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This is a concise and helpful list to help parents engage their kids in living an abstinence lifestyle.
Published in the Baylor Business News 3 March, 2004
Posted by Abstinence Clearinghouse < http://abstinence.net/library/index.php?entryid=884>
John F. Tanner, Jr., associate professor of Marketing at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, has some pointers for parents who want to raise sexually abstinent children.
“Delivering a baby is the number one reason American teen girls go to the hospital,” said Tanner. “In addition, teens who are sexually active are at the greatest risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Our research shows that parents can be the most influential factor in keeping teens abstinent and free from pregnancy or disease.” A preeminent researcher in the field, he has been studying the issue since 1985.
1. Start the conversation early. Around 8% of our seventh grade children willingly have sex – so start talking to them about it sooner.
2. Set rules. Kids with rules about dating and activities involving the other sex also have the strongest refusal skills and they talk more about boy/girl issues with their parents.
3. Don’t let your own past hold you back.
(NOEL believes that as you share what you learned and how God restored your past, you will show that there is hope in every situation.)
4. Use media to start conversations. When you see an ad for beer parties or when you see shows like ""Friends"" advertised, ask your children what they think about it. Freely express your views because your children really want to know what you think.
5. Talk about the future. Instead of on career, focus the “what do you want to be when you grow up” conversations on what type of person does he or she wants to be. How will she know when she’s reached that? Is she living in such as way to reach that goal? The stronger your children’s recognition of the link between today and tomorrow, the greater their likelihood of remaining abstinent.
6. Abstinence is a lifestyle, not a single decision. Children who are abstinent are also more likely to abstain from alcohol, smoking, overspending and skipping school. Teaching your child how to make good shopping decisions may help your child make good life decisions.
