Television Makes Sex Acceptable To Teens

Every year over 15 million Americans are diagnosed with an STD (sexually transmitted disease). The STD problem has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and around the world - and teens top the list.

Ever wonder why? Is it because public school sex education has failed to protect our younger generations and because television makes sex acceptable to teens. The answer is clearly yes.

Popular television programs and even commercials teaches teens that any lifestyle is acceptable as long as it feels good, and or that everyone else is doing it.

What television doesn?t tell teens is how quickly it can go bad for them. The success and appeal of television is based on its promise of instant gratification: You deserve whatever you want?now! Television doesn?t teach teens that you always have to pay the piper; every action has a consequence.

Sady, many teens are left to learn the hard lessons on their own, one consequence at a time. Today's television networks send the message that premarital sex leads to happiness, fulfillment, and joy. Popular programming portrays premarital sex as an important part of a teen?s preparation for adulthood. And because no one in questions this, it's accecpted as fact.

Recent research shows that a majority of young people will have had a sexual encounter before marriage. In fact, 1-5 five girls will have first sexual intercourse for the first time by they time they are 15.

Television continues to make sex acceptable to teens; teens continue to get pregnant and contract STDs; and the nation continues to ignore a problem that has become an epidemic.

The fact is that concerned parents are in a war to save their children?s lives and self-respect. Part of the problem parents face today is that as a society we have not yet confronted the reality of what?s going on. The school system is often an active agent in selling a sexually promiscuous lifestyle to teenagers due to the liberal slant of the public education system.

Statistics show beyond a shadow of a doubt that sex education has failed to reduce teen pregnancies and STDs. Our response to the failure of sex education has been to do more of the same.

The reality is that there is only one real way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in teens and that is abstinence from premarital sex.

We need to address this epidemic as a nation, but parents can?t wait for politicians to carry the ball; your teens are at risk today. As a parent, you have a duty and a right to protect your child:

? You have a right to demand that your child be taught the importance of abstinence in his or her sex education class.

? You have a right to take your teen out of sex education class and provide home schooling in this area if you object to what your teen is being taught in school.

The best way for parents to protect their children from STDs?and from the influence of television?is by modeling a socially and ethically responsible lifestyle.

Research shows that positive parental guidance is the No. 1 factor in a teenager?s decision to abstain from premarital sex.

Amy Cainfield is Technology Director for http://www.parentalcontrolproducts.com/parenting-tips.htm Parental Control Products, LLC, the makers of the http://www.teenchatdecoder.com/internet-safety-articles.htm Teen Chat Decoder online acronym decoder, and http://www.pctattletale.com/tips-what-is-internet-monitoring.htm PC Tattletale Internet Monitoring Software.