Sex education
... could be avoided with proper education. Few parents actually take the opportunity to talk to their kids about sex and related topics. Nickelodeon surveyed 2000 parents and kids and these surveys show that only 71% of the parents stated that they have talked to their kids about the basics of reproduction, but only 29% of the kids stated that they recall the conversation. The same survey also found that 61% of the kids surveyed stated that they were the ones who initiated the conversation, not the parents. These studies show that parents are not taking the initiative to talk to their kids about sex. If parents are too embarrassed to bring up the conversation then they should realize and demand that sex education should be taught across the board. Sex education should be implemented in schools just like drug and gang prevention. Children should start to learn about their body at an early age. Children should be able to realize the differences between a girl and boy early on, the penis and vagina should be taught just like the teaching of the nose and ears. By the time a child is reaching puberty the child should already know what to expect, for males the changing of the voice, and the growth of body hair could be included and for the females breast growth and menstruation should be mentioned. Studies by Nickelodeon showed that 24% of parents stated that they never talked to their kids about puberty and 28% stated that they never talked to their kids about the basics of reproduction (Talking With Kids About Tough Issues, pg 13, http://www.talkingwithkids.org/nickelodeon/charts.pdf). These kids should have the chance to learn and anticipate the changes that will occur to their body. How is a high school girl or boy expected to learn about sex without the proper education? These teens should complete a set of required courses in sex education prior to the graduation of junior high school, which can also include the anatomy of the human reproductive organs. These teens should know and understand pressure that they will encounter entering high school. These teens should know the ins and outs of sexually transmitted diseases. These teens should be prepared for any situations that might come up during a time of intimacy. By the time these teens graduate high school they should have a complete understanding of human sexuality, and if they decide to proceed on to college, and are still infatuated with the idea of human sexuality they can also major in that course of study. Students will know what to expect in college and maybe even live and enjoy a safer life. Awareness in sex education is a major factor for decreasing the amount of unwanted teen pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases in both men and women. In The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy website it is stated that, “Eight hundred-twenty thousand (820,000) teen girls get pregnant each year. Thirty-four percent of young women get pregnant at least once before they turn 20. Each year the federal government alone spends about $40 billion to help families that began with a teenage birth” (http://www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/teens/facts/). This statement shows that either young women are poorly educated or not educated at all. Some might wonder if these pregnancies are planned, and yes there are a few but, “the majority of pregnancies to 15- to 19-year-olds – 78 percent – are not planned.”(The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, http://www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/teens/facts/fact15.asp). Along with missing out on many experiences as a teenager there are also health complications to the child that go hand in hand with teen pregnancies such as; low birth weight, and inadequat...