News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

A British report has criticized the media for promoting overly sexualized images to young viewers. A Feb. 26 Agence France Presse article provided the following information about the report:

The report found girls are suffering particularly from the situation, which it links to depression, eating disorders and violence.

But boys are also facing pressure to "be macho, be strong, don't show your emotions''.

Bratz dolls and stationery for school children bearing the Playboy logo are examples of how marketers "are effectively encouraging young girls to present themselves in a sexual way'', the report said.

It also criticised how music videos often show women "in provocative and revealing clothing and are depicted as being in a state of sexual readiness'', while men were typically shown as "hyper-masculine and sexually dominant''.

Frank Furedi, a professor of sociology at Kent University in southern England, said the root of the problem lay with society as a whole.

"The whole of society is hypersexualised - sex becomes the common currency through which adults make their way in the world and continually send a signal to children that sex is all that matters,'' he told BBC radio.

Labels: media_infuences, sex

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

University of Minnesota researchers were surprised to find out that young people who engage in casual sex do not appear to suffer from low self-esteem or impaired emotional well-being.

• Prof. Marla Eisenberg and her colleagues at the University's School of Public Health interviewed more than 1,300 Minnesota between the ages of 18 and 24 years old.
  
• The study subjects represented a wide cross-section of people in that there were both full-time and part-time students in the group who were enrolled in colleges, community or technical schools, as well as others who were not attending any school.
  
• One in four said their most recent sexual experience was with a committed partner, 55 percent said it was within an exclusive dating relationship, 12 percent said it was with a close but not sexually exclusive partner, and 8 percent said it was just a casual acquaintance.
  
• Twice as many men as women said the relationship was casual.

"When we look at the emotional well-being across these groups, we really found no differences in things like body satisfaction, self-esteem and depressive symptoms," said Dr. Eisenberg. "We were surprised. The conventional wisdom is that casual sex, friends with benefits, and hooking up are hurtful. That is what we've been teaching kids for decades."

This study was sponsored by the Maternal Child Health Bureau and the Department of Health and Human Services, and appears in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Labels: sex, emotional_growth, mental_health

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

Having (or even thinking about) "the talk" can be as uncomfortable for parents as it is for teenagers. But being comfortable isnt the purpose behind talking to your kids about sex.

Many parents would like to keep the talk short  maybe even as short as one word "dont." But as uncomfortable as they may be, details are important:

Its not about whether they should have sex. Its about entering, with eyes wide open, that stage of life where sexual activity becomes a real possibility. It is about allowing [teenagers] to be more thoughtful, hence more in control of their own sex life. -- Source: The Globe and Mail (UK)

Be honest with your child about the realities of sex:

• Having sex doesnt seal a relationship
• Sexual intimacy can powerfully affect people's emotions;
• Just because it's intimate doesn't mean it will be private  especially in the age of Facebook, Twitter and text messages.

Give your teenager time to ask questions as well. Having a real and ongoing dialogue is the best way to ensure your child is aware of all important issues related to sexual activity.

Labels: parenting_tips, sex, communication

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

Fathers who maintain close relationships with their teenagers have an impact on whether or not their children become sexually active, according to a recent study that was conducted at Boston College.

BC's Dr. Rebecca Coley surveyed 3206 teenagers, ages 13 to 18 years old, once a year for four years. All of the teenagers came from two-parent homes. Dr. Coley and her colleagues studied the quality of the teens' relationships with their parents, and noted how often they shared activities with their parents.

The researchers rated relationships with fathers on a five-point scale:

• Every one point translated to a 7 percent lower rate of sexual activity among their teen children.
• Every one point for the mothers, on the other hand, only made a 3 percent difference.
• Each new-shared family activity per week caused a 9 percent drop in sexual activity.

"Maybe there's something different in the way fathers and adolescents interact," Dr. Coley wrote in the journal Child Development, which published the study. "It could be because it's less expected for fathers to be involved so, it packs more punch when they are."

Regardless of the reason, Dr. Coley wrote, the evidence suggests that fathers have an essential role to play in their children's development. "It is extremely important to continue to do things together as a family even when the children become teenagers," she wrote. "It doesn't have to be anything fancy or inexpensive."

Labels: sex, teenagers, parental-involvement, fathers

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

A new study from Harvard University and the University of Pittsburgh found that fathers become more involved with their teenagers once the teens have sex.

Researchers surveyed 3,200 teens (ages 13 to 18) about their sexual practices once a year for four years. The teens tended to become closer to their fathers after the father found out they were having sex; however, mothers were more knowledgeable about their children's lives.

Spending a lot of family time together was the most important factor in reducing risky sexual behaviors such as multiple partners and inconsistent use of birth control.

"There is a second, really important message from our research," said the study's lead author, Levine Coley. "When adolescents engaged more with their families in really simple activities, like eating dinner together, then engagement in sexual activities declined."

The study did not find that parents get angry when they find out their child has become sexually active, which was a conclusion of previous studies.

This study appeared in the journal Child Development.

Labels: sex, teenagers, parental-involvement, fathers

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

After studying 754 young people over a five-year period, researchers with Children's Hospital Boston have concluded that children who view adult-oriented television shows may be more likely to begin having sex at an earlier than usual age. A May 4, 2009, article on the ScienceDaily medical news website provided the following details from the study:

The study consisted of 754 participants, 365 males and 389 females, who were tracked during two stages in life: first during childhood, and again five years later when their ages ranged from 12 to 18-years-old.

At each stage, the television programs and movies viewed, and the amount of time spent watching them over a sample weekday and weekend day were logged. The program titles were used to determine what content was intended for adults. The participants' onset of sexual activity was then tracked during the second stage. ...

When the youngest children in the sample--ages 6 to 8-years-old--were exposed to adult-targeted television and movies, they were more likely to have sex earlier when compared those who watched less adult-targeted content. The study found that for every hour the youngest group of children watched adult-targeted content over the two sample days, their chances of having sex during early adolescence increased by 33 percent.

"Television and movies are among the leading sources of information about sex and relationships for adolescents," Hernan Delgado, MD, the lead author of the study, said in the ScienceDaily article. "Our research shows that their sexual attitudes and expectations are influenced much earlier in life."

Previous studies have revealed that many teens who don't engage in early sexual activity and a host of other potentially problematic behaviors cite positive parental influence as the key factor in their decisions.

Labels: adolescents, sex, teenagers, television, parental-involvement

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 3 Comments

Two new studies indicate that the kinds of media teens consume might affect their behaviors in a negative way.

Dr. Chih Hung Ko, a professor at Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan, found that teens who are "addicted" to the Internet are more likely to be aggressive. After surveying more than 9,400 Taiwanese teenagers, Dr. Ko and his colleagues found that those who used the Internet in a compulsive way were also more likely to tell the researchers that they had hit, shoved or threatened someone in the past year. Teens who are "addicted" to the Internet experience "withdrawal" symptoms, such as moodiness, when the Internet becomes unavailable to them.

This study was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The second study involved listening to sexually degrading lyrics and having sex at an age earlier than average.

After classifying musical lyrics as either degrading or non-degrading, Dr. Primack and his colleagues surveyed more than 700 American teenagers about their musical choices and age of sexual initiation.

"There does seem to be a strong association between sexual experience and music with degrading lyrics, and yet the same relationship does not hold with non-degrading lyrics in other sexually-explicit songs," said Prof. Brian Primack of the University of Pittsburgh.

This study was published in the journal Pediatrics.

Critics were quick to point out that neither study demonstrates that media exposure causes the behaviors in question. In other words, aggressive teens may be more likely to use the Internet, and sexually active teens may be more likely to listen to degrading lyrics.

Labels: media_infuences, sex, aggression

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

There seems to be increasing concern among parents about teenage, co-ed sleepovers. They are more common now than ever before, and many parents are unsure how to respond.

"Experts say there's a quick way for parents to solve these and other sleepover dilemmas: Examine your values and do what makes you most comfortable. And if that means giving a big, fat 'no' to any co-ed sleepover arrangement, feel free to ignore the ensuing arguments, emotional blackmail and whining..."

Ultimately, the parent is still the parent and doesn't have to agree to anything she doesn't feel is in the best interest of her child. Source: Cowichan Valley Citizen (British Columbia, Canada)

Labels: sex, values, involment

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

A new study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that half of young people with profiles on the social networking website MySpace post content about sex, drugs, and violence.

Researchers from the Seattle Children's Research Institute randomly selected 500 profiles of MySpace posters who said they were 18 years old. Of these, 54 percent gave out information about high risk behaviors, 41 percent talked about substance abuse, 24 percent mentioned sexual behaviors, and 14 percent referred to violence.

As an added twist, about 200 people with such profiles received a caring memo from "Dr. Meg," who is Dr. Megan Moreno, a pediatrician and specialist in adolescence with the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The "Dr. Meg" memo read in part, "You seem to be quite open about sexual issues or other behaviors such as drinking and smoking. Are you sure that is a good idea? You might consider revising your page to better protect your privacy."

Among those who received a memo, 42 percent set their profiles to private or removed the references in question.

Labels: sex, internet, myspace

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Religious teens delay their first sexual experiences until age 21, about four years later than non-religious teens, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics.

Dr. Janice Rosenbaum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health studied 934 young people from strong religious backgrounds as teenagers and then five years later. Of this group, 289 had taken pledges to remain virgins until marriage. The "pledgers" were no less sexually active than others in the study, but they were 10% less likely to use birth control or condoms.

The religious teens in this survey had fewer sexual partners, decreased risk for sexually transmitted diseases, and decreased rates of abortion and births than non-religious teens.

Labels: sex, abstinence, religion

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

A study that was published in the November issues of Pediatrics magazine links television watching with the prevalence of risky sexual behavior in teenagers. The study tracked the television viewing and sexual habits of more than 2,000 teens over a three-year period.

Girls who regularly watched racy shows were twice as likely to become pregnant during the course of the three-year study as those who watched few such programs. Almost two out of three girls who watched a lot of sexual content got pregnant, and one third of the boys interviewed said they had gotten a girl pregnant.

The rate of pregnancy was consistent regardless of age - 12-year-olds were as likely to get pregnant as 17-year-olds were. The researchers said that the study emphasizes the importance of a continued dialogue between parents and children about sex - a conversation that should begin before the children enter their teen years. Source: Wisconsin Rapids Tribune

Labels: risky_behavior, sex, tv

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

A concerned parent recently wrote in to an advice column with a question about her teenage daughter, whose friends are all boys. "Is that OK?", the parent wanted to know.

"Knowing how to relate to the opposite sex will only serve her well as she matures. When she's working with a group on a project for school, she'll have experience managing herself with guys. When she lands a job, she'll have knowledge as to how to communicate with her male co-workers, bosses and subordinates."

As long as the friends are just friends (and aren't engaging in risky behavior), the daughter should be just fine, said a behavioral specialist,. The specialist suggested that the concerned parent should get to know the boys her daughter is spending time with by inviting them to spend time at her house or offering to give them rides to their activities. Source: The Seattle Times

Labels: sex, boundaries, friends

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Teen pregnancy has been in an especially bright spotlight since last year, when the Oscar-winning movie "Juno" hit theaters and Jamie Lynn Spears gave birth to a baby in June. Now the issue is not only in the entertainment arena, but the political one as well, with the announcement that the unmarried teenage daughter of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is pregnant.

"'It's time for a serious conversation about what teens are doing, what they know and about what responsibilities they are prepared to take on,' [Saul Hoffman] says. 'How prepared are they for sexually active relationships?'"

Parents can use the real-life examples of Spears and Palin to talk to their kids about sex and pregnancy without being "preachy." Source: Honolulu Advertiser

Labels: sex, pregnancy, relationships

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

When teenagers begin developing friendships with people of the opposite sex, it can cause a whole new set of questions and concerns to rise to the forefront of a parent's mind. Is it OK for them to be alone? If they're in your teen's room, should the door stay open? What if you set rules that are different than those of other parents?

"'Nobody else can tell you what's right in your household,' says panelist Marcie Lightwood. 'You have the right to set your own rules according to your values.' There is nothing wrong with limiting the time teens can be alone with the opposite sex."

Parents have the right to set clear rules and to enforce those rules. Some teens may need more structure than others (especially those who are more impulsive), so rules will vary from house to house. Source: The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania)

Labels: sex, values, rules

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

A new study from Children's Hospital Boston has found that parenting programs in the workplace can help parents feel more comfortable and confident talking to their kids about sexual health. Five hundred sixty-nine parents of adolescents participated in the study; some attended parenting classes and some received no intervention at all.

"'We'd teach them some skills one week, and they'd come back the next week bubbling over with excitement that they'd talked with their teen about relationships, love, or sex... their teen had actually engaged in a real conversation with them, or role-played a topic like how to say no to unwanted sexual advances,' the British Medical Journal quoted Mark Schuster, the study's lead researcher, as saying."

The programs, which took place during lunch hour, did not interfere with normal workday activities. Previous studies have found that adolescents who talk to their parents about sexual health are more likely to delay sexual activity, use contraception and have fewer partners. Source: New Kerala (India)

Labels: sex, communication

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Fewer of today's high school students are smoking, drinking, and having sex than were their counterparts in the 1990s, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cigarette usage is down to 11 percent from 26 percent in 1991. Alcohol use declined from 27 percent to 20 percent today. The percentage of sexually active teens changed from 54 percent in 1991 to 48 percent today. Condom use went up to 61 percent from 46 percent in 1991. Today's teens are also more likely to wear seat belts, the study found.

Labels: sex, smoking, drinking

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Last week's announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that one in four American teens has a sexually transmitted disease has ignited more fury in the debate on sex education in public schools. Now, a new study from the University of Washington (UW) reveals that students who receive comprehensive sex education that includes information on condoms and birth control are half as likely to become teen parents as those who participate in abstinence-only programs.

UW analyzed the education of 1,719 heterosexual teens ages 15 to 19 and found that 67% had comprehensive sex education, 24% had abstinence-only, and 9% had no sex education. The ones in the comprehensive program were 50% less likely to report pregnancy than those in abstinence-only group.

"We're building more and more evidence that abstinence-only education isn't having much effect," said Pamela Kohler, the lead author of the study.

Congress has spent more than $1.5 billion over the past decade on Title V Abstinence Education, and yet American teens have higher rates of pregnancy, abortion, and STDs than those in other developed countries.

Labels: education, sex, pregnancy

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Teens who are involved in "romantic" dating relationships are more likely to use birth control with their partners, according to scientists at Child Trends.

Dr. Jennifer Manlove and her colleagues collected data from 4,500 sexually experienced students, ages 12 to 17 years. Four out of 10 did not use birth control or used it infrequently, especially if they had multiple partners. Girls involved with older boys or men were also more likely to have unprotected sex. However, if a teen was in a self-described "romantic" relationship, he or she was likely to use contraception. This study appeared in the journal Demographics.

Worried your daughter is engaging in unprotected sex or other risky behaviors? An all girls school that offers therapy may help. Learn more at BoardingSchoolsForGirls.com.

Labels: risky_behavior, sex, birth_control

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Pediatrician Jean-Yves Frappier recently released results of a study which showed that Canadian teens are at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. The study, conducted with nearly 1,200 teens, found that 25 percent of those who were sexually active didn't use a condom the last time they had sex.

"'They don't know some of the most common sexually transmitted diseases and their consequences,' Frappier said. '(About) 25 percent think it can be contracted by sitting on the toilet seat or swimming in a pool.'"

The ignorance about STDs, combined with so many teens having unprotected sex, has led to a spike in sexually transmitted infections. The study found that, on average, teens reported having three partners since they started having sex, and 38 percent of them engage in casual sex. Read more at Canada.com.

Labels: risky_behavior, sex, sexually_transmitted_diseases

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 2 Comments

A Seventeen Magazine survey of 500 girls ages 13 to 18 found that half of them believe it is possible they would become pregnant within the next five years. However, the majority (66%) worry more about sexually-transmitted diseases than getting pregnant.

Seventy percent of the girls reported that if boys took a more active part in birth control, which would help in preventing unplanned pregnancies. Over 66% said that they had a friend who is now or has been pregnant.

The Seventeen survey was done in conjunction with the Candie's Foundation, which works to prevent teen pregnancy. According to foundation statistics, about 40% of all American girls will become pregnant before they are 20.

"It is unacceptable that approximately 750,000 teenagers will have babies this year in the U.S. Teens need to know and understand that pregnancy has incredibly devastating consequences," Neil Cole, founder of the Candie Foundation, said.

If you have a pregnant teen and need an alternative to traditional boarding schools, visit TeenBoardingSchools.com for a list of alternative boarding schools.

Labels: sex, pregnancy, birth_control

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

It's never an easy conversation. It's hard to say who's more embarrassed, the parent or the child. But talking to your child about sex is important and even if you've procrastinated, it's never too late. There are even organizations that specialize in hosting programs for parents to help them figure out what to say to their child and when.

"'I think the more information you have, the better prepared you are,' said Cherish Stickel, 40, who recently attended one of the sessions at Pleasant Valley Junior High School in LeClaire. 'Power is knowledge, I think.' That need for information is especially great now, in light of recent media attention on teen pregnancy, said Libbet Brooke, one of the program facilitators and the health educator at the Edgerton Clinic in Davenport."

The rise in media attention reflects the recent spike in pregnancies among 15- to 19-year-old teenagers. It's important that parents be armed with the right information and can use facts rather than scare tactics when talking to their teens. Read more at QCTimes.com.

An adolescent residential treatment center can help pregnant teens deal with their emotions and the risky behaviors that lead to their condition. Youth Care offers a program for pregnant teens where they get therapeutic help while earning academic credits.

Labels: parenting_tips, sex, communication

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Britney Spears' younger sister, Jamie Lynn, is 16 and pregnant. The young star of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101, Jamie Lyn brings to the forefront the issue of teen pregnancy and the dangers of trying to grow up too fast too soon. The story also creates an opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about sex.

"How early to start talking about sex depends on the maturity of your child. If a question comes up, be honest, open, and respectful. Also be sure there is two way conversation and not a one way lecture."

Lisa Leblanc, Community Program Coordinator of the Women's Foundation recommends that parents set dating rules, including restrictions how old or young a boy- or girlfriend can be. Sexual activity seems to occur more often in relationships between older boys and younger girls.

Looking for a boarding school for your teenager? Visit TeenBoardingSchools.com for a complete list of boarding schools.

Labels: sex, communication, pregnancy

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Some strange studies have surfaced lately about the positive effects that sexual relationships can have in the life of a teenager. One study claims teens that have consensual sex are far less likely to engage in other risky behaviors. But, in an attempt to be a voice of reason, Armstrong Williams offers a different perspective.

"From unwanted pregnancies to sexually transmitted diseases, sex can cause a world of hurt for those who are unprepared for the consequences... Are they ready to drop out of school and go to work to support a child? Of course not! Are they prepared to find an abortion clinic or adoption center and figure out their options? Doubtful! Are they prepared to go through nine months of pregnancy and all the strains that are brought about? Absolutely not! And are they prepared to raise a child when they themselves are not even old enough to drive or vote? The answer is as clear as day: NO."

Even if a teen doesn't get pregnant, there are still consequences to having sex too early. STDs, depression, rejection, and promiscuity are just a few of the possible dire effects.

Middle school girls who may be exhibiting behaviors that are beyond what's considered acceptable by most parents are often reacting to feelings of insecurity and low self-esteem. New Leaf Academy, boarding schools for girls in Oregon and North Carolina, can help by offering a safe, structured, and nurturing junior boarding school environment.

Labels: risky_behavior, sex, sexually_transmitted_diseases

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin/Madison have found several factors that increase the likelihood that a person will have sex at an early age.

These factors are advanced puberty development, low self-esteem, attention deficit disorder, parents with little education, and watching more than three hours of television per day. Each factor increased the likelihood of early sex by 44%.

"It isn't any one thing, it's cumulative," said Dr. Janet Hyde, a psychologist and lead author of the study. She and her colleagues believe that children who watch excessive television probably lack parental supervision. Lack of supervision is linked to early sexual experimentation, not watching television per se.

She and her colleagues studied 273 children at ages 13 and then age 15. Only one in ten boys in the study lost their virginity by age 15; among girls, the percent was slightly less.

This study was presented at the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.

Labels: sex, self-esteem, puberty

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

About two-thirds of American adults believe it is okay to allow public schools to provide birth control to students, according to a recent poll by the Associated Press.

However, most respondents said that schools should ask for parental consent first. Those surveyed were divided on whether passing out contraceptives encourages teens to have sex, and how to go about teaching sex education classes. Higher-income earners and older adults tended to believe that schools should not provide birth control. The views of men and women were similar.

About five percent of public high schools provide condoms for students.

NorthStar Center offers treatment for drug addiction to young adults who are in recovery and on the road to success. Visit www.northstarcenter.com to learn more.

Labels: sex, school, contraception

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

The "hip-hop" culture is about sexually suggestive music, dancing and videos. However, researchers at Columbia University believe that hip-hop does not necessarily encourage teens to experiment with sex. Factors that do influence early sexual expression are drugs, alcohol, peer pressure and "sexually degrading" lyrics in contemporary music. The Columbia group found that hip-hop lyrics are not always sexually degrading, but sometimes were actually sexually empowering for girls.

Dr. Miguel Munoz-Laboy, an assistant professor of socioeconomic sciences, and his colleagues studied more than 1,400 teenagers over a two-year period. They explored the hip-hop culture, and even went to dance clubs. They found that sexually degrading lyrics, as opposed to sexually explicit lyrics, negatively influenced young people. The worst were lyrics that portray women as sexual objects, men as insatiable and sex as meaningless.

Dr. Munoz-Laboy's work appears in the journal Culture, Health and Sexuality.

Pine Ridge Academy is a boarding school for troubled teens that helps teenagers transition from a residential treatment center to a more traditional boarding school.

Labels: sex, music, influences

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

A new federal study reports that teenagers 15 to 19 years old have the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases than other age groups.

The Public Health Institute Center for Research on Adolescent Health and Development reported this month that half of all new HIV cases are among African-American girls ages 15 years and older.

New Leaf Academy junior boarding schools help middle school aged girls who are struggling emotionally and academically. Visit newleafacademy.com for more information.

Labels: health, sex, sexually_transmitted_diseases

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Genarlow Wilson spent nearly three years in jail for having a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl; he was 17 at the time. The media frenzy surrounding his case has brought to the forefront an unpleasant new reality - an increasing number of teens are engaging in oral sex.

"Studies show that, in what appears to be a generational shift, oral sex has become increasingly casual among kids. Erik Fisher, a Dunwoody psychologist, believes there's a disconnect between the attitudes of parents and kids toward oral sex. A lot of teens don't consider it sex at all, he said."

What many teens don't know is that the dangers of oral sex are almost as numerous as the dangers of intercourse. For example, STDs can still be transmitted. Parents need to talk to their kids often about sex, in all its forms, and help teens understand that oral sex is still sex, and there could still be consequences if teens engage too early in sexual activity.

SunHawk Academy is an adolescent drug treatment boarding school and residental treatment center. Learn about their troubled teen boarding school at www.sunhawkacademy.com.

Labels: attitudes, sex, acceptable_behaviors

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Many parents struggle to talk to their teens about sex. It's going to be an awkward conversation, no matter what, and that's ok. It's also ok for teens to say no to sex. It's a message they don't hear often, but one they need to hear from their parents.

"Endeavour to teach your children the ins and outs of dating and sex from an early age and reinforce this message frequently. Above all, help your teenagers to appreciate that dating means getting to know other people emotionally and not only physically."

Many teens will feel pressured to have sex, and many will think they have to give in to that pressure. Having a parent tell them it's ok to say no' may be just the confidence booster they need to not only resist the pressure but maybe exert some pressure of their own to have a more holistic, healthy dating relationship.

The Aspen Institute for Behavorial Assessment offers programs for troubled teens. Learn more at AspenAsssessment.com.

Labels: sex, dating, communication

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Researchers in Canada have found a link between early sex and bad relationships with teachers and peers.

Children who had been verbally abused by their teachers or picked on by their friends were more likely to have sex before age 13. They were also more likely to use drugs and alcohol, and engage in delinquent behaviors such as fighting and stealing.

Dr. Mara Bendgren said that these students with negative relationships with teachers and peers might become less interested in school.

She and her colleagues tracked 312 children from kindergarten through seventh grade. About 17% had sex by the time they were 13 years old.

The study appears in the American Journal of Public Health.

Private boarding schools often offer more extra-curricular activities and honors classes to challenge students academically. Find one at BoardingSchoolsInfo.com.

Labels: sex, influences, teaching

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

About half of teenage girls in abusive relationships have partners who want to get them pregnant against their wills, according to a study in the journal Ambulatory Pediatrics.

Dr. Elizabeth Miller, a pediatrician with the University of California Davis Children's Hospital, and her colleagues interviewed 61 young women ages 15 to 20 years old from a variety of backgrounds who had histories of physical, sexual or emotional abuse within dating relationships. Twenty-eight reported that their boyfriends were actively trying to get them pregnant by sabotaging contraception.

"We were floored by what these girls told us," Dr. Miller said. "You think of forced sex as an aspect of abusive relationships, but this takes that abuse a step further to reproductive control of a young woman's body."

Troubled boys can find help at single sex schools. Find an all boys school at SchoolsForBoys.com.

Labels: sex, abuse, relationships

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

A young girl writes in to an Arizona newspaper, asking for reasons why boy and girls should have adult supervision. The responder, Marilyn Heins, makes her case well.

"It sounds as though you are old enough to know about sex and you have hormones that already have changed your body and now lead you to think about sex a lot, or least about kissing and stuff like that. But I'm pretty certain that you aren't old enough to know how to deal with these curiosities and urges. So you need help learning how to be the boss of your body."

Heins goes on to say that girls and boys need help understanding why it's important to learn to control their bodies and their urges.

In addition to controlling their bodies, teens need to understand the importance of avoiding teen substance abuse and sexual abuse. Visit the Teen-Help-Directory to learn more.

Labels: safety, sex, supervision

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

When Wendy Shalit wrote her first book, A Return to Modest: Discovering the Lost Virtue, she was surprised at the response she received. While people from the baby boom generation reacted with animosity, the younger generations responded quite favorably. This has led her to publish a follow-up work called Girls Gone Mild, which addresses the sexual pressures many young women face.

"'It's about how people misunderstand the "good girl,"' she said in an early July interview here. She believes society often ostracizes these girls or views them as "people pleasing." Instead, she said they are actually "rebels" in choosing to go against teachers and parents to live a chaste lifestyle."

As part of her research, she interviewed more than 100 girls and young women, and communicated via her web site with more than 3,000 others. Shalit's hope is to encourage young girls to stand against the pressures to be sexually promiscuous, and do so without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. Read more at Catholic.org.

If you daughter is struggling with sexual promiscuity or other risky behaviors, then Copper Canyon Academy can help. Copper Canyon Academy is an all girls boarding school that offers academics within a therapeutic program designed to bring out the best in girls.

Labels: sex, girls, abstinence

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

More and more teenagers are engaging in oral sex. Many rationalize their behavior by stating that oral sex is safe, and that it "isn't really sex'. Counselors attribute the increased oral sex activity to a lack of moral foundation and confusion about what is "normal" behavior between men and women.

"Some teens say it can take place at parties, possibly with multiple partners. But they say the more likely scenario is oral sex within an existing relationship... A new study showed that more teens believed oral sex was more acceptable for their age group than intercourse, even if the partners are not dating."

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control found that over half of 15- to 19-year-olds are having oral sex. Read more at ClaudeMills.com.

If your teen is engaging in risky behaviors, a private boarding school may be the answer. BoardingSchoolsInfo.com lists private boarding schools, boarding high schools, and residential schools and programs for adolescents.

Labels: sex, morals, acceptable_behaviors

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

A big factor in whether teens practice safe sex is if they feel confident about asking their partners to use condoms and if they can use them when they are emotionally upset.

Researchers at the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center and the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University studied 222 teenagers with psychiatric disorders. Those teens who felt uncomfortable and distressed about using and/or discussing condoms were their partners were less likely to use them.

"Helping teens decrease stress and increase skills is a critical component to HIV prevention," Dr. Celia Lescano, lead author of the study, said. This study appears in the Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community.

If your child is engaging in risky behaviors a private boarding school may be a good option for your teen and your family. Private high school boarding schools can help your teenager with emotional and behavioral issues while offering college preparatory academics. Learn more at TeenBoardingSchools.com.

Labels: risky_behavior, sex, sexually_transmitted_diseases

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Teens who have sex at earlier ages than their peer group are at more risk for juvenile delinquency later.

A study of over 7,000 teenagers indicates that those who had sex at younger ages were 20% more likely to participate in illegal acts a year later such as painting graffiti, damaging property, stealing and selling drugs.

"We did not find that sex itself leads to delinquency, but that beginning sexual relationships long before your friends is cause for concern," said Stacy Armour, co-author of the study and a doctoral student at Ohio State University.

Researchers used data collected from students at 132 high schools and middle schools in 1994. The students were re-interviewed a year later and again in 2002. Students at each individual school had a different average age for initial sexual intercourse that ranged from 11.25 years to 17.5 years. Students were compared only to students at their own schools.

Armour said that the connection between early sex and juvenile delinquency has to do with the entire context of a persons life. This study appears in the February 2007 issue of the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

Labels: sex, research, juvenile delinquency

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

HPV - Human Papillomavirus - is a sexually transmitted disease which is closely linked with cervical cancer. Many people in the political arena and among the medical community would like to see the vaccine for HPV made mandatory for girls entering 5th and 6th grade.

"Although some people who oppose making the vaccine mandatory cite its cost, [Ellen] Taylor [chief of gynecology at Northwestern Hospital Center] said the expense to track and treat any pre-cancerous and cancerous cells caused by the virus will cost more."

Some people also oppose making the vaccine mandatory because they fear it will lead to promiscuity among younger children. Most medical professionals, however, don't believe a vaccination would increase sexual activity.

Read more at CommunityTimes.com.

Labels: sex, sexually_transmitted_diseases

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Emerson Hospital in Massachusetts created a new study to identify risky behaviors among middle- and high school students. One of the most surprising results was the students' responses to questions about oral sex; 36% of high school students admitted giving or receiving oral sex.

"Educators say the study is a valuable assessment of teenage behavior and opens up a window for parents to talk to their teens about good decision making."

More than 8,000 middle- and high school students filled out the anonymous surveys which will be discussed at upcoming school committee meetings. Read more at LowellSun.com.

Labels: behavior, sex, communication

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Teens from Des Moines, Iowa spent part of Tuesday at the Capitol telling legislators that including medical and scientific information in sex education classes would help reduce and prevent teen pregnancy and disease. Many of the teens agreed that more sex education is needed.

"'You can't do a two-day thing on sex and be like, "OK, you know enough." You can't say, "Here's pamphlets and video, let's call it a day,"' said [Venessa] McDole, who is a peer counselor with R3..."

The Iowa Senate and House both have bills on the table that would require science-based, age-appropriate sex education. A subcommittee with discuss the bills today. Read more at DesMoinesRegister.com.

Labels: education, sex, teenagers

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Sex and alcohol use are now second-rate worries among parents, a new study finds. Parents in the United States now say their number one concern is that their children spend too much time in front of TV and computer screens.

A study by Insight Research Group funded by a San Francisco organization that monitors the effect of media on children found that 57% of parents in their survey were concerned about the time spent in computer, television and video activities. Fewer parents (45%) worried about sex and alcohol.

Labels: teens, sex, alcohol

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Most teenagers do not talk openly with their parents about their serious romantic involvements, according to a new study from Ohio State University. However, girls tend to be more open than boys, and both sexes tend to talk more to their mothers than their fathers about such issues.

• Dr. Christopher Daddis and his colleagues interviewed 222 high school students in ninth and 12th grades, asking them how willing they were to disclose information about three categories relating to their romantic lives. 
• The first category was about the identity of their partner, such as information about their dates' parents and school interests.
• The second category was about sexual activities.
• The third category involved the ways that the couple showed affection, such as holding hands, kissing, and dating each other exclusively.

None of the teens talked to their parents about whether or not they were having sex. However, girls in general and ninth graders tended to disclose more information about their romantic partners' identities and other issues compared to boys in general and high school seniors.

"We found that adolescents were more willing to talk to their parents about an issue if they felt that it would render harm to themselves or have some consequences that may affect others," said Dr. Daddis. He said that his study indicates that parents should not feel frustrated about a lack of communication or take it as evidence of an increasing distance or diminishing influence between them and their children.

"What we found is that adolescents are willing to talk to their parents about some issues, but those issues may change as they grow older and feel more autonomous,"  he said.

The study appeared in the Journal of Adolescence.
 

Labels: sex, communication, romance

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment

A new study from Temple University is advancing a controversial finding about teens and sex. According to the study, which was led by Dr. Laurence Steinberg, teens who enjoy reading or watching sexually-explicit materials or having sex in their teens are not being unduly influenced by sex-saturated media images.

• Dr. Steinberg analyzed studies from 2006 which concluded that children who consume sexually-explicit media at higher rates than average when they are ages 12 to 14 years old are more likely to be sexually active by age 16 years.
• Dr. Steinberg analyzed the data in terms of the children's school performance, religiosity, parental relationships, and how they perceived their friends' attitude toward sex.
• "It may look as if the exposure leads to sexual activity," Dr. Steinberg said, "but the relationship between the two is artificial. If a child reports being religious, he or she will start sex at a younger age and will also be less likely to consume sexualized media."

Other experts were quick to disagree with the results of the Temple University study.
 
"Exposure to sexually explicit media in a young age can lead to a range of problems, including low self-esteem, eating disorders and sexually transmitted diseases," according to Vivienne Pattison, director of Mediawatch and the United Kingdom.

This study appears in the journal Developmental Psychology.
 

Labels: media_infuences, sex

Posted By: By Parents For Parents 1 Comment