1. Imagine a parent of a
pre-teen who is about to have “The Talk” with him/her. Please write the
scenario (where/when/how) the talk would take place and exactly what
the parent should say. Include any resources the parent might recommend
to the pre-teen, or questions (and their answers) the parent should
anticipate.
I imagine a mother having the "The Talk" with her daughter. The mother should be talking to her daughter in a comfortable setting, such as her room and away from other people. The talk should take place at a decent time, such as afternoon or night time to make sure that the daughter's attention span is pretty wide. I think the mother should really focus on explaining without shame, why safe sex should be practiced. She should emphasize on teen pregnancy and the difficulty of this matter as much as focusing on explaining what sexually transmitted diseases can do to an individual. These are very important points to cover, because these things are pretty scary when it comes to such young people. Being a teen mother is no joke and acquiring an STD for the rest of your life is also a very life changing experience. Many adolescents or pre-adolescents feel very awkward talking to their parents about these things. That's why I think the setting and timing is a very important factor when it comes to bringing "the talk" up. The daughter will eventually open up and start asking questions about what different kind of STD's there is and how to prevent from getting them as well as how to practice safe sex. The mother should really encourage her daughter to look on the CDC website to get more information on practicing safe sex and the different STD's as well as looking up teen pregnancy lifestyles and get more educated. "The talk" can be pretty difficult to be practiced but I think it is pretty necessary to have.
Hello Loredana,
ReplyDeleteI am a mother of a teen and yes, it is difficult to talk to teens. Teens are worried about what other people will think about them most especially their peers. As you mention, where “the talk” is done and who is present really matters to teens. As a mother of a teen I try to understand my teen in order to get his attention and gain his trust. My teen and I have had our bad days but we talk about our misunderstandings and move on. I believe if parents or guardians do not understand their teens most of them can become rebellious. Teens need a lot of guidance from parents, family, teachers, churches and any helpful programs.
Hi Loredana,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that setting is very important. Time and place are two key elements that can set the tone for that discussion. I don't have a teenager yet. My daughter is only 3 so I am not at all ready for any of these discussions and I can wait. I will just enjoy her innocence right now. But I do feel that when parents speak to their children about this topic that they should make it comfortable yet take it with a certain level of seriousness because it is very important for them to know that their parent, mom or dad or both is serious about it and wants the best for them. So many times adolescents tend to think that their parents are too old to understand or do not know what they are talking about. I feel that parents should not feel like their teen will just automatically open up. If the parent has set that kind of environment, an open, trusting and caring environment, the teen will open. But if one expects to get a response and has never been involved or talked to their teen, that conversation could go left. So I agree, set the tone and already have a good level of trust and communication with your child. Thanks for sharing.