Sex and the American Teen
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Let's face it: most teenagers in America are inundated with sex from an early age. We can assume most American teens have sex. We live in an increasingly permissive society. The media exploits sexual images to sell products, all kinds of products. Television, the internet, movies, billboards, magazines...all exploit sex appeal for profit. That has an impact on America's children. Children have sex at a young age. Here are some statistics on sexually active American teenagers and sex and the American teen:
- About one quarter of the American teenage population has had sex by the time they are 15 years of age.
- In the United States, 7 in 10 girls who had sex before the age of 14, and 6 in 10 girls who had sex before the age of 15, had sex involuntarily. They were raped.
- About 2800 American teenagers get pregnant each day.
- About 40% of teenage girls in America get pregnant at least once before turning twenty. Between 30 and 40 percent of those pregnancies end in abortion. Those that end in birth cost the United States taxpayers nearly 7 billion dollars annually.
- Teens 16 to 19 years old are three times as likely than the average population to suffer rape or sexual assault. One in two rape victims are under the age of 18; one in six rape victims are under the age of 12.
- In the United States, one in four teens become infected with a sexually transmitted disease.
We live in a permissive society. Most of the time I think this is a good thing--there are a lot of positives to having the kind of personal freedom we enjoy here in the United States. Permissiveness can be carried too far--in a society, in a family, in an individual.
What do I mean by a permissive society? I mean a society, like ours, where the social norms become more and more liberal as time passes. There is an increase in sexual freedom, a lessening of the moral strictures religion places on society as whole, a rise in secularism. Attitidues towards arts, media, abortion, human sexuality have become more and more liberal as we move forward into the twenty-first century. Though I believe, on the positive side, the benefits are great: people are not repressed, we are free to speak our minds, we are free to think as we choose, we are free to exhibit our true lifestyles as a matter of personal choice, uninhibited by society's strictures as a whole (provided we do not harm others); still, there is a price to be paid, and we are paying it. Being wild and free, and sexy, comes at a very steep price:
- A rise in crime
- A rise in teenage pregnancy
- A rise in the divorce rates and single-parent households
- A rise in sexually transmitted diseases
- Disaffected youth
How disaffected are American teens?
- 52% of American children between the ages of 5 and 17 have a television in their bedrooms
- On average, the television is on in American homes for 7 hours per day
- On average, the American parents spend about 12 hours per week in meaningful conversation with their children
- Result? 25% of American teenagers came name the US city where the American constitution was written (Philadelphia). 75% of American teens can name the zip code of Beverly Hills (90210).
I don't want to turn back the clock. I don't want to go back to the Pilgrim Fathers, with their grim and repressive attitudes towards sex, women, personal freedoms...
I don't want to re-institute the Victorian age, with all manner of hysterical ailments in women due to that stifling, repressed society.
I would hope for just a more moderate society, that can concentrate on other appealing and important things, other than sex, in the media. I would hope for a stronger moral structure without being dictated to. I would hope for a rise in voluntary returns to religion in the home and family. I would hope for value placed on learning, knowledge, books, music; rather than how skinny the girl is, how well she looks in jeans, and how sexually appealing she is at age 12 and 13, I would hope for less television time in the home and more family time: more people doing things together as a family, whether it's within the home, playing a board game or chatting or challenging the kids to earn bonus points and an increased allowance for doing chores...or outside the home, going on a field trip, going to church, going on vacation together...
It's about time for the pendulum to swing the other way. It's about time we got over letting it all hang out and discover some moderation of permissiveness in our society.
Rather than this:
- Switzerland company offers young boys extra-small condom, the Hotshot
Call it pint-sized protection for preteens. A Switzerland-based company is manufacturing extra-small condoms for the 12- to 14-year-old set.
If you are a sexually active American teen, I hope you've read this even though it could have been written by your mother or somebody and you might not think it's cool.
I hope you've read this and learned what you are risking by having sex, by being a sexually active teen man or woman, without adequate protection.
I know teens are very self-conscious of their physicality. Everyone, but especially teens, needs to feel attractive. You don't need to have sex with anyone in order to feel yourself attractive and sexy. You don't need to have sex with anyone in order to be accepted. You don't need to have sex with anyone in order to be part of the group. You don't need to have sex with anyone to prove you can do it.
Sex, for the American teen, is a weird issue. Your contemporaries don't really have the same standards that your parents have, or teachers have, or any of the adults in your world have. Your teen world is just the opposite. Your peers will try to convince you that:
- it's just too uncool to be a virgin
- the word "F**king" is legitimate adjective and should be used frequently to improve your cool quotient
- you're a dildo-head if you don't go along with having sex, even if you don't feel ready or comfortable with it.
- you'll be a social outcast forevermore if you don't have sex
- your complete lack of sex life will be the giggle of the girl's room
- your complete lack of sex life will be the guffaw of the boy's locker room
What can I say? Teens are cruel. Life is unkind. There's always huge pressure to comform to your peer group, and that pressure doesn't immediately disappear after high school. Don't give in to it. Look at those statistics again, and do yourself a favor.
If you are an American teen, don't have sex just to fit in.
Wait until you are good and ready and well prepared, and know the right person. The first sexual experience for an American teen should be full of wonder, romance...satisfaction.
MORE!
- Sex and the Baby Boomers: Free Love
Sex and the Baby Boomers--if you're a baby boomer, you know how sexy we were; how much we freed up sex and love. Are we still sexy today? - Electronic Toys for Teens
Electronic Toys for Teenagers--Don't know what to get your teenage child for a gift? Get an electronic guitar!! It's sure to be a hit, the best gift given for your music loving teen.
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All this "OH please don't have sex just to fit in" talk does little to see the real problem here. Back in those less permissive times, despite a lot of religion and the lack of TV and movies, teen sex was still an issue. Parents knew even then that you should not leave a teen boy and girl alone anywhere. Courting was full of rules that preserved virtue and the family. Young people dated with the arrangements of chaperons. The chaperon served as a trusted barrier to sexual activity and a witness that it at least did not occur among the two. The chaperon was necessary because despite all we try to tell young people, there is a biological urge that can cause them to do otherwise. Today, young people come home to empty houses after school. These unattended children then get involved in all matter of experimentation be it sex, alcohol or drugs. A large portion of the rapes you mentioned also happened during these unattended times as well. They only way to reduce teen (and now pre-teen) sexually activity is to not leave them unattended. This even applies to same sex groupings as a growing number of children report being pressured or forced into sexual activity with the same gender.
i will never let my kidz have sex
Yes i agree it isn't easy at all to keep kids from it i mean school and all all schools have even gotten worse i know thought when my kids were younger witch mine are grown now i always kept a very close eye on them and was involved even with there school i understand giving your 11 year old and 12 year old there own time and privacy however we are the parents we are suppose to bring them up right i do not know if anyone here has seen 19 kids and counting but it is a show on the learning channel it comes on on Tuesdays at nine in the us and it is about a mother she had 10 kids they are christian family and they home schooled there children and the children have never listened to radio or seen TV at all and yes some people may say what a boring life but if u watch the show they don't have a boring life they go on trips vacations and do alot and u don't see them act anything like the children do in the world today they are the Dugger family now of course im not expecting everyone to home school there children or take TV and radio away fro them but to be more of a parent i know alot of parents say well im your friend to that is not really good you are the parent not a friend and yes it is good to talk to your teen and stuff of course but it is also good to lay down the laws and if you don't know what your teen is doing or your 12 year old well parents should be checking up on them people may say well they should have there privacy but like if there using the internet u should know what there doing what there saying and i feel if u got to snoop then u got to snoop and alot of people don't think it is right to check facebook account and things like that but think of it this way lets say someone has a 25 year old daughter there talking online to some one u don't even know your daughter thinks it is a boy the same age as her and starts talking to this guys and then he wants to meet her and she agrees without u knowing.So she goes to meet this guys and never comes back because it was really a man that rapped and killed her now wouldn't u rather snoop and look and pry cause if u had u might have saved her life.That is how i see it.Let me explain something else to my kids are grown but i also had a girlfriend that had three girls they called me dad cause there dad wasn't in there life well one of them a girl there all girls was in special ed and in a special class now u would think this class being special ed they would be watching right wrong i had a bad feeling something was going on at this time my step daughter was only 13 i felt something was wrong a parent can sense it so i went into her email yes i know how to do that and found nasty nasty emails between here and this boy and she was actually doing something bad to him with her hand right under the desk in class let e tell u the school got wind of that and we stopped it the emails talked about they wanted to have sex and a baby and everything it was stopped dead in its tracks she is now 19 and yes has a boyfriend and has had one for a few years but isn't pregnant and takes precautions why because i stamped it into her head.It isn't easy i know and alot of parent's work hard to support there family but we cant for get our children and morals i myself was a dad at 17 but i quit school and took care of what i did by working i supported my self and my three children and girlfriend no hel what so ever no wic no food stamps nothing at all i took care of what i had to but even know i did i worked 40 50 sometimes 60 hours i was always right on top of them my one duahgter is 19 now and my other one is 17 don't even think about boys yet none of them are pregnant.It is good to be a friend but being a parent should always come first thanks
I'm not sure parents can keep their kids safe from sex at too young of an age, it's so pervasive in society.
From the hub and the comments you guys are all right i live in the us NY and i remember when my daughter was like 14 and i took her to the doctors the nurse asked different questions and the first one was is she pregnant i looked
at the nurse and said well i don't think so and the nurse said sorry NY State law says we have to ask at the age of 11 now so it goes to show you they are getting young and young and yes everyone is right almost every tv show and almost all the songs on the radio got to do with sex all the time.I think however though if a child gets pregnant at the age of 11 12 or whatever then the parents aren't doing there job of supervising there children the economy in the us is very bad really bad in NY and NY has the highest teen pregnancy rate and alot of them do have baby's at 12 and i think if they do then it should be that parent's job to take care of that baby not the states on welfare my thing is if a child teen whatever gets pregnant and they are't old enough to work they shouldn't be able to get welfare at all because that is the biggest strain on the economy now is the welfare system parent's need to step up and do there job and if you think well my daughter isn't like that think again cause most of the time you will be wrong.
Thanks for the comment. I remember being a teen, and that's why I had sex for the first time. It was awful, and I knew afterwards I shouldn't have done it.
"..If you are an American teen, don't have sex just to fit in.."
This line that you've written in your post is probably the best piece of advice that can be given to a teenager. It is an irony and a pity that the deep meaning of that line is understood only after the mistakes are made. You are right, sex should be special and should be treasured. Not just something you do to fit in.
Princesswithapen
This is where Mind Control techniques are helpful . Most people wven don't know about their brain grade Check at http://mind-mysteries.blogspot.com
Satice, I appreciate your comment. You thought, quite understandably, that from the title, I was writing from the teens' points of view, and that was not so. I think teens are very much more influenced by the media, and that is why there is a proliferation of sexually transmitted diseases in teenage children and teen pregnancies and so forth. I blame the media, exploiting sex for profit and resulting in a huge problem for teens with sex.
Teens might not be adult enough yet to see it as a problem. I know, when I was a teen, I was responding to media-generated peer pressure rather than desire when I had my first sexual experiences, and I think most girls might, if they were dead honest, agree.
I began reading your hub and after the first paragraph or so, I began to skim. You have great information in your article but you don't specifically talk about sex and teens, their feelings about it, why they engage in it, etc. As one who was a teen and ran around with a friend who was crazy about Marines, you give stats for many important issues we face in this society, but I feel your title belies your hubpage's focus. Teens are people and they have sex for varying reasons. Maybe you might talk to a few, get their perspective on it and then share that with us. Good hub all around but I would have liked to see it more focused on what the title promised.
coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool
Thanks for the comment, Husky, and I can tell we are of like mind.
I completely agree with your thoughts on our permissive society. Moderation. The internet, the media, and marketing techniques have taken permissiveness too far. The statistics you site are well researched and somewhat startling. This is a very well written hub on a subject that is very important. Where exactly is our society headed in regards to sexual permissiveness? I think we need to change course. Voted up and useful.
Thanks for the comment, Phone.
I am feeling respected reading your article. Thanks to the author for such a nice post. Self respect is the only way by which we can get respect from others.
Excellent!!! Thank you for the comment, biblicaliving.
Something needs to be done, that is for sure. As our nation continues to turn it's back on God, everything, especially sexual morality is deteriorating at an exponential pace. We have failed to teach our young people to love & respect God, themselves, others, and especially their parents. As the institution of marriage continues to come under withering fire from all sides, it is obvious that it is not going to get any better. Also, everything in the media is geared towards hedonism. We must pray, and educate those who would listen.
Thank you, Taleb80, for your comment, and you can tell by the tone of this article that I agree with you. Actions have consequences: so does a failure to act.
I think that the price the society is paying is so high.
A rise in crime: Could you think how much every crime affect the individuals & the society?
A rise in teenage pregnancy: How these teenagers'life will be & what about their babies?
A rise in the divorce rates and single-parent households: How much spoiling society?
A rise in sexually transmitted diseases: more unhealthy society.
Disaffected youth: the youth is the country's fortune.
I think what you have mentioned is more than a big price.
I voted UP.
Thanks for Sharing.
Thank you for the comment, kasthlin. I always wonder what people from other countries think of us, especially our young people. Do they envy us or are they appalled?
My idea with the lifestyle and teenage life of American are pretty vague. Yes, i am not american and this gives me an insight about what's going on in the States. This post is indeed is informative!
The listed statistics is quite frightening that many teenage American girls indulge into sex at a very young age. I would hope this will be lessen within the next generation!
Thanks, Linc, for the comment.
Permissive perhaps but certainly we live in an over-sexualized society. Keeping our kids close to us in a warm and providing relationship will take the edge off all the peer orientation that happens way to early these days. They are meant to be with us for as long as it takes mother nature to grow them up and until maturity does them part. Thanks for this. Glad we can open this book up and chat.
Hello, Kitty!!! What a great comment! I'm thinking there may be an equal and opposite reaction to all this blatant sex by the time your daughter grows up. I sort of hope so, though I also hope the opposite reaction doesn't get to Victorian era extremes of repression. You are so right--there has to be a balance in there, somewhere.
Wow! Okay, now I am more than scared for my daughter. She is three years old now and it just makes me wonder how permissive society will be when she turns into a pre-teen and teen. All I can do is do my best to teach her how to respect herself and protect herself from STDs and pregnancy. All I want for her is for her to feel good about herself enough to do what she feels is right and not what others tell her is right. Hopefully I can instill these beliefs and values in her. Honestly though, I think she watches too much TV...and I let it happen. Everytime I try to get her away from the TV, she ends up back at it within a matter of a few hours. Tomorrow morning we are going to plant some sunflowers and watermelons in our yard...and then we are going to the beach. So even though she has her days in front of the TV a lot, I do try to get days where we're not in front of the TV at all. I guess it's about balance...but in general, the TV is not good for kids. Thanks for a wonderful and real look at sexuality and teenagers. I don't feel like they know what they're doing before the age of twenty...just from personal experience. But there is too much pressure on them from their friends and from society in general. Many of them have the wool pulled over their eyes...it is sad.
Thanks, wilrhoades
Oh, so very true! Thank you for the comment.
It's horrific. I mean the waste of lives in abortion. Waste of innocent unborn children.
Yep, 'tis true, comes from several different sources, one in particular, a gov't sponsored Youth At Risk study. Most of the 40% pregnancies don't go to term, for one reason or another.
40% get pregnany before age 20? Where are these statistics from anyway...
Worsed generation is for us. Aren't they also humanbeing who are behind this with a human mind as like us . We wish our livemates can rethink.
You're welcome!
Such a waste indeed. And thanks for writing it.
Thanks, Jet, for your insightful comments. I know, I know--that's why I wrote this. It's such a waste.
You obviously live in reality. Some startling facts indeed. As a young person, it saddens how this is happening to many people I know. I know far too many girls who sleep around often and never get checked for STDs or other serious sexual diseases; or how many dudes I know who smoke weed and play video games all day -- sqaundering away any potential. Great hub!
This hub is right on target! To prove how "messed up" society has become, listen to this example: My twelve year old was researching the question: Do cats dream? She found a site with a good answer, along with an adorable pic of some sleeping kitties...HOWEVER, all around the border of where she was looking, were pictures of half-naked, suggestively posed young girls and women!!!! It was all some sort of advertising for something, I guess....my daughter called me over to show me, and I felt sickened. It's one thing if an adult WANTS to look at this stuff online - I actually don't have a problem with that. But to just HAVE IT THERE..for anyone..any KID to see, when they are looking up an innocent thing about CAT BEHAVIOUR? That I have a problem with!
This article is informative especially to parents. Thanks a lot.
It's fairly easy these days to record anything,including sex scenes , with the help of a mobile phone, then to exchange the material through Bluetooth or by simply publishing them on the net.
Thanks, Stoneriver, for your gracious and insightful comment.
Great Hub...Great … My daughter will need to read this hub and all its post, maybe it will open her eyes to what I’ve been talking to her about. What we teach our children’s generation today we will see or not see in their children’s, children. We will reap what we imbed today. Thanks
Wonderful Hub! I totally agree with everything said. Sex should be a sacred union between two people who care about and for one another. Today, it's often an exercise--like going to the gym...Sad....
Some of the revelations in this hub is surprising ! Like, About one quarter of the American teenage population has had sex by the time they are 15 years of age. And, one in four teens become infected with a sexually transmitted disease. I never thought it in this way!
--SexAdvisor
Funny Stories: http://hubpages.com/hub/Funny-Rabbit-Viabrators
Yes, I so much agree, Susannah, that it is SO IMPORTANT to keep the lines of communication open to your teenagers. THEY often try shutting them!!! Like we don't know what they're going through! We seem SO OLD to them, it's hard to let them know, we've been there, done that, and they can actually benefit from our advice and experiences.
Well, Donna, of course, sex for teenagers is nothing new. Juliet was 14 years old when Romeo spent the night with her and commented on the breaking dawn.
Golbez, have no idea what you're trying to say.
Much love all, from
Paradise.
as a gamer male. i Sexual media is quickly one of my things that really ticks me off quickly.
a side notei have some Ahem neko/anime girl pics on my computer nome the 18+ plus stuff. the pics are for the novel i got to get back to writing/typing.
Not only American Teens like sex. I think that in every country sex for teenagers is not something unusual or new.
I have a daughter who is now 23. As a teenager I tried to give her an open line of communication so that she felt free to ask me anything. It is very difficult in today's society to keep teens under control when it comes to sex. The sad part is that they will never find the newness in marriage that they should. This, in my opinion, is caused by the world we live in: the media, music, movies. The message they get is that it is ok to sleep with anyone they want, it's the thing to do.
Thanks for that LOVELY comment, Lyjo. You have a wonderful daughter; she has a wonderful mother!
Unfortunately I have seen far too many parents encourage this type of freedom, and buy their daughters clothes in which to show off their sexiness, obviously a big mistake, I myself had to have a talk with my daughter(who is grown & gone)when she was 10, the school was having a dance,(there was parental supervision)no she did not want me there, but I went, I didn't embarrass or crowd her, I let her do her thing...she wanted to wear a sleeveless top(which was not revealing in any way) but she was wearing a little jacket over top, she had it zipped right up to the top, I felt she was trying to hide what was under,(again nothing revealing)but it was her own thoughts of trying to hide something that concerned me, so I asked her why? she said no reason, she was fibbing, so I tackled it a different way, I told her that she was getting old enough to make some of her own decisions, and that I understood she wanted to look pretty for the boys...but she could think about how she wanted to portray herself to those boys, and depending what she choses to wear will certainly attract different types of boys, some that want to get to know her and some that want to get to know her in a different way...anyway, long story short she understood where I was going with it....at the end I told that it was her decision, and I will respect it even if I don't agree with it....she left the room with a hug, came back 10 mins. later, and get this...she changed into a turtleneck, she got it! Whew! She has stayed fairly conservative in her dress over the years, tasteful, and oh my do the boys ever look at her, she is such a sensible young woman, I am proud of her and truly blessed, but I almost pissed myself laughing when I told my husband afterward. Patience, lots of patience and out witting them is key! Great Hub.
I agree, Kris! Thanks for the comment.
Hi Paradis, it is nice and great to reveal the facts.. not only that, I have seen teens getting under the drugs as well, in such young age if they go and influence under drugs, they often tend to loose their virginity at early ages, there should be strict watchers in the school once they leave from home, they can easily cheat the parents when they are in home, but they have to watch them out , whom are they going with, what they do etc., these things can get early stop to that addiction of drugs then opens to everything start from sex to anything, they do not have control once they get into drugs, so parents please carefully watch them when they are out, to whom with they are, what they do really.
Good comment, CV, thank you!
At one end, you seem to be alarmed and obviously you don't seem to relish the goings on in the society.
At another end, you don't want enforced controls (either from parents, or from law or from religion) and you vouch that freedom of choice is essential.
Freedom of choice can work where there is mental maturity and an age at which good and bad can be understood better. Naturally, teen age is not the age to exercise unbridled freedom.
Therefore freedom of choice without control on teens can only lead to the present state of affairs! Again, even if control is felt necessary, who to control? That's where another problem lies. There is lack of moral authority in those who are supposed to control (Parents, law makers and church).
Complex indeed is the problem!
CV
Oh, yes, you are so right, Dream ON. Thank you for the comment.
This is a topic that has so many different solutions but they all seem to take time to work.In the meantime our children will suffer.Knowledge can lead them to other choices and hubs like yours can only make more people aware of all the dangers that early sex can lead to.What is the rush ?They have to learn to be young and have fun later they can make the proper choices concerning to have or not to have sex.I think if we refoucus our young on some more valuable activities that they can over come the urge from advertising and the other temptations.Great hub.Communication is the key.
Thank you so much for that wonderful comment, Cagsil! Your parents were probably doing the best they could for you. I know my own parents wouldn't discuss the subject of sex with their children. It made them very uncomfortable. They preferred to think of us as perpetually little children, perpetually naive. A problem that's different but somewhat the same results. We went and experimented on our own, at too young of an age.
Hey Paradise, I saw you leave a comment elsewhere and came to your profile, to check out what you've written lately, however, I came across this hub. I have to say it's an impressive piece of writing and very spot on. I happen to think the basic principle of parents teaching their children better would go a long way to changing some of the statistics you have presented. I can honestly say that even when I was growing up, and that's going back some years (LOL), I was very young when I first had sex and yes I was a teenager at the time. But, I was introduced into that from spending more time on the streets than at home with a parent, because my father wasn't around and my mom was working two job, just to put a roof over our heads(my sister and myself) and food on the table. Many kids are not getting the proper instruction they need or what I called "Life Teachings" and "Character Education", which I've made part of a series of hubs for 60DC Sunforged started again. You did an awesome job. I voted it up and marked, both useful and awesome. I hope more people read and gain the perspective needed. Thank you for sharing. :)
Ah, Pleasure, that's a very cynical point of view, but I can understand where you're coming from.
Any teen who has sex due to peer pressure is not that smart to begin with.
The smart ones will auction off their virginity to the highest bidder via internet, to pay off their future Ivy-League education.
Thank you all for the comments. I appreciate the variety of views and opinions expressed here. Thanks again!
To each his own. I enjoy classic literature, history, sports and working for myself. If others find 90210, reality tv and sleeping with random strangers more enjoyable, who am I to say that they are wrong. Is it really wrong to not know when the constitution was written or have sex before the age of 16. Once again I don't know but I most certainly will not be criticizing people for their choice of lifestyle. There no rules or standards in thing called life and it would be pretty boring without a variety of people.
This is why I've decided to just not have kids. Why bring someone into this world?
Great and informative hub! it is a very dangerous problem for Americans.parents should think about this mater and talk to their childrens. parents must take rountine information about their children specially for girls.
www,artoflegendindia.com
Thank you for the comment!
So sad ! but you have explained the facts we are facing nowadays. We should make changes in many factors including TV and Advertising
Nice article
Thanks
Thank you for the comment, Princess Weddings. You are so right!
Sakil, I'm glad you enjoyed the hub but you really shouldn't do that, you know--it isn't HubPages etiquette to promote your own blogs in a comment on someone else's. It's called spam. It's ok with me but not, really, with HubPages.
Great Hub. We must communicate with our teens.
Dear Rescue: I'm so sorry that you were used and misused as a child in this way. It is tragic. I hope and pray for your full recovery and admire you so much for your apparent convictions to help others: to stop these foul practices. Good luck to you, and if I can help you, let me know.
I agree that open communication is the key. One concern to raise though is the 'pimp and ho' media culture teens are consuming today. It is imperative that adults talk to their children about domestic child sex trafficking and the ways to protect themselves from real pimps and other females who may lure them into the sex trade. I say this because I am a survivor of child sex trafficking and now I am an abolitionist. I know the facts about this problem and it is NOT pretty.
Good for you. Wait till you're ready, and well-appreciated by the right person. Let there be love, but not until later on when we can handle it.
Yes, abstinence would certainly be one cure for AIDS!
Thanks for the comment.
I am 26 years old and I haven't had sex, is that weird?
People would laugh at me when I say I am a virgin.
I think we have a strict discipline and moral standard to restrict our sexual desire here in China, so UN said one of the best cures for AIDS would be that.
Thank you all so much for your very insightful and interesting comments.
I kthink American teen girls are so much especially at risk for being pressured into having sex before they are emotionally ready. I also think the hype for American girls to put sexiness so far ahead of modesty as a "virtue" that attracts men is a BIG mistake. I like modest people, men or women, a lot better than sexy ones. The appeal is in the personality, not the body. I think we have it all the wrong way around. It's a PERSON inside the bedclothes. Not a sex toy.
The problem is that in that teen are not emotionally mature so such experiences lead to many scarves these young ones will have later in their life.
The parents of these American teen should try to change the culture for their youth...It is very sad that in America you cannot sex a virgin woman at age 22, which so wonderful for those who wanted to have a virgin wife.. Aside from that, early pregnancy, Sexual transmitted diseases and other raped are very common in their community. America should try the culture of some asian countries.
Great Hub and I agree with you on many points. I love living in a liberal society where we can freely express ourselves and do not wear the shackles of religious or political oppression - but sometimes I ask myself "Are we going to far?"
I love the hard hitting heavy metal and gangster rap but I am now 34 years old and as much as I like free speech I do not think this is the message our kids should be hearing. To call for a ban on the very music I blare and movies I watch would be hypocritical but it is also tempting if for nothing else than the mental well being of tomorrows leaders.
How can we change the world without infringing on the rights of artist?
Wow! This is a powerful hub. These statistics should be shared with more teenagers an at an earlier age. I work in a high school so I know the pressure is there. We will have to get this info to the kids so they won't feel alone and forced to have sex when they are not ready too. Thanks for writing the hub.
My kids are 3 and 2, I don't want them to grow up! I just hope that I instill good morals and ethics so they know the right path to follow.
Nice hub
You have to view this as the logical progression of the nihilism that Friedrich Nietzsche wrote about/advocated. Irreligious attitudes are generally "permissive."
Remember, without religion, there is no moral compass; and once religion has been marginalized and there is no moral compass, nothing seems objectionable. Most felonious acts (violent crimes, murders, rapes) are proscribed not only by law, but also by religion. Incidentally, getting hammered and engaging in random sex, are proclivities sternly condemned by religion.
Thank you for the comments! I think you are expressing what a lot of people feel, now, in societies all over the world.
I appreciate your hub and like most said sadly but true. I have seen our society change over the years and things are not like the time when I was young. I taught Sunday school in a Korean church and I had a lot of respect for their children. The Koreans are more strict on their children and it has paid off and most cases. But even their society and children has fallen pray.
I appreciate your hub and like most said sadly but true. I have seen our society change over the years and things are not like the time when I was young. I taught Sunday school in a Korean church and I had a lot of respect for their children. The Koreans are more strict on their children and it has paid off and most cases. But even their society and children has fallen pray. http://online-grocery-stores.net
The sad truth is that the situation is similar in Hungary as well (and I think this applies to the whole world). Education about sex should be more important, even in the primary school. This could be the best way to overtake many of these problems.
By the way: very nice hub about a very interesting and up-to-date question.
It's very interesting hub.. i think there is need to provide the sex education and positive awareness about sex in child. it's a big responsibility of parents. parents lookafter our child. and also monitor the child activity, this artical provide very sad information.
the big reason "porenmovies" which encourage the child to sexual absuing activity.
You've defined the problem very well, Jazz Lassie. Probably the biggest problem teenagers have to deal with about sex is that there doesn't seem to be any set rules or standards. So the teen, not really knowing what's wrong or right, finds it way too easy to give in to the mad hormones. Thank you so much for your comment!
Good Job, I agree very much with you =] I am a female teenager (17) seeking to find the meaning of life (to put it in a very broad term). There is just something immoral about the outlook of society. The moral lines are thin and gray. But how do you define morals? How do we live a meaningful life balanced with a realistic one? Where do we draw the lines?
The media is most likely to exploit what others feel most strongly about. And from a biological term, sex is supposed to be the most dire need behind nourishments. It is the easiest material to exploit, working on the animal primitive need.
As an Asian, this becomes somewhat more complicated. In our culture, pre-marital sex and at times even sex itself is considered taboo. But that is becoming increasingly uncommon too. My parents still believe that pre-marital sex is completely taboo. But if there is something wrong with it, than what defines it as being wrong? The loss of innocence, or the immorality of it?
I admit as a teenager, I have thought about having pre-marital sex. But at the same time, I must agree with Chaoslord, There is more to life than sex, far more.
Definitely, I agree with you, Chaoslord. Thanks for the comment.
As a 20 year old male Teenager. The media has just put too much sexual media out there. they indidcate that Premarital sex is ok. No it isn't. STD's and some don't have cures. Do they think this is a good idea? all this imoral stuff going around is just sicking.
there is more to life then sex.
Thanks, infonolan, I guess. Nothing like promoting your own website in a HubPages comment, is there??? Wee bit spam-ish, n'est pas??
Great Hub:
Go to my site for some advice on
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEX LIFE"
Great comment, mr. diggs, and I couldn't agree more.
These statistics sound alarming but if you look at antiquity and "child sex;" you will find that children have been victims of pederasty since most probably the time of Adam and Eve.
Consider also that our ancestors didn't have the advent of media and an instant society yet "pedophilia" as it is commonly called was and is common. A great taboo.
In my dating years the vast majority of the women I dated all had stories of fondling, penetration and rape by cousins, fathers, uncles or the dirty old man/men in their neighborhood when they were little girls.
I think your hub speaks to a larger and more sinister elephant in our society. The human proclivity toward having sex with children. Pedophilia.
Noone wants to talk about this stuff. Most especially those who are victimized in this way.
Some of the men have been victims of this pedophilia as well. They also have stories of fondling and inappropriate touching; penetration. Men are far less likely to talk about it than women and are prone to psychologically repress and or act out because of their experiences.
Mostly the society nowadays advertises it's abomination and imports or exports this great evil for profit.
Thank you for your insightful comment.
Hi! Paradise
Nice article! Interesting comments too. I saw it only now. I was surprised about some of the Statistics. Like on rapes on teenagers and on numbers knowing zip code of Beverly hills but not constitution etc. I live in Mumbai and visit USA often for long periods. I feel concerned about these changes quite a bit in both countries. India is almost going in the same direction at much faster speed.
What happened in USA with evolution of media, press and both partners in a marriage working full time in career oriented jobs in about 30-40 years seem to be happening in India with in a span shorter than a decade.
Some times I feel it is just cycle. I used to tell one of my friends an American professor in USA in seventies (who had become homosexual) that Americans are too bookish. Current sex revolutions and drives like you are getting are generated out of studies of Masters and Johnson in a society which was not so natural about sex. Such cycles societys have gone through many times. People have created taboos because certain things created problems and then over years forget what was the reason and then again the same cycle starts. In India we have had this many times in 5000 years of history and people take attitudes towards sex in a little calmer manner (He used to say no it is in genes in some people like me- may be he had a point). After some time with spread of aids I saw that initial big euphoria about it decreased considerably in quite the same manner as I was predicting.
But now I feel even cycles one should pass in pleasant manner try to make them constructive and not destructive.
I agree with comments of breakfastpop and Mike that one of the main reason is that parents spend much less time with children. In USA it seems to be that family members are no longer even friends. In India still children and parents are friends but they also spend much less time together.
I am not so sure that nothing can be done about it. Two aspects which come to my mind
1. After all a lot of is generated by media to make people watch and desires of sellers to sell. It will be interesting to study how much of undesirable effects is effected by YV and how much by freedom on Internet. I bet it will be much less via Internet (chat sites etc.) which are not raw advertisers. One main reason is that it generates two way communication more like parents used to do. While TV is one way communication. In this one way communication the guy broadcasting does not generate much concern about effect his/her action motivated by eagerness to sell ads, may have.
One of the problems is that while politicians (they have to resign) professors etc. are controlled by some mechanism the media and press people's self regulating mechanisms it seems do not work at all. No body will want to control information flow today (it has too much positive side, otherwise very soon society may become feudal) but is there not a way to control desire to generate revenue out of ads. with no concern about effects?
After all other industries (like cigarette manufacturers) are made to pay for ill-effects they caused.
2. Long time back Ford made a big change in working and social life in USA and whole world by reducing working hours to 8. Is it not time to start a movement to reduce working hours to 5 (including time one spends from home on phone emails etc.). With both parents working they have become slave to their work rather than living life with pleasure with their families. The other day I saw Statistics from USA that now fathers are as much worried about their kids as moms.
I hope some groups NGO's are formed to start such a movement- right for better family life together with employment.
Thank you, pink umbrella, and that really sums up my point, so well. Thank you so much.
You know, i am a young mother, but even before i became a mother i would find myself looking at the television around 9 o'clock pm and thinking "they can show that/say that at this hour?!" I cannot believe the clothes they are selling in stores like "limited too" for young girls. Do you know they have thongs that can fit a 7 year old? (not at the limited, but i have a friend that found a pair in her little cousins bedroom). The earlier these children are exposed to these types of things, the earlier they want to take the next step. And thats weather they have a consentual partner or not. The worst part of this discussion, is that we realize there is nothing we can do about stopping the premature loss of innocence. 12 year olds want to look sexy. When i was twelve my mom was trying to convince me that i was getting too old for barbies. I really think it is this premature loss of innocence that leads to the premature production of certain hormones. And if im wrong on that, it certainly leads to the premature obsessive thoughts that lead towards you acting on certain thoughts. Good hub, im rating it up.
Thank you, Dave Sibole and jojo, for your very kind and encouraging comments.
nice writing. continue with passion
Good Hub but....You can't have your cake and eat it too. We are born with a sin nature and to think that society will voluntarily exercise restraint is dreaming. Study the history of the downfall of previous societies. Prior to their ultimate collapse there was a moral decay. To think it won't happen here is only wishful thinking. The Hub was good, and I think everyone wishes your dream would come true.
Thanks!
Very interesting hub!
I read all your comments and agree heartily with the responses. CHILDREN! Having babies, having sex, getting venereal diseases. I think we lost our innocence, the innocence of children, through media exposure of adult subjects to children.
Very interesting post. Enjoyed reading it a lot. Nice writting.
Disturbing as the statistics may seem, are they so different to what life was like over the centuries. Unfortunately what I see is not a change for the worse but a lack of change for the better.
Hormones are raging during those teenage years, sex or fooling around for teenagers is inevitable. Parents should be more communicative with their children and inform them correctly of what the do's and don'ts of sex are and also offer them protection when they do decide to become sexually active. It would also help If schools had more realistic sex ed classes. They act like adults so talk to them like adults, schools should start taking responsibility for the children they educate after all they are the ones shaping and putting ideas into their heads for 18 years might as well make their time at school not only educative in social studies and math but also how to protect themselfes from an STD, a deadly disease and even an unwanted pregnancy!
You have written a great hub and also disclosed the shocking facts
U have said it all..all those feelings as an Asian i have towards the so called western cilivized socities. A culture rises from a standard set of morality which is inbuilt in every human, to distinguish good from bad and yet no one uses them. I agree with ur article cent percent.
I enjoyed your essay. I'm always intrigued by these thoughts. It makes me wonder what the answer is. If we long for freedom, and as we get it it's a burden and that leads us to long for structure and we get it and it's a burden. Something has to give.
Great Hub. Reality hits hard when you list out all the facts and statistics like that. I can't believe the amount of CHILDREN that are sexually active before age 14. Innocence has become such a short-lived virtue these days. So sad...
excellent hub, Pardise. Such shocking facts!
Thanks, blackhatworld. Good luck with your Hubpages, too!
This is just what I was looking for. Thank you so much and good luck with your Hubpage.
Thanks for the comment, sweety!
thanks for sharing.....
Thank you so much for the comments!
Frightening thing is this readiness for exploring and engaging in sex attitude has taken it's grip on the young Indian minds also and in India the modern generation is now not at all hesitant to go for it as early as possible.
im cueriuos about sex yes its the catalyst the indgredients
of relationship between husband and wife.
The hub is very much informative. It creates great awareness among masses. The hub will help parents to take precautionary measures and handle their child with necessary care. The statistics represent that you have done lot of research while constructing such a wonderful peace of text.
Thank you all for the comments! It seems you all had some very interesting input on this hub.
this is a great hub paradise! informative and an eye-opener at the same time. I am with you in hoping for a moderate society, not too strict and not too liberal. It's about time that we look & act on the more important things in life rather than to focus on who's more skinny or beautiful or rich or those other sorts of superficial things or needs we have these days.
And protect the children from unwanted sex by spending more quality time with them, if they ask questions out of curiosity, give them an educational answer that is closer to the truth and at the same time not too overwhelming for them.
congrats paradise for a great hub!
Great post.. Thanks!
i have said many times that we as cultures tend to get sick of ourselves, thus embarking on a huge shift in the other direction. i think many kids are bad because they can be. i mean, some parents make it very easy for their kids to act all trashy through neglect or other problems. take away their access to cell phones and myspace pages (yes they still use myspace because you can't be all naughty in facebook) until they learn how to be rsponsible. more importantly, instill a sense of pride in themselves from a young age, especially our daughters. every kid rebels, even the good ones. but when they don't come through their rebellion wiser and more grown-up, but increase bad behaviors, then they're just being brats. cosette's magic 8-ball says that among youngsters, chastity will be cool again and irresponsible behavior will be frowned upon. thank you :)
excellent hub. rating it UP.
Thanks!
nice..
Great hub.
Thanks
I got most of this from Wiki. I also had some other info that I googled specifically. That generalization, that a more permissive society leads to more crime, is generally speaking true, but like all generalities, it might not apply to a specific place at a specific time. Where did you get the info that the FBI says crime is down? Is is possible to post the link here? Or email it to me and I'll amend the hub to include that link with a little explanation?
Does anyone ever question where statistics come from? Are they based on fact or maybe just banter thrown at you to make you fell one way or another. Crime is up is not a fact, fact is the FBI finally admitted it's not. Peace!!
Thanks for the great comment, cupid!
I appreciate your concern towards the depreciating social values. I also agree with you that the clock could not be turned back! But I think the time is moving in an orbit and it has also its dark and light zone! We are already in the dark zone again like our pre-historical age when there was no social system, no marriage, no dress code, no values, no respect for the elders and open sex. Let us hope we could go to the light zone as soon as possible!
A great and must read hub!
Yes,me too, I think it's sad, especially for the girls, their whole future can be ruined so easily. I don't think the parents know a thing about it until it's too late. Thank you for the comment, Prasetio.
I am so sad to hear this news. You come with fact. That's make a question in my mind, Where do their parents? Do they know with anything happen to their teens? I hope they will realize and think twice for doing sex. Just remember with their future,they still have a long way.
Good comment. I really don't think the pre-teen and early teen aged girls are really all that much into having sex. I think they are emotionally or physically coerced. And they suffer the consequences much more than the guys do.
Great Hub, excellent comments!
Well, if we remember what was going on in history of humanity over the many centuries, we can find out that so often young girls were forced to get married around 14, 15 or 16 (or even earlier)...so what is happening now actually IS REVERSAL OF PAST - but that past we do not want to be reversed, because we want to have civilized societies.
If you remember "Romeo and Giulliette" from Shakespeare, Giuliette had only 16 (nobody said she was too young for marriage, on the contrary)...
Hormones start to get wild very early, it was always like that...but girls are usually more romantic, guys are focused on pure act of sex.
Main problem is that in that age kids are NEVER emotionally mature (and were never in history) so such experiences lead to many scarves these young ones will have later in their life...
When we come to sex, I feel that this world is so much a men`s world - women do not need so much pure sex in their lives, and certainly would not constantly force it in all media... while majority of men consider that as normal and harmless, because what is more natural then sex? Many of them understand how big problem can be when their own daughters start to play with sex - too early.
Thank you for the comment...you are so right, it's the peer pressure, I don't think the girls, at least, really want to have sex so young!
tere bap ka kiya jata he ? pardesie .
This is an interesting topic - I'm kind of torn because I say the same too, reverting to the past wouldn't solve anything but then again I remember only too well how much pressure there was at school to 'keep up' with everyone else, but I suppose that's the teenage instinct to survive. If only teenagers were encouraged to follow their own common sense and not do what everyone else around them is doing!
Thanks for the comment, HC, and you said it well, yourself!
Great Hub- nicely written and you expressed yourself well. It is scary what is happening to the world and I am afraid of what society will create next, to pull our children away from us or us away from our children?
Thanks for the comment, rebu!
truly said...thnx for sharing
Thank you all for your comments. Blackreign and Loua, you really added something here. I hear you, and agree with you both. I think you're both thinking the same thing--intergrity, personal integrity that you learn from your parents at home, and are coming at the same idea from two different angles.
Wow, those are some pretty scary stats! Thanks for sharing and spreading awareness!
Religous hold no, I don't believe in religon. Its divisive and creates elitism among the masses. My religon is better than yours attitude. But our laws and way of life are supposed to be frameworked around The Creator's teachings. This do what you feel or what feels good attitude isn't the answer either. But for companies its profitable, for the record companies its profitable. They throw out these zeroxed copies "celebrities" knowing full well children and teens will idolize and look up to them. I think as a society we need to reshift our focus. Morals, values, being kind to one another, administering TRUE justice etc. Truth be told, they set the parents up for the woo (b.s. for the ebonically challenged lol) You tell your children about the easter bunny, the tooth fairy, Santa and soon they find out they were lies. Makes you look like a liar in your child's eyes. They see you as a hypocrite you tell them its not nice to lie and then you lie to them. It's a vicious cycle that continues over and over. You tell your children not to fight but the country is at war. Soon rebellion grabs ahold of your child because if you can't trust your parents, who can you trust? I say we tune out, stop buying they're regurgitated merchandise, start showing our children that a microphone in their hands is not the end all be all. We as parents need to take our rightful place as our children's first teachers and stop letting society dictate how much or little we are invovled with our children. I think we would see a huge change. But that's wishful thinking. We can't get everyone on the same page about healthcare, so how would we even start to tackle this? Good hub ~hugs~
Hey, Good coverage on quite a dilemma...
Maybe if society provided them with the incentive to be considerate of themselves by respecting them an not abusing them into disrespecting themselves...
How about if the education system really educated an not warehouse kids and feed them day old knowledge... If industry actually was responsible for what it produced and it was the educator for what it needed... You see if industry was the educator and employed all the youth as associates in training programs, imagine how efficient the job market could be and how disciplined the kids would become by having something to look forward to other than the gang stupidity their forced into...
You see there will always be the differences in personalities but the key is to integrate and orchestration for including the kids into a process of learning that captivates their interest and benefit not the educations version of what they think is best, we have seen how grand that idea has been, its counter intuitive to productivity by being exclusive and selective, that's why the minds of the public raised on this system is so narrow minded and lacks coping ability to seek and adapt to the changes that will evolve the culture of understanding and ethics necessary to meet the needs of society... We have a system that plays the social consumer as a mark, the scam games of economics... The kids see through this hypocritical facade an are rebellious towards it because they see they are being used; and some will play game and be good at it and propagate the program as it has been; but as you see its got a tipping point... We are almost there...
Well written hub on an important subject to be aware of. Those stats are pretty grim. I hope there are more services working hard to educate teens and parents about this and how they can be smart about sex.
nice hub...good info for everyone who read it, at least there know and aware about this situation. well for me it all begin with the family actually and type of friend they mix around with plus this internet technology....adios...
Thank you all for your very interesting and informative comments!
Very interesting hub here. The stats are certainly troubling, though not altogether surprising. Ultimately the only answer to any of these problems is education and the way young people are raised.
Those who think religion and religious values are the answer should think again. In western Europe, which is a much less religious society than the US, teens have just as much if not more sex, and yet nowhere near the levels of teen pregnancy, teen abortion, STDs or other social maladies found in the US. In addition, some of the most religious areas of the country (like the South) often have the highest rates of these problems.
Sex among young people is not a problem as long as they are mature, responsible and know how to do it safely and respectful of the wishes of others. Unfortunately the enduring conservative mindset of prudery continues to make sex a "taboo" subject in much of the country, and the result is the highest levels of STDs and teen pregnancy in the developed world.
Love the hub. Very informative.
that's really shocking data thanks for such a great hub
This hub is excellent! Teens now are more likely to engage their selves into these situations because of the inlfuence of media. Our country once was known for its conservative type of people specially the women before. But now it seems impossible to revert it, because almost everybody now are letting this all to happen. Media seems to poison the minds and contaminate every single human. Crimes are sprouting everywhere because nobody seems to care. We have to make a move to solve this problem. Thanks for this wonderful hub.
I think the right age of having sex is at the age of 18 at the age of 14 and 15 is a little young and I don't even know how they get those hormones in that age, I guess its the influence around us....
Thank you all so very much for your comments. I've been really busy lately with some work I have to do, so I haven't had nearly as much time for HubPages as I'd like. Thank you again for all your insightful comments.
Great hub Paradise but not sure if we can totally blame our society, jeeez in ancient Rome even incest was popular and way back over a 100 years ago sex was even more prominent in the younger ages in Britain, I personally think people are to blame, ancient Rome didnt have television but that society were the most sexually deviant race ever !
This is a good hub on statistics and personal freedoms, especially which deal with teen sex and pregnancies. Personally, it is gross to me the amount of abortions which happen each day due not only to the irresponsibility of the teenager, but also the parent(s.)
However, in my studies of cultural geography in Urban Studies, I have also witness statistics around the world. In poor countries, children as young as 10 years old (some as young as 8 years old) are sold into sexual slavery. The most common age for young girls having sex is age 12 years old. So, although one can blame freedoms in the U.S. for reasons why these kind of statistics are so alarming, it is not only the freedoms and social media which are to blame, it is human decency and education. In the poor countries which sell young girls into sexual slavery, poor families sell their own child(-ren) in order to survive. These families and young girls see it as a common necessity to stay afloat. (Same thing with child labor which forces children as young as six years old to work 12 hours a day with minimal pay, supervision, and benefits, such as break time and meals.) And, although it would be great to educate people how to either control their child(-ren) or teach them how to make the best decision, ultimately, it is the social character and social involvement in which the child(-ren) are in.
Social media and appliances, such as the internet, cellphones, and television are common among U.S. households. That is an individual choice mostly made by the parent(s) of each household. However, even if the parent opposes such, there is no way to completely control it as kids tend to find such products and influence elsewhere.
So, as a society, I think the best option for parents and role models is to educate our children, be open and honest with 'em, and establish a trusting relationship. Parents cannot absolutely control their teen(s,) but they can do their best to be well-informed and part of their child's life and choices.
I like your hubs , and this one is truly frightening !
Hi Paradise! There is nothing like statistics to make us reevaluate or time and place. Beliefs that give proper direction and guidance our critical to living a successful life. Freedom at all costs may sound appealing, but can bring about chaos as well. I'm all for finding the right boundaries and reliable guidance. Very good hub, as usual!
teen sex education were not effected to hold their exploration. it just talk about how to make sex without pregnant
moral education will effected to back that sex without rule were same as animal.. it talk about marry..there are rule from God to be follow so we re called human, that have intuition and brain..raped and abuse..that's only how they do find good community communication, real rape and real abuse..that were from accident and can be sorry
we re the parents do the same thing in youth, how to make them understand and accept that we do in the past was a mistake and forbidden?..that was a difficult ask to answered
This hub is great, it should be read to every Canadian/American teenager just so they are also aware of the costs and the risks that come with being permissive, thanks for writing this.
Like most here I find these facts disturbing. But even more disturbing is the fact that 90% of the conversation here is about teenage promiscuity. Did you see the part about how many of our children are being raped and abused? Teen sex education is important , but I personally think protecting my baby from suffering a liftetime of hell that can be caused by sexual assault. So please, lets make keep our daughters safe and happy first. Then we can tackle the cringe worthy task of sex ed...
I had a conversation with a childhood friend who made the comment that she would have never tried half of what she did if her mother would have told her about her struggles through the same situations. I believe when we became politically correct we made big mistake. Like the comment a few back where the grandmother feels like she should not get into her granchildrens afairs. I say if you do not warn them you do not really care about the turn out. Take it from a 34 year old woman who was promiscuous. I was later set free and found a great husband. I wish my mother would have told me I was going the wrong way. I still have to chase demons away from my past and I'm completely changed. Talk to your kids and save your future.
These statistics are so alarming, but they need to be seen and heard. Every day, and I mean every day I turn on the news, I hear of some form of child exploitation, which often leads to sexual permisiveness and other forms of sexual perversions from children and teens alike.
This is an excellent reminder to parents to turn off all these other outside influences, and tune in to their children. It just makes me hold my two little ones that much closer.
Hey Pamela! Nice to see your here. Thank you so much for the insightful comment. I have to keep my lip zipped around my grand-newphews and grand-nieces and their parents, too. I can only hope the kids find the right way. It's hard in today's jungle.
This hub is excellent and such an important topic. I know have 2 granddaughters, both 18 and one is a little wild and the other the opposite. It is difficult to raise children today and I see the difference in the way these two were raised as being a big factor in their behavior. But, Grandmothers need to butt out I think if their opinion is not asked. I wish things were the way you described.
All of you, thank you so much for your comments. I got really busy and couldn't get around for a couple of days. Mike, you certainly DON'T sound like a raving lunatic to me! Breakfast Pop, you have the right idea SO MUCH! Just keep talking to your kids, keep those channels of communication as open as possible as your kids move into their teens.
Mickey Dee, Sheila B, Cheaptrick, Scarytaff, and Carolina--I'm just so glad you agree. I thought I'd get more negative feedback from this hub than I did, certainly!
Anjalichuch also has a great idea--get your kids to see how privileged they really are by showing them someone less fortunate's lifestyle. Get them to value and appreciate the freedoms in this country, by contrast.
Historically, there have been times as promiscuous as these. The pendulum swings back and forth.
Great hub! Great comments- all of them. I especially like Mike's. Thanks!
To project this Hub into the adult world is what really worries me.The values,or lack there of,that these kids assimilate are what they will apply to society when they become independent.
Here's the scary part.These kids will be politicians,CEO's,clergy etc when they come of age.In a sense we are raising them without realising that They will care for Us in our old age.Just some food for thought P.
Thanks
Dean
I guess you could say that 100% of females who have sex before age 15 have ben raped- cause it's impossible for one that young to legally give informed consent. It's very sad.. children are trying to grow up too fast, and adults are using that against them. Good hub.
A very good hub No.7 Very enlightening.
The statistics are frightening and definitely heading in the wrong direction. As a society, it seems as if we reach for the lowest common denominator instead of the highest, and if we continually search for how low we can go, we will find out.
If we could find a way to appeal to higher goals than making a quick dollar, life would be so different. But, instead we must try that much harder to guide our children toward proper values and a solid moral foundation.
I know I sound like I'm preaching the death of society, but I'm with you--I appreciate and enjoy the freedoms were are given. I simply wish these freedoms didn't cause our kids to grow up so fast--you're only young once.
Well, I probably sound like a raving lunatic when all I wanted to say was that I agree with your observations.
Thanks for sharing your insights.
Mike
I raised two girls in an society that tolerated all sorts of risky behavior. I talked to my daughters honestly and openly morning, noon and night and they managed to come through this turbulent period in their lives unscathed. Just keep talking.
Thank you so much for the comments, Green Lotus, myownworld, and advisor.
There should also be mandatory sex education for abused children. I am pretty sure that it is a proven fact that children coming from abusive households are more likely to be promiscuous.
Scary stuff!
Statistics are definitely alarming but I guess we (humans) tend to go overboard with so many positive things we've been graced with and one of them is 'freedom'. I wish the kids in western part of the world get a chance to see how their counterparts crave for a whiff of free air in other countries. I wish they see how youngsters feel smothered under societal pressures. Seeing the dark side, often times, makes one realize the beauty of light. Children, in the West, should have more of cultural exchanges with those of the developing countries so as to know the value of freedom and to realize how much they've abused this wonderful gift of God. It's similar to what I did some time back. My son, for having been raised in a protective environment, didn't know what he was blessed with until he saw how little children grow up in orphanages and foster homes. It does work. A very thoughtful hub!
It's frightening reading all those statistics...esp. as I am a parent of a young daughter myself. I agree it's a real challenge trying to draw a balanced, moderate line these days but your second last paragraph just sums it up so perfectly!
Perhaps, a less sexualized media, more 'family time', an unforced respect for stronger morals alongside an awareness of the risks involved might encourage teenagers to make more responsible choices. Thank you for the great hub...!
This is so excellent Paradise. I agree with you, we don't want to revert to the past, but sane sex education (including the much needed sex education in the school system) is tantamount. As for the media, sex sells and we live in a profit driven (more so than a sexually decadent)society. Anyone who's written a Hub with a sexy title can vouch for that. Until the media becomes more socially responsible, we have only smart parents and educators to teach our children what's real and what's mentally and physically unhealthful. Great job and a Thumbs up!
Paradise7 Hub Author 6 weeks ago
You definitely have a point. Thanks for the comment.