Class notes:
What is Absinence?
To abstain means to go without doing. When teenagers choose to abstain from things like drugs, alcohol or sex, they are choosing NOT to take part in these behaviors.
There are many reasons teenagers choose to be abstinent. There are also different ways teenagers choose to be abstinent. Some teenagers choose to remain abstinent until they are married, until they are in love, until they find “the right one.”
Abstinence can also include refraining from risky behaviors such as not using a condom, having multiple partners, not being tested, having sex under the influence of drugs or alcohol, etc.
Each person has an abstinence choice. "I choose not to have sex...
Ever"
Until I am married"
Until I am in love"
Until I find the right person"
Until I am emotionally ready"
Until my partner and I have been tested and are free of STI's"
Without a condom or other protection"
Under the influence of drugs or alcohol"
Outside of my relationship"
Today we will be discussing the risks involved with not remaining abstinent.
Role Play activity: Lee and Lee #1.
Class discussion: What are your reactions to the way Lee and Lee discussed having sex and the risk of pregnancy?
Is this the way many couples decide whether or not to have sex?
Why didn’t Lee stick to the decision not to have sex?
What makes it difficult to say no?
Even though they may know how to avoid pregnancy and want to, it is not always easy to say no or use protection. It takes KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS. The story of Lee and Lee shows that many young people don’t have either the knowledge or the skills.
FACT: Every year, over 1 million teenagers become pregnant.
FACT: Each year, 9 out of 10 couples who have unprotected sex will become pregnant. Some couples will become pregnant within the first month of unprotected sex, some the fifth, some the twelfth. No one can predict when a pregnancy might occur, but over the course of a year, almost every couple will get pregnant.
Complete the following questions:
Within a few days of finding out about the pregnancy, I would have to:
The pregnancy would change the next year of my life by:
I don’t want to be a teenage parent because I want to:
How would a real pregnancy affect your current life?
Lee and Lee role play #2
Return to the story of Lee and Lee and read the second role play. Lee and Lee will make a different decision because they have the knowledge and skills to say no.
Why did role play 2 end differently than role play 1?
Summary: Over the next few weeks you will be learning about the knowledge and skills to help you remain abstinent and lower your risk of pregnancy, HIV or STD’s.
Teenagers can and should avoid pregnancy.
The only sure way to avoid pregnancy is to abstain. The next best choice is to always use protection.
It is not always easy to follow either of these courses of action, but there are skills for handling situations in ways that help young people avoid pregnancy and keep relationships.