May is the National Month to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy. Although many methods can be used to reduce the risk of pregnancy, only one method is 100% – delaying sex. The Center for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey tells us that the majority of high school students are doing just that – avoiding the risk of sex and focusing on healthier relationships.
Parents, guardians, mentors – students need to hear from you! Despite what we see online or on Netflix, parents are 3 x more influential in a teen’s life than their friends. That means YOU have the power to influence your teen’s reality with open conversations, high standards, and loving support. Check out this helpful list of ways to talk to your teens about sex, love, and relationships.
To schedule an interactive, 1-hour presentation on connecting effectively with teens, please contact Aspire Program Manager, Katie Neely at (352) 400-8141.
What are parents saying?
- “I learned how to communicate with my son.”
- “I learned I can focus on my goals and shake it up to start over.”
- “I learned not to be so hard on myself and to feel like I am enough.”
- “I learned how to step back and put myself in others shoes & to remember that how we are raised and brought up plays a big part in who we become as adults.”
- “I learned that I am a Lion which is a leader – I also learned my brain isn’t fully developed yet!”
- “I learned more tools to better myself and my connections to others.”
- “I learned how to talk to my spouse.”
- “Very motivational. I learned how to communicate with my children.”
What are students saying?
- “It taught me to be proud of myself and love who I am and love others.”
- “It gave me strength to talk if I am having trouble.”
- “This program helped me know that I can’t give up, even in your toughest, and darkest times.”
- “The RIVER Project has helped me fathom what could happen to me if I make wrong decisions.”
- “It helped me better understand boundaries.”
- “This program has taught me that you should always love yourself and that there is always time to start over.”
- “It has impacted me because now I will know whether or not if someone cares about me or is just controlling me and does not actually care about me. Also, what love really means.”
- “This program showed me that I have a voice and that just because someone want to bash me that does not mean that I have to listen.”
- “This program made me realize someone I was with for 6 months was not good for me and helped me become less sad about the situation and love myself.”
- “It showed me more on how to set boundaries and how to say no to others.”
- “It has taught me something I would have had to learn the hard way.”
- “It has taught me somethings I didn’t know and that my mom probably wouldn’t talk to me about.”
- “Not much has changed for me, due to constant nagging at home that teaches me the same things.”
(See… they are listening!) 🙂