Let me begin by saying I do not under any circumstances condone sex among teenagers but let’s face it, it happens. Millennials have a very cavalier attitude towards sex and they switch partners a lot more frequently than we did. I had the sex talk with my daughter when she was old enough to ask viable questions and I told her as close to the truth as her maturity level allowed.
Once my daughter started to have what she deemed as a serious relationship I talked to her openly about sex and asked her if she wanted to get on birth control. I explained to her that I was not advocating that she have sex but that I understood hormones and I would rather her be safe than get pregnant. I also bought a supply of condoms and showed her how they are supposed to be used.
Once again, some of her friends parents thought that I was crazy and that I was drawing her a roadmap of what to do but I beg to differ. I was being responsible and in turn teaching my daughter to be responsible. At the time that I brought up the subject of birth control she said that she was not ready but I was happy when she did come to me and tell me that although she was not planning to do anything she was ready to get on the pill.
I again expressed to her that I hoped that she would wait but that I was proud of her for coming to me before she made the decision to engage in sex unprotected. After being on the pill for some time and because my daughter and I are so close, when she did finally have sex she came to me and we had an open and honest conversation about it.
My house was the hang out spot for my daughter and her friends so there were many nights that I would end up with four or five teenaged girls piled up in my bed having sex talk. Some of her friends wanted me to take them to get on birth control but I told them that I couldn’t without their parent’s permission.
Throughout their teenaged years only one of them became pregnant but she never told her parents. This one girl also asked me to take her to have it taken care of but I told her again that I couldn’t without her parent’s permission.
All in all everyone turned out fine and no one has a child to date. I realize that my decision to start my daughter on birth control was a somewhat bold move but I am happy that I did.
How soon is too soon to have the sex talk and start your child on birth control?
