Teens & Birth Control
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| Sat, 01-27-2007 - 10:46pm |
How do you know when your daughter is ready for birth control? That WAS a question I had been debating in my own mind for a couple of years now. I am closer to the answer and want to share it with other parents of teen girls through my experience.
I have always been a realist. Discussion of any topic with my daughter (especially sex) has NEVER been UNcomfortable for me. She has been educated about STDs, pregnancy, birth control, and the emotional aspects. Although insuring that she understood that I feel she is too young to engage in sexual activity, ultimately SHE will be the one to decide when the time is right, and it is IMPERATIVE that she be on birth control.
I have been preaching this since my girl was too young to consider a sexual relationship...BEFORE it was too late.
She is in the ninth grade now, and has developed a close relationship with a boy. He is a friendly, respectful boy. I have oftentimes wondered if it is time for her to be on birth control since she has fallen so head-over-heels for him. AND, even asked her several times if she thought she might need it, just as a precaution since it is better to be safe prematurely protecting yourself, than it is to be too late, and sorry.
Her assurances that there was no sexual involvement came easy. I wondered if I should insist on the birth control, but would talk myself out of it for fear that it would push her into having sex...or that she would feel like I didn't trust her.
I held my 15-year-old daughter's hand while she had an abortion today. And I assure you, THIS was the hardest day of my life (so far). There were no signs of pregnancy since she was less than a month along. Only an intuition...a gut feeling...that I couldn't shake.
So...the answer to the question "How do you know when your daughter is ready for birth control?"...
WHEN YOU FEEL IT IN YOUR GUT...DON'T SECOND-GUESS YOUR INTUITION...A FEELING...INSTINCT...

Hi, thanks for sharing.