Pregnancy

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Tips for Talking to Teens

Perhaps the most important life asset all teenagers need to avoid early pregnancy is a strong relationship with parents or other adults in their lives. Below are some tips to help you speak to youth about relationships, sex, and preventing pregnancy.

1. Help youth develop options for the future that are more attractive than early pregnancy and parenthood.

Some youth have a strong desire to have a child as soon as possible. They may seek to create their own family as a source of stable relationships and unconditional love. Have a frank and detailed discussion about how they plan to support a baby through 18 years of life and provide the emotional and financial opportunities they want for their children. Youth often do not fully understand the true costs and emotional demands of raising a child. You can help give them a reality check.

2. Don’t be shy about talking about sex. Youth want to talk to adults.

All kids need a lot of guidance and information about sex, even if they sometimes don’t appear to be interested in what you have to say. Remember to talk to both females and males. Remember too that both foster mothers and foster fathers should be involved in these conversations.

3. Stress the importance of healthy relationships.

Trust is important in all types of relationships.
Open and honest communication is a critical ingredient of any healthy relationship.
No one has the right to treat anyone else with anything other than respect (provide examples of disrespectful and unhealthy behavior such as irrational jealousy, over-possessiveness, physical abuse, attempts to control every move their partner makes, and threats of physical violence.)

Remember you don’t have to do this alone. Seek out the experts in your community, attend any available trainings and workshops, and obtain more resources. You can make a difference, and it is never too late to educate youth about relationships and pregnancy.

Additional Resources

For more information to help parents discuss these and other issues:

The National Foster Parent Association: www.nfpainc.org
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy: www.TheNationalCampaign.org/resources/parents.aspx

To learn what youth in foster care think about this issue:

Our Story, Our Words: Youth Speak Out on Sex, Love, and Teen Pregnancy: http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/resources/pdf/pubs/OurStory_FINAL.pdf

For additional resources on teen pregnancy among youth in foster care:

The National Campaign’s Foster Care portal: www.TheNationalCampaign.org/fostercare/default.aspx

For information about contraception and STIs:

Planned Parenthood: www.plannedparenthood.org
American Social Health Association: 1-800-227-8922 or www.ashastd.org
National HIV Testing Resources: www.hivtest.org
CDC/ AIDS National Hotline: 1-800-342-2437

Sites for teens

Stay Teen: http://stayteen.org/