Garfield County PREP wants to help parents and adults with these difficult conversations. Trusted Adult trainings can be arranged for parent groups through schools, faith-based organizations or by gathering a group of your friends together for some supportive conversations, information sharing and myth busting.
Trainings and workshops can be arranged for any youth serving organization’s staff on topics ranging from sexuality development across the lifespan, supporting LBGTQ youth to knowing local resources to connect youth to when they need more help that you are able to provide.
PREP can help adults learn to suspend their judgment, remain value neutral and know where to find the right answers to those tough questions.
“I am not an actress and do not like role playing; however, during the Street Smart training there was an extremely safe and comfortable environment that was established making it a well implemented class/subject. I have tried to implement some of the same facilitation techniques with the youth leadership meetings. I have more openly talked with youth about sexual situations, contraception, and their rights to birth control, morning after, etc. “
Teens say parents most influence their decisions about sex and 87% say it would be much easier for them to postpone sex and avoid teen pregnancy if they were able to have more open, honest conversations about these topics with their parents, according to a new survey from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
Talking with your children about their sexual health can be stressful, awkward and may even lead to tumultuous conversations or complete silence. Parents often feel like they don’t have all the answers or that talking about it will encourage their children to start having sex (a misconception according to research). Youth are often concerned that their parents will be disappointed or mistakenly think they’re having sex if they try to talk to them or ask questions. So, let’s face it: talking about sex with teens is not easy on either the parents or the child!
But, getting them interested in something like classic cars can open up the chance to have a non-threatening conversation about planning, goal setting, finding something to be passionate about and how having an unplanned pregnancy or STD can have lasting effects and prevent you from reaching your dreams.
