It’s a conversation most parents dread having with their children, that of the “birds and the bees.”
One has to wonder whether movies and sitcoms are to blame for the outplayed and dated narrative that the conversation will be awkward.
Your teenager would have already been exposed to sex by means of music videos, conversations with friends who are sexually active, or have experimented sexually to a degree already.
If your teenager comes to you to inform you they are ready for sex, it’s a mark of your parenting that they feel comfortable enough to trust you with this important part of their life.
Sexual health expert Bhooma Krishnan shared this nugget for parents, “Your child will learn about sex from everyone but you unless you take the initiative to create a safe space for them with you.”
Listen to the conversation on the Best T in the City:
This is what some of our Tweeps had to say:
#WhenTeensSayTheyAreReadyForSex.. Morena that will be a very nice thing to advise because most mistakes on sex happened in the teens, so I would give support n advise with open mind.?? pic.twitter.com/P0BcqsrLbs
— Kgwadi (@Singlesugar1) March 3, 2021
Here is my response @tboseZA #WhenTeenssayTheyAreReadyforsex. pic.twitter.com/GGdSulmfzN
— #COVID-19DONTBEPROUD (@Themba8302) March 3, 2021
3TSpoons on “What to do when your teenager tells you they are ready to have sex”
-
Be Grateful
The reality is most of us didn’t get the opportunity to talk openly to our parents about sex, let alone tell them we are ready for sex.
So, let your teenager how much it means to you that they are talking to you about something this important and personal.
Tell them how proud you are that they are taking this seriously and thinking it through.
Reassure them that you will always be available to listen and to advise them.
-
Ask Questions
A good way to raise issues and to provoke thinking is by asking questions such as: “Is there a reason you are thinking about this now?”
“Are you in love?”
“What has made you think now is the time for this kind of commitment?”
“Have you thought about the consequences?”
This way, you can figure out your teenager’s thinking and gauge whether they are indeed consenting and not giving in to peer pressure.
-
Don’t Lecture Them
The last thing a teenager wants to hear is a list of reasons why sex is a bad idea. I mean, let’s face it, if your teen is telling you they’re ready for sex, they’ve probably already experimented sexually.
Remember, the quickest way to get your teenager to decide not to talk to you about sex is if they receive a lecture from you. So, listen to them and advise them accordingly instead of giving them a lecture.
