should I wait until marriage?”. If your teen isn’t starting these kinds of conversations be the responsible adult and begin the talking yourself.
6. Whether we’re having sex or not, we need to be prepared. Your teen needs to know the risks of having sex such as unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Be there for your child with honest and helpful information. If they don’t hear from you they are going to get the information from somewhere else that might not be teaching the same beliefs you want for your teen.
7. If we ask you about sex or birth control, don’t assume we are already “doing it”. Most likely your teen is just curious and wants to talk to someone they trust. And don’t assume that talking about these things will encourage them to have sex. Its better that your teen is well informed and can make smart choices if a situation arises. (7 out of 10 teens agree that it would be easier for them to postpone sexual activity if they could be more open with their parents.)
8. Pay attention to us before we get into trouble. The more involved you are as a parent the less likely your teen will be to make bad decisions. Reward your teen for doing the right thing even when it seems like it’s not a big deal.
9. Don’t leave us alone too much. When teens having nothing better to do they often turn to risky activities such as drug use and sexual activities. If you can’t be home with your teen make sure they have something safe and productive to do. This could be as simple as joining a sports team or hanging out at a supervised friend’s house who you trust.