1. Successful Presentation
When you are having the sex talk with your teen, having all of the facts ready is very important. A lot of the talk about birth control will focus on statistics. You should present these facts in a way that is easily digestible for your teen. Some teens will need you to simply tell them the facts. Other teens may need you to give them written material so that they can look at the facts to better understand exactly what they mean. It is important to be open to any questions that your teen may have. It is also important that you answer each question honestly.
2. Explain All Options
It is easy to simply let a teen know only about the forms of birth control that you wish for your teen to use. This isn't a smart choice. Teens are at the age where it is important for them to learn to make their own decisions. Let your teen know all of the available methods of birth control. Make sure you explain pills, shots, sponges, IUDs, abstinence and condoms. Try to explain each one as much as possible. If you aren't able to do this, you can have your teen's doctor try to explain birth control to your teen.
3. The Life Long Commitment
When you are talking to your teen about birth control, it is important that you talk about teen pregnancy. Let your teen know that teen pregnancy is a real concern if he doesn't use adequate birth control every time he has sex. When you talk about teen pregnancy, focus on the difficulty that your teen will have raising a baby. In this case, statistics really won't push the issue. Tell your teen about the sleepless nights, the money required to raise a baby and the lack of a social life that he will experience. Remind him that a baby is a life long commitment.
4. A Lifetime of Health Problems
When you talk to your teen about birth control, make sure that you emphasize the fact that only condoms can help to prevent your teen from catching a sexually transmitted disease, or STD. Briefly explain each STD to her. Let your teen know that if she has sex, she should use a condom every time she has sex. If you are having the sex talk with a boy, let him know that he has to use a condom every time even if a girl says she is on the pill.
5. A Never Ending Conversation
Your talk with your teen about birth control isn't a one time event. Make sure that you let your teen know that you are always available to talk to him about birth control. It is a good idea to go to him a few days after your talk just to see if he has thought of any questions or concerns about birth control.
