WTF!? Kids and sex?!?

Everyone is responsible. The media for the sex messages, the parents and schools for not giving kids enough appropriate sex ed, the Bush administration and churches for emphasing abstinence-only sex ed programs when so many kids are already having sex, and of course, the kids themselves for not making better judgment. In Europe, kids have sex at the same time as American kids, yet their teen pregnancy rate is half that of ours, if not a lot more. And in Europe, the sex you see on TV is a lot worse. They're just as exposed to sex as we are. Obviously, the issue here isn't about kids having sex; it's about sex ed.

The parents are to blame. I have never heard of a movie knocking someone up. These kids are being taught abstinence only. This does not work. They need to be taught everything. We know that teenagers are going to have sex. I did and I also had unprotected sex. I was lucky but some of my friends were not. My children have been taught about sex and birth control and all of that. They know everything that they need to including getting it if they have to. They have been told what is expected of them but which ones will listen? You never know so they all need to be prepared. Some parents teach their children nothing and think that it is the schools job to educate them. It is not their responsibility nor should the parents want it to be. Kids get pregnant because of ignorance on how to prevent it and the wrong information.

I hear what your saying. I think it's probably a combination. I think that society has an obligation to make our world a place that will cultivate new generations that can contribute positively to society. A large portion also lies with the parents (possibly the larger portion). Parents sign up for the job and are responsible for monitoring what their children see/hear and ultimately how they respond. This said children can not be sheltered from all things but parents can guide children to make good decisions and become valuable members of society. It's not an easy job and can never be done perfectly. It is sad to see this desensitization in our media and culture which is having such a negative effect on our youth.

I know its horrible hearing about young kids having sex and some getting pregnant at such young age. We can blame a lot of people, but in all honesty if the person gives consent to have sex there is not much we can do.

I personally think that sex isn't a bad thing but society isn't ready to accept that sex is part of human nature. Since we really can't prevent sex from happening all we can really do is educate everyone on how to protect themselves.

It is a combination of society and the fact that many parents spend too much time being friends with their kids and do not make any rules and regulations that they have to follow.

To the people that think that this is not of epidemic proportions, work in the school system and you will really know how frightening it is.

I teach in the Special Education field, and it is quite interesting to see and hear some of my supposedly "mentally challenged" students explaining to their classmates why oral sex is sex and how remaining a virgin until you are married is important for your emotional and even physical health. It makes me wonder who is more mature and knowledgeable.

My husband and I had very frank talks with our son and daughter as they were growing up and many of their friends would come to us for information because their parents did not tell them anything and I mean nothing.

I made a lot of phone calls to these young peoples parents to ask if it was okay if my husband and I discussed their children's questions, and most of them were relieved and would say, oh I thought he or she got all that in school.

I am talking about fifteen and sixteen year old boys and girls that didn't know the first thing about birth control or the fact that you can make a girl pregnant without penetration and that withdrawal did not mean no concern for pregnancy.

I had a couple of my daughters friends in my home at the age of twelve or thirteen that started their periods while visiting us and thought they were bleeding to death. This was only about ten years ago, well into the information age.

These parents were college educated, gainfully employed, but were obviously tuned out. While I was in college for one of my degrees one of my classmates was volunteering at a local family planning clinic and just about lost her mind over an eleven year old girl who was pregnant. The mother shows up with her by the arm, demanding that the clinicians tell this child she has to have the baby, because their religion did not believe in abortion.

The mother kept saying, I don't know how it happened...of course when the whole story was told, the mother and father were too busy running from business appointments and evening cocktail parties to realize that they were leaving their precious eleven year old home with her eighteen year old brother who was throwing massive drug and booze parties when they were out of the house. This poor child had been drugged and gang raped, her parents had never discussed sex with her and she was just too interested in all the attention she was getting from these disgusting older guys.

The parents were more upset about their son and his friends being arrested for raping their daughter and several other young women than they were about anything else, more concerned about their social status...horrifying.

The only good thing was they lost custody of the poor child, and she miscarried early on because her body just could not handle all of the stress she was under. She went to live with other family members and has grown up into a wonderful young woman after years of therapy.

There are some trolls on here that enjoy stirring up trouble, it is the only thing that they have in their lives, but that does not account for more than a tiny percentage of what really goes on.

Our son and daughter thought that we were so strict when they were growing up, and now they have both come to us as adults and thanked us for protecting them and teaching them and loving them during those years.

Those of us that can be a positive influence on any child that needs help and advice and guidance concerning these topics just have to keep carrying on and hoping and praying that we can make a positive difference.

It's up to parents to teach their kids...the problem is many parents do allow the TV and movies to educate theirkids on sexual issues. Parents are afraid to talk to their kids about it and that is the problem...

I have seen questions on here about when is the best time to talk to kids about sex and I am shocked to see people say "puberty" or "whenever they come and ask me about it I will", or "oh the school teaches that"

are you kidding me?! sex education is supposed t be something you talk to your kids about from the time they are little adding age appropriate details as they get older. It's not one big talk you have when they hit puberty! I don't know what is wrong with parents who think this.

Its not alwayz tha parents' faults! U can lead a horse 2 water but u cant make him drink it. U can teach ur child rite from wrong all day and be tha best parent in tha world but unless they CHOOSE to apply it to their lives, its no good cuz at tha end of tha day, u dont control their thoughts. Im 14 and I kno this because I have friends wit babies and even I dont alwayz make tha best decisions (not involvin sex) but doesnt mean our parents dont TRY. U dont HAVE 2 let ur kids do anything cuz sooner or later if they want 2 do it bad enough, theyll find a way. Keep that in mind when u put ur kid on lockdown cuz ur afraid of wat will happen. U can drive them 2 doin stuff that way. Trust them sum 2

Where to begin... Let's see:

The Media.

Lazy/Uninformed (or even Uncaring) Parents.

Incomplete (and even sometimes not even taught) Education.

Peer Pressure.

"Normal" Teenage Hormones (when combined with all the above).

Funny that nobody mentioned Church and Religion... Since the message of ABSTINENCE doesn't seem to be working - perhaps they (the church) need to come out of the Dark Ages, and realize that contraception (ESPECIALLY condoms) do NOT promote "premarital relations" ;););););)

Kids like that are bored.

They need more after school activities and more supervision.

Its really ridiculous, little kids shouldn't be having babies because that screws up the world even more.

The children need their parents to be supervising and they need more homework and stricter school schedules and more activities to participate in.

Without that they participate in drugs, alcohol, and sex.

everything starts early from the kids first teachers. (i.e. the parents)

i was lucky enough to have something in the real world to connect to when my parents gave me "the talk" because my dad is an example of it. i have to older half sisters because of his teenage immaturity.

these kids should be able to know that what they see on TV and movies that life isn't like that and they should have someone in their life they can go to talk to about things like that so they won't make mistakes.