Sex Ed. and well sex.....

I hate to be wrong but it is not so bad when you had a sneaking suspicion that you weren't 100 % right anyway. I had always been a strong supporter of sex ed for kids. Mostly because so much research points out that kids who do not have correct information about their bodies are at higher risk for sexual abuse. However when my own kids became "that age", doubts began to surface.

After my teenage son completed religious school sex ed., I noticed an increased exuberance in regard to sexual matters. I was not amused. I had many discussions with him on topics I hate to say made me feel prudish. Casual sex and "friends with benefits" were among the least enjoyable. I tried hard to get my points across but somehow it seemed like he had already made up his mind. He had what I consider a too casual attitude about sex. He also had misinformation on the safety of various "safe sex" behaviors. Because I trust our religious institution I know this misinformation was not intentional just teen risk taking and an overly optimist attitude.

Now it looks like being prudish might be the right thing after all. In a recent study, abstinence only education for teens seems to have beaten the safe sex education in keeping kids away from the horizontal bop. See the link to this article below, which even some safe sex advocates are calling good research.

http://www.aolnews.com/health/article/study-teaching-abstinence-works-better-than-sex-ed/19341448?ncid=webmaildl1

This isn't the last word on the subject. There are many other studies giving weight to the value of safe sex education. However, in an effort to teach our kids to be safe, maybe we have gone too far in the instruction direction and not far enough in the values direction. Maybe I am a prude but rather that than a grandmother.

Here are some links for more information about both sides of this debate:
http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/news/20070802/abstinence-programs-dont-cut-hiv-risk


http://www.caps.ucsf.edu/pubs/FS/abstinence.php