A new trend is surfacing among parents of teenagers which has started many heated debates among parents everywhere. Should you allow your teen to have sex in your home? I can not provide you with an answer to this question because it will differ from child to child and house to house, but I will provide you with some relevant information that will assist you in making the best possible decision for you and your child.
Most parents who are in favor of allowing their children to have sex in their home believe that by doing this they are protecting their children from STDs, unwanted pregnancies and sexual promiscuity. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that their has been a significant drop in teenage pregnancy. It is report to be at the lowest rate in two decades, but the US still has a rate 9X as high as other developed nations as reported by the United Nations. The Center for Disease Control credits television shows that cater to teens providing information about birth control. According to the Center for Disease Control, one in four girls has an STD. Several states report that that figure is outdated and the figure is much higher. Educating your teenager about forms of birth control that both protect them from STDs and pregnancy is imperative whether you decide to let them have sex in your home or not. Do it now before it is too late.
Parents who are opposed to allowing their teenagers to have sex under their roof argue that by giving your permission, you are encouraging your children to have sex when they may not be ready to have it. Statistics suggest that women who had sex for the first time in their teens have a higher rate of divorce (31%) than those who women who waited to have sex when they reached adulthood (15%). I would also like to suggest that allowing sex to take place in your home does not eliminate your children from engaging in sex outside of the home. It is human nature to get a thrill from doing something that is not allowed.
I have a few ideas and suggestions if you do choose to allow your teens to have sex in your home. I believe that this offer should only be given to children who have reached the age of consent. If you offer this before this age, it is important that you let the parents of the other participant know about what you are proposing to do, prior to making this offer. They deserve to have their voice heard, after all it will affect their child as well. In addition, it is important to listen to what other teens are saying about this topic. Several teenage girls have spoken out against their parents allowing them to have sex in their home. They stated that often times they use the excuse that their parents would "kill" them if they had sex, when in reality it was that they were not ready to have sex. If the boys knew that their parents allowed this activity, they may apply more pressure to have sex.
From where I stand, I don't think that there is a clear cut right and wrong answer to this debate. As in all things regarding parenting, you need to consider your child's personality, values, and maturity level when making the right decision for your family.
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