Parent Education


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	Parent Education A strong parent-child relationship is one of the best ways to protect your child from making unsafe decisions about sex. Teens who feel close to their parents are much more likely to listen to what their parents say, and wait to have sex. Tips for Parents: Forget "the talk." You can't do it just once. Talk with your kids early and often about the dangers of having sex. Let your kids know they can talk with you about anything. "If you have any questions, I'm here to listen." Use news articles, TV shows or songs to start a good conversation. "What do you think about that?" or "What do you think you would do in that situation?" It's fine to say, "I don't know, but we can find out." Then get answers together, through the Internet, at the library, or by calling local resources like your Health Department. Be sure to listen, and not jump to conclusions. Talk with your child, not to your child. Click here to read more about our Parents Matter! Program, which helps parents improve their skills and be more comfortable talking to their kids about sex. Take a look at these Web pages for more information about teen-parent relationships, and how you can help your teen make smart decisions about whether to have sex: What is "Let's Talk Month" and what can you, a parent, do? Check out this Let's Talk Month page from Advocates for Youth, which features communication tips and ideas for how you can get started. http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/news/events/letstalk.htm Just for Parents - A great site from the Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy where you can find articles, research and tips for talking with your teens about adolescent sexual health. http://www.teenpregnancy.org/parent/default.asp Who has the most influence on whether a teenager chooses to have sex? The answer may surprise you. Take a look at national survey results about teens, parents and teen pregnancy. http://www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/data/parentpoll2004.asp Want to know how your knowledge rates on teen attitudes about sex? Take the "Parent Power Quiz" to find out. http://www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/reading/parentpower/quiz1.asp Talking Back - What teens want adults to know about teen attitudes toward sex. http://www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/reading/pdf/TalkingBack2003.pdf Tips for Talking with Sexually Active Teens about Contraception http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/parents/contraception.pdf Parent-Child Communication: Promoting Sexually Healthy Youth http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/factsheet/fsparchd.pdf For parents and teens: Click here to watch public service announcements for teens on the importance of making wise decisions about becoming sexually active.
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