I did not want my own daughter growing up ashamed of her body and ignorant of the facts. After a near crisis in the number of teen pregnancies in the 1980s, this was a sign of progress, a sign that some effort or combination of efforts was convincing teens to avoid early parenthood. After the teenage pregnancy rate began making headlines, educators, parents and teens alike mounted campaigns to reduce the number of girls facing the prospect of motherhood before even reaching their 20s. National surveys suggest the drop in the teen pregnancy rate can be attributed to both an increase in abstinence and contraception use among teenagers. Though the situation appears to be improving, placing the teen pregnancy rate in proper context reveals a reality that still leaves much to be desired.
Sex is rare among very young teens, but quite common in later adolescence.
Talking With Your Child About Sex Explore your own attitudes. Take the initiative. Talk in age-appropriate terms. Talk about values. Talk to your child of the opposite sex.