THINK BEFORE HAVING SEX
CH ASE UTO PARTS
We are proud to be a drug free workplace & proudly support our youth !
1041 Sheffield Ave . - Waterloo , IA
1-800-728-2568
WWW . LJSWELDING . COM
' s
WELDING & FABRICATION
“ We are proud to support our youth in their efforts to remain drug free .”
141 Center St . - Waterloo , IA 319-236-2844
21 means 21 !
“ Bennigan ’ s Grill & Tavern is proud to support the fight against underage drinking ”
2023 7th Ave . N . - Clear Lake , IA 641-357-5253
“ We are proud to support education programs for our youth !”
( 641 ) 357-8555 • Clear Lake , IA northiowacollisioncenter . com
Think Before You Decide to Have Sex
To do it or not to do it ... that is the question that plagues many teens . A mixture of hormones and social pressures make the drive to become sexually active very strong .
Many teens make the mistake of giving into their urges without thinking things through . Sex is more than just a pleasurable act ; it is a physical risk and an emotional gamble . Here we list eight things to consider before having sex .
You may think you are ready , but do you KNOW that you are ? It is often hard to tell the difference . Your body is sending you some confusing signals and your heart and mind just don ’ t seem to agree about what you should do . You should know and trust your partner and yourself because once you have sex you can ’ t take it back . Be smart , be sure and be ready if you want to have sex with no regrets .
Protect Yourself From Sexually Transmitted Infections
STIs , or sexually transmitted infections , are often one of the last things a teen thinks about when they become sexually active . During the immortal teen years things like illness and disease don ’ t seem real so they are not considered important . This can be a life altering , even fatal , mistake . The fact is teens do have to have to worry . You should have this covered before having sex .
Protect Yourself From Pregnancy
When it comes to the risk of pregnancy teens are more realistic than they are when it comes to STIs . Teens know that having unprotected sex can lead to unwanted pregnancy . However , far too many boys still see this sort of protection as a girls problem and don ’ t take proper precautions to protect themselves unless the girl insists . Boys need to think about birth control just as much as girls .
Understand What it Means to Lose Your Virginity
While the majority of teens remain virgins all the way through high school many teens believe the opposite to be true . All too often teen virgins see themselves as part of a minority when in fact they are a part of the majority . It is important to really value your virginity before you even think about giving it up . If you under-value it you cheat yourself out of a once in a lifetime experience .
Know Why You Want to Have Sex
When hormones are raging it is very easy to confuse lustful urges for feelings of true love . The sense of desire brought on during puberty is new and it can be hard for a teen to know what to do with it . Add things like peer pressure , insecurity and the quest for independence to the mix and it could spell disaster . Your only defense is to be honest with yourself about why you want to have sex .
Know About the Age of Consent
Most teens don ’ t stop to think about the legality of having sex but there are laws that outline what teens can and can not do , and how old they must be to do them . Often this means any sexual conduct , not just intercourse . Most countries have minimum ages of consent and most limit the ability of teens to consent to sex with adults . To do it by the books you must know the laws where you live .
Understand Your Body and Your Feelings
The human body changes drastically during the teen years . Along with obvious changes like body hair and odor , breast and testicular development , menstruation , and acne , there are less obvious changes in our sense of self . These changes are confusing enough , be comfortable with them before adding sex to the mix .
Remember That It ’ s OK to Say No to Sex
It is a sad irony that being a “ tease ” and being “ easy ” are both considered bad . These labels speak to the immaturity with which many teens view sex . Having sex is not about what others think of you but what you think of yourself . You are the one who has to live in your skin so only you should dictate what you do with it . It is always OK to say no to sex . You should never go against your inner guide .
14 | Iowa Fall / Winter 2013-2014 | abusemagazine . org
Source : From Mike Hardcastle , former About . com Guide