Blog #4 Reading, Writing and SEX!?!?

I’m going to let you in a on a little secret but don’t tell nobody O.K……(whispering softly).

Kids know a lot more about sex that we think, because sex is everywhere!  

Oh, that’s not a shock to you?  Well it was to me.  I sat for a long time thinking of the pros and cons of Sex Education in the schools.  I mean Kids get information about sex thru many sources.  So why are we so uptight when the schools want to talk about it. The 1996 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of teens, young teens say they currently get information about sex and birth control from several sources: Their parents (72%); teachers, school nurses (69%); their friends (60%); and TV shows or movies (53%) ). And dare I say PORN!  Yes boys and girls our sweet little children are watching porn and getting the WRONG info.  Doctors say children at the age of 4 or 5 become very curious about sex and begin to recognize the differences in the two sexes. Yet even at a later age their questions about sex don’t get answered.  Are parents afraid of saying the “O” word? Does saying the phrase V-jay jay make you run for the hills?  Sad, just sad people.  Parents have begun to pass on their responsibilities of sex education over to the media, the Internet, and porn, but oh no, never, ever to the schools.   We have a responsibility to discuss sex with their kids. However, I think that parents need help from the schools for a complete sex education.  What’s wrong with that?  School is supposed to be about education. Kids should be educated about sex and all aspects of sexuality including emotions, health, and well- being.  

   Unfortunately my mom never talked to me about sex when I was younger.  I thought it was weird but it turns out after talking to my girlfriends, most of never got “the talk” either.  It was just not talked about.  Many girls ended up pregnant and one had an abortion at 16.  Just think how many lives would have been different had the schools had the support from my parents. 

   My 9 year old is starting to ask questions about sex and I often wonder what I would say to him when the opportunity came up again.

Son:  “Mom, when does a person know they are going though puberty?

Me:  “well son It’s simple, your voice will get deeper, you will get taller and your penis will grow hair on it.

Son:  “really?  Does this happen to everyone”?

Me:  “yep”.  It part of life, this is how you know you are becoming a man.  Young girls experience similar things.  Let go to the computer and look up some information.  O.K?

Son:  O.K mom!  Let’s go.

Yikes!  I wish I could be that calm.  I’m getting cold sweats just thinking about it.  I need help from educators to ease my burden.     Children spend 8 hours a day with their teachers, talking about everything from math, science, and books.  Why not sex?  Some parents honestly believe that talking about sex will lead teens to have sex.  Hogwash!  In fact, research shows that teens who talk with their parents about sex are more likely to postpone sex and to use birth control when they do begin.  So what’s the real issue?

  At thirteen I got my first “messes” my experience was kind of surreal.   I was in school, on my way to lunch when I realized something wasn't quite right “down there”. I went to the bathroom and my friend crystal was there.  She had gotten her period the year before so she know what was happening (Thank God!) She took me to the school nurse who called my mother.  I was kind of embarrassed and scared because I didn’t want to be a woman yet. Going though puberty was not a huge deal for me but I wish I had got the correct information or ANY information for that fact.  I made a lot of mistakes as a teen luckily I didn’t get pregnant but, more than a few of my peers did.   Parents need to move from the past and come into the future where sex is not a bad thing especially when done safely. Will I tell my son this?  Absolutely.  This Sex stuff is not a game.   Parents working together with the school system to educate the younger generation could solve so many problems. Who knows maybe someday we can cure Aids and other Std’s But I guess that’s another blog.  Smooches!

Blog #3-Preventive Health

 When the stork left us in the cabbage patch we discovered an obvious difference between man and women.  We found out that our (ahem!) “parts” were a lot more delicate and special, thus requiring more preventive maintenance........okay, okay; MAYBE the cabbage patch is a stretch, the point being is we women do need to take care of ourselves a lot more because of our delicates.  Studies have shown that with regular check-ups and early detection we can reduce disease like Diabetes, heart disease and cancer by 40%.  Not to mention the cost of healthcare.  Good Health education programs can help spread the word on preventive health care.  Future hospitals are now educating adolescences about preventive health before they develop any illness. 

The National Commission on Prevention Priorities said 3,700 additional lives would be saved each year if we increased to 90 percent the portion of women age 40 and older who have been screened for breast cancer in the past 2 years. or 42,000 additional lives would be saved each year if we increased to 90 percent the portion of smokers who are advised by a health professional to quit and are offered medication or other assistance.

What preventative practices do you already implement?

well I get a mammogram every year and I started when I was 35.  I stopped eating red meat and fried foods ( i love french fries) also I excersise 30 minutes five days a week.  There are several more things I could do but Rome was not built in a day right?

How can we encourage adolescents to follow healthy behaviors?

Well, for starters we can lean to love ourselves and set the example.  Encouragement starts with us parents, teachers and mentors.  How many ads have you seen promoting the perfect butt, perfect nose, bigger burgers or more sugar in our energy drinks.  We are over stimulated, caffeine addicted, and sex crazed.  We have to go back to the basics with our youth.  Let’s turn the Television off and start talking again.  What happened to growing your own food or being an individual was the norm not the abnormal.  If I see one more reality show with these crazy mixed up teens promoting everything from sex to anorexia, I’ll scream.  Child obesity and teen pregnancy is what it says Children dealing with adult issues because of lack of education. Smooches!