Dr. Nithya Sunder on talking to teens about sexual consent

Nithya Sunder, MDRecently, the idea of consent has been in the news and can be very confusing for teens. It is also a topic that both parents and teens find difficult or uncomfortable to discuss. It is natural for teens to be curious about their bodies, sex, and sexuality so parents should be prepared to talk about sex to help their children make informed decisions. It is absolutely fine to discuss abstinence and encourage teens to wait to be sexually active until they are in a relationship with respect, commitment and love, but parents still need to be ready to answer teens ' questions. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) notes that teens are more responsible in their sexual behavior when their parents communicate openly with them. Not talking about sex with teens does not guarantee they will not be curious or will not experiment. Healthychildren.org  by the AAP has resources for parents on how to talk to them about dating and sex. Part of teaching respect includes teaching consent. Teens need to understand that they have the right to say no but they also need to respect any potential partner ' s right to say no at any step of sexual activity. The video below was circulated by the Thames Valley Police in the UK and helps discuss consent in a likely more comfortable way for teens and parents alike:                          ...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - Category: Pediatrics Tags: Changes at PHA Healthy Habits Safety Source Type: news