The Teen Dating Game

Although an increased interest in the opposite sex is a natural and normal part of adolescence, don't be fooled into believing that sexual relations between teens is as well.

Despite all the popular media accounts of rampant sex among teenagers, teen sex is neither inevitable nor desirable. One of your jobs as parent is to communicate clearly and unequivocally that you think that teenagers having sex is wrong. If you do, your teen will be much less likely to engage in sexual activity than if you give a fuzzier "I'm not going to tell you what to do" message.

According to the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Risk Behavior, the largest study of its kind ever undertaken, youth who perceive their parents as giving them a clear message that abstinence from sex is the expected behavior during adolescence were the most likely to delay the onset of sexual activity, and avoid becoming pregnant as a teenager.

If you want your teen to avoid having sex while an adolescent, discourage early dating.