Teen Pregnancy Prevention Beyond May

As a former teen mom, one of the questions I'm always asked is how do we prevent teen pregnancy.   Now that my oldest daughter is 11-years-old, it's a question that is at the forefront of my mind as well.  My answer has less to do with the debate over comprehensive vs. abstinence based sex education in schools and more to do with strengthening family bonds at home.

My own experience coupled with the conversations I've had with teens all over the country is that the biggest influence on sexual behavior is the health and communication of the family.  If things are bad at home, the risk for teen pregnancy goes up.  "Bad" can mean something as extreme as molestation or an alcoholic parent to something as commonplace as not enough quality time spent together as a family and broken lines of communication between a father and daughter.  

In addition to the overall health of the family, communication about sex and relationships needs to start at an early age and it needs to be real, age-appropriate, and non-judgmental.  It's never too late to start an open dialog about sex in your home.  

Kids don't come with manuals.  Navigating parenting is difficult, so I recommend getting some resources in your hands.  Here are some great resources on parenting in general and talking about sex with your children that will take teen pregnancy prevention beyond the month of May:

General healthy family information:
 
FamilyLife (a Christian organization that helps marriages and families thrive)

Parenting.org (a site developed by the Boys Club)
Medline Plus parenting resources

Talking to Your Kids about Sex:

Resources for parents from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy 

Resources for parents from Answer


Preparing Your Daughter for Every Woman's Battle by Shannon Ethridge (a book I'm reading now with a realistic Christian perspective)

There are a bunch of resources out there.  Go to your local bookstore and see what you can find!  If you're interested in my story, please click here. 

Happy parenting!


Nicole

What Can You Offer a Child?

This week's GS Radio show asks the question, "Are You Ready for Motherhood?"

We thought it was a great topic considering that we celebrate Mother's Day this month and that May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. Also, there are so many women out there who are wondering if it's the "right time" to have a child.

One of the questions I suggested people ask themselves before having a child is, "What Can I Offer?"

I don't mean financially. I mean emotionally and spiritually. Often times when we think of bringing a child into the world, we think of it in terms of what that child can bring into our lives. In other words, how can it enhance our existence? How can it makes us happier? The real question is, how can we enhance their existence? What can we offer this human being in terms of our beliefs, perspective, outlook on the world, etc.?

What we sew into our children will dictate what they put out into the world. So if we offer them them selfishness and anger, then that's all we can expect them to give to others. Think about what dominates your life right now - what are the things you put the most time and energy into? Those are the things you can offer your child.

For those of us who are already mothers and parents, let's remind ourselves of this question every day. Children are sponges. What are our children soaking up?

Nicole

Teen Pregnancy News

May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month so the topic is everywhere you turn right now. Yesterday was the official National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, and even the President weighed in on the current state of unplanned pregnancies among young women (check out his official statement by clicking here).

In other related news, Bristol Palin, the daughter of former vice presidential candidate Governor Sarah Palin, has been chosen as the ambassador for The Candie's Foundation campaign against teen pregnancy. This has spurred controversy since she herself is a teen mother. It reminds me of the flurry of comments surrounding Solange Knowles, another teen mother, being chosen as the representative for MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation/The Body Shop's “Yes, Yes, Yes to Safe Sex” campaign. Knowles is also a young mother.

I understand the backlash because I've come face-to-face with it in promoting Glori. The question I ask is, what are we afraid of? I'm for any abstinence and safe-sex campaign that young people will listen to, and that should be everyone's stand.

Nicole