Teaching Your Teens About Sexual Responsibility and Sexual Health
Learning about sexual health means learning about:
- Body image and self confidence
- Understanding sexual feelings and attractions
- How to manage intense emotions
- How to express closeness
- Considering the needs and feelings of their partners
- Not having sex if the young person or their partner is not ready
- Ways to prevent and reduce harm
- Good decision-making skills
- Discussing the kind of relationship both partners want
How you can help:
- Discussing the emotional aspects of a sexual relationship will enable teenagers to make better decisions in their relationships
- It is helpful for young people to think about their own values about sex and sexuality, and decide what they feel comfortable with before getting into a sexual situation. For example,it's OK to say 'no' to sex
- They need the skills to make sound decisions about relationships and sexual intercourse and stand up for those decisions e.g. to say 'no' if that's what they choose
- They need skills to recognise a situation that might turn risky or violent, and to deal with pressures for unwanted sex or drug use
- They also need to know how to negotiate protected sex and other forms of safer sex when ready for sexual relationships
- They need to know where to access help and support and sexual and reproductive health services
- Young people want to enjoy their sexual experience and to have enough information and confidence to be able to prevent themselves coming to any harm.