Lets Talk About Sex education

I have been reading some blogs this morning regarding the abstinence before marriage legislation. I am all for education. I also know what is the parents responsibility and the school's responsibility. Back in the day of dinosaurs when I was in 5th grade (1975), my parents signed a permission slip for me to attend an after school program regarding sex education.

The class was held in 2 locations. One for the boys and the second one for the girls. I don't know what went on with the boys as they never spoke of it. But I would like to share with you my experience. We girls sat in the cafeteria and we watched a video regarding the menstrual cycle and the purpose of the cycle. We also discussed hygiene during this time of the month and the different products that were available to us. We also discussed sex. How a child was conceived and the different types of sexually transmitted diseases. How you got the disease and what the disease will do to your body and if there was a cure. This was before the time of AIDS.

It taught me a lot. It taught me that working together (parents, schools and children), you can learn a lot. My mother's talk to me regarding sex was, "Its not like it is in the movies so don't bother with it". This was after I saw a Star is Born with Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson (Rated R). My mother purchased the tickets for us at the Henrico Theatre as the owner wouldn't sell to anyone under the age of 16 regardless of who you were.

In High School, I knew of some girls who got pregnant. The school's policy was that once you began to show, you had to go to night school as they didn't want other girls to get encouraged on getting pregnant. Listening to one of my friends who got pregnant complain about the discomfort they were in and later the pain of childbirth was the decision factor for me. One girl kept her baby and went on to marry her boyfriend and the other one became a single mom and didn't finish school. My parents had instilled in me that if you want it plastered on the front page of the newspaper go ahead and do it but if you don't want it known then you shouldn't do it. Parents need to raise their children and install morals. Do I believe that we have perfect parents? As a parent, I am far from perfect but I am doing my best.

I have seen where it has been written that contraception works. No, it doesn't. My 8 year old is here and she's a condom baby. I can't take the pill as it makes me extremely nauseous while I was taking it so that's out. My 6 year old was using the rhythm method. Again, didn't work. I miscalculated the 'hot' time. My 4 year old was conceived because it was meant to be. After the 3rd pregnancy, my husband was "volunteered" to be fixed. That's the only guarantee I know of and that is sterilization or don't do it at all.

My point is this. Teenagers will do what they want but its up to the parents to teach them the truth about sex, smoking, drugs, alcohol and most important, being true to oneself. I tell my kids that if someone says if you do this, I will be your friend. I tell them then they aren't your friend to begin with. A true friend likes you for you. Maybe that's what we should be teaching our kids. Be true to yourself. If You love God First and YOU Second, then a lot of issues wouldn't be issues at all.

Take Care and God Bless,

Beamer 319