It has recently been reported that as many as 40% of sexually active teens have an STD.

08/05/10
What's Coming Up?
   
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I W8 is currently talking with schools to complete our Fall 2011 schedule.  Stay tuned.

06/18/08
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What to tell your kids about...

The healthy progression of relationships:

 

Remember the old "bases" of sexual progression?  It was a way to speak about how far a couple had gone sexually without using the actual terms.  At I W8, we believe in a new set of "bases" to help students have a better understanding of how relationships should progress.  The new bases are as follows:

We believe in spending time in a friendship and building trust long before the concept of love is present.  And of course, once real love is in place, a commitment will follow as an expression of that love.

How to say no:

An important skill that your student can develop is the ability to refuse advances from dates and others.  We share many different ways students can say no in situations that they want to get out of:

  1. Stay away from certain places, situations, and people.
  2. Use the word NO.  Look strong and use a firm voice.
  3. Suggest something else to do instead.
  4. Point out a negative consequence of the activity.
  5. Give reasons that you are not interested.
  6. Make them laugh; tell a joke!
  7. Change the subject.
  8. Reverse the pressure.
  9. The power of numbers -- make a pact with your friends.
  10. Walk away.

 

How far is too far:

Parents who hope their children choose abstinence until marriage might wonder what would be an appropriate level of physical contact between teens so that they can give their teens guildelines in this area.  We teach our students about their "Diamond Zones" -- this is the area usually covered by a bathing suit, for guys and for girls.  You can usually imagine this area in the shape of a diamond.  We encourage teens to stay out of each other's Diamond Zones during their dating years.  This is a high standard of behavior, but we believe that it is attainable, and, many times, students can give many good, sound reasons for having this standard.

Your Expectations:

It is OK to let your teens know what your expectations are for their conduct.  Some parents just assume that their teens will know that abstinence is their standard without ever communicating it in words.  One single mom sat her daughter and the daughter's boyfriend down one day and looked both of them in the eyes and said, "I love you.  I'm proud of you.  And I don't want you to have sex outside of marriage".  Years later, after the couple had gone their separate ways, the boyfriend contacted that mom.  He told her that she was the only person who ever said those words to him, and he had remembered them always.