Delaying the beginning of sexual intercourse is the most effective protection young people have against problems associated with early sexual involvement. It is important for teachers to know that many students, far from scorning the message of postponing sexual involvement, actually endorse the idea. Moreover, several studies suggest that before they leave the teen years, more than half of all young people who have had sexual intercourse at an early age wish they had waited until they were older. Age-appropriate support for postponing sexual involvement needs to be given throughout the school careers of young people. An important part of growing up is learning how to handle newly emerging sexual thoughts and feelings.
Younger teens feel awkward about their changing bodies and their social relationships.
Teachers can help youth by reassuring them that such feelings will not last. They need to know that everyone is not having sex and that sex can cause problems. Teachers can talk about differences between thoughts, feelings, and actions and emphasize that while people cannot control feeling sexually attracted to another person, they can control sexual actions based on such feelings. Teachers also need to help students understand that having sex will not make them grow up any faster it doesn t make them a man or woman. Boys, in particular, need to know that being a man has little to do with having sex.