Solving America’s teen sex problem
The Dutch have dramatically reduced adolescent pregnancies, abortions and STDs. What do they know that we don’t?
http://www.salon.com/2011/10/30/solving_americas_teen_sex_problem/singleton/
A very interesting article to me, though I suspect to the average American it would find it uncomfortable. It seems the Dutch are vastly more open to the idea of teenage sex, so much so that they actually take a hand in it to the point of providing a safe and secure location at home to engage. Though the article points out that the approach is not without some drawbacks, it would seem to me that the benefits are astronomically outweighed by any negatives when compared to the uniquely dysfunctional approach here in the US. I plan on being quite forthright with Don about sex once he reaches an age where girls are no longer yucky (I don’t ever remember thinking girls were yucky, but I might have made the age appropriate statements when I was young, so perhaps Don really doesn’t think so poorly of girls after all). Other than all sorts of probably unwanted and unappreciated advice about how to treat girls, my main emphasis will boil down to basically “put a package on that pecker!” I can foresee difficulties emulating the Dutch approach (e.g., allowing, even encouraging, sex to happen at home) and not just with Don’s girlfriend’s parents; my wife is unlikely to greet such openess with enthusiasm. We will have to see how things progress (he only just turned 7 so we have a few years to go yet), but that is the direction I plan on going.
In my case, growing up, my parents seem to take the passive aggressive approach of simply providing reading material for me. I remember a rather laughingly awkward attempt at a conversation (I think they were both there) where they were asking if I had any questions about the material they had left about. Being interested in science from a very young age I pretty much knew all the mechanics and physical outcomes before being apprised of their educational material, so I think I tossed off a chortle, perhaps even a guffaw, and told them I knew about it already and didn’t have any questions. Of course, I really didn’t know, since making love is way more than merely a physical process, but I did understand the consequences with regard to pregnancy, disease, etc.
As a by the by, as somewhat apropos, I, along with a good friend, penned a document discussing men, women and their married relationship. If you find my writing interesting perhaps you will enjoy it as well:
http://sol-system.com/koxenrider/bok/AViewToMarriage.html
