Sex education is widely regarded a taboo subject in many societies even today.
Some of the reasons for this are obvious, such as reluctancy on a parent’s part to even imagine their little one exploring physical intimacy with another.
However, you must realize that cautioning your teenager about physical intimacy is very different from encouraging them to have sex.
Read on to gain a better understanding of why parents must talk to their teenagers at least once about the importance of safe sex.
1. Why teens are reluctant to have the conversation
As parents, you will find that younger children are quite vocal about their curiosity about the ‘birds and the bees’. Yet, when your offspring matures, you notice that your young adults or teenagers are less enthusiastic about talking to you about sex. This is likely because they find it awkward to discuss the subject with their makers. Additionally, they may assume they possess enough details on the subject due to information they’ve got from their peers, friends or even by studying the dark spaces of the internet. However, this is far from true.
2. Information sought from friends or the internet can be faulty or incomplete
When teenagers try to seek information on the topic of sex from their friends or even from the internet, they could be grossly misinformed. Did you know that many teenagers believe that the pull-out method is sufficient to avoid pregnancy? Furthermore, many young adults develop an unhealthy addiction to pornography, which can distort their expectations when it comes to intimacy with future partners.
3. The dire consequences of not imparting sex education
Sex education is an important parenting milestone as you must inform your teenagers about methods or safe sex or even abstinence. Avoiding doing so may lead to a teenage pregnancy, or even a situation where your kid doesn’t understand the importance of consent. Moreover, there can be life threatening consequences of unprotected sex such as contracting sexually transmitted diseases that can ruin their life.
So, as your teenager nears adulthood, be sure to have a conversation about physical intimacy with them so that they are well-informed and prepared when it comes to getting intimate with a college-mate or friend.
