How to Identify Effective Ways to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy

Identifying Ways to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

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  Realize that teenagers who have close relationships with their parents are less likely to become sexually active in their early teenage years. Encourage parent-child relationships. As a parent, be open with your teenagers about your own personal morals and values about sex. The worst thing a parent could do is avoid talks about sex with her teen. If possible, enroll your teen in a sexual education class and talk to her about what was learned. Be open about contraceptives. Communicate about consequences of sex including pregnancy, parenthood and sexually transmitted diseases. Talk confidently, but avoid lecturing.

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  Create a plan with teenagers, so they may get out of sticky situations. For example, a plan for a teen being pressured into having sex could be getting up and saying, "I forgot that I had to be home at (a nearing time)" and leaving. Sometimes teenagers wish to tell the truth instead, "I do not want to have sex," and leave. Despite being young, teenagers do have desires and urges. Teach them ways to reduce feelings when sexually aroused without having sex.

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  Recognize the reasons that teens become involved in sexual relationships. Most of the time it is due to peer pressure, the pressure to be cool and liked by friends at school. It may also be due to the media's portrayal of sex as glamorous and without consequence. When watching television shows, tell teens if something offends you in this regard and explain why. Surprisingly enough, it may also be because they are "bored." Involve your teenager in group activities like sports or hobbies like sewing or model-making.

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  Be a role model. There is nothing worse than an adult telling a teenager to abstain from sex and then going out and engaging in sexual intercourse with multiple partners. In your relationships, show responsibility and respect. The old saying, "monkey see, monkey do" applies in this situation.

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  Show a promising future. When your teenager reaches high school, life becomes a lot more fast-paced for them. Graduation is right around the corner, and college is nearing, so it's easy for a teen to become discouraged or even down-right ready to give up. Show teenagers that an education is the most valuable thing to have in life, that the possibilities are endless with an education. Send for college catalogs during the freshman year and show them all of the available job opportunities in their chosen career field. Explain the difficulties in becoming pregnant or a parent and discuss the negative effects it could have on his future.

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  Monitor your teen. Although you may feel as though you are intruding, you're not. You're being a parent. As a parent, it is your job to protect your child, to keep him out of dangerous and risky situations based on what he has been taught and how you monitor his behavior. Sure, your teen isn't going to like it, but tough. He will thank you in the future. Meet all of your child's friends and meet the parents of the friends as well. Establish common rules with the parents. If your rules are not the same as theirs or if you feel uncomfortable allowing your teen to stay in their home, welcome friends of your teen into your home. Be open and respectful with your child's friends in order to get to know them.

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  Never stop giving affection. Whether your teen is acting like she's 31 or 10, she's never too young or too old for love. Let your teen know how much she means to you. Express praise for her achievements and let her know that you are proud. Let her know that she is appreciated even if he doesn't earn straight A's on her report card.