A national survey showed that 50 percent of parents are still uneasy speaking to their teen about sex, compared to 82 percent of teens not willing to talk to their parents about the topic. Everyone knows that the sex talk is…well, rather uncomfortable. So I wasn't surprised to hear about this new survey showing that teens still aren't talking to their parents about sex–even though parents are more willing to do so.
At least 1 in 6 teens have never spoken to their parents about sex, but even if they are comfortable talking about it, addressing sex still brings parents anxiety and their good intentions go unnoticed by their teens. So how can we fix that?
Chances are the average teen doesn't have that level of comfort to discuss such a personal topic with their parents. I'm in my twenties and EVEN NOW, I try to avoid the topic with my mom. I didn't grow up in a household where sex was openly talked about (God forbid!), so I can understand where most teens are coming from.
But what's shocking is that although the study shows that 81 percent of parents knew their teens were sexually active, ONLY 45 percent knew that their teens were having oral sex. Um, this requires just as much attention since it's still risky behavior! It also states that teens don't speak about sex with their folks because the media offers enough sex-related content that they feel well informed. This obviously isn't the case since the media romanticizes sex, therefore it is still SUPER important that parents discuss the subject matter, but with some discretion.
Read more in ¿Qué más?: More teens are having oral sex because they think it's safer
Most teens don't address sex with their parents because it's embarrassing, but despite this, they still care about what their parents have to say. If you've been wanting to speak to your child about sex, here are some tips:
-
Try focusing on the positives of sex. Such as it being an act that's a good way to get close to someone you love.
-
Don't address it as "the talk" and make it more conversational.
-
Discuss with the other parent the way you're going to approach the subject.
-
If your teen is sexually active, maintain conversations on the topic as they still need guidance and reminders to use protection.
Sex can be a scary topic for parents and their kids, which makes the fear behind 'the talk' understandable. But it's better for teens to be well informed than to regret a mistake that could've been easily avoided if it had been spoken about openly.
Image via Thinkstock
