Talking With Teenagers About Respecting Their Bodies

Teaching your teenager how to respect her body can have consequences that affect the rest of her life. While you cannot control all of your teen's decisions, you can give her your guidelines and the reasoning for them to influence better decision-making. Your support and guidance can help your daughter deal with peer pressure.

  1. Defining Your Values On Respecting One's Body

    • Many parents think about sex, alcohol and drugs when it comes to respecting one's body. If you wish for your son to avoid these activities or substances, think about the pros and cons of doing so. If he does have sex, how can he protect himself and his partner from sexually transmitted diseases or an unplanned pregnancy? What underlying reasons might your son have for having sex or taking drugs? Talking with your teenager about these subjects frequently, and reiterating your values, can ensure that your teenager remembers what you have said, according to Healthychildren.org.

    Having a Discussion With Your Teenager

    • Now that you know what you wish to say to your teenager about respecting her body, prepare for a calm time to discuss it. Be nonjudgmental and let your teenager know she is free to ask questions or make comments, according to KidsHealth, a child development site. You might want to say, "Drinking can affect your judgment. You could hurt or kill yourself or others, and you could be arrested because of it. I care about you and I want you to know that you do not have to do something just because others are doing it."

    Follow-up

    • Remember that your teenager will get the final say in any decisions he makes. If he later reaps the consequences of his decisions, it is important not to emphasize how you were right in the past. Your child already knows he has made a mistake, according to Healthychildren.org. Instead, use this as an opportunity to focus on what your son can do right next time or how you can help him. Encourage him to go to a family planning clinic or contact a substance abuse counselor for additional help.

    Additional Help

    • Your teenager might not want to talk to you about sex, drugs, alcohol and other critical life decisions. If that is the case, ask your child's doctor for websites, pamphlets or other media that can educate your child. You can also suggest that your child talk to his doctor or a counselor. If your child suffers from low self-esteem or is especially susceptible to peer pressure, a therapist might be able to help her get through those underlying problems to keep her from making poor decisions when it comes to sex and drugs later on, according to KidsHealth.

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