NP's questionnaire for teens and birth control

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Our local women's health NP gives teens this questionnaire to fill out when they come in for birth control.

Ask Yourself These Questions

Here are some questions to think about. They will help you decide whether teen sex has a place in your life and your goals.

1. How would I feel about having to choose between abortion, adoption or raising a child?

2. Am I ready to give up my freedom to parent a child?

3. Can I afford to raise and support a child?

4. What if I had to pay hundreds of dollars every month in child support until I am middle-aged?

5. If my partner and I were faced with an unplanned pregnancy, how would our relationship be affected? How would our families be affected?

6. How would my education and chance at a good career be affected by a pregnancy?

7. If I got a sexually transmitted disease, what would happen to my health? How would I feel about myself?

8. If I began having sex with my partner, and they walked out on the relationship, how would I be affected? What if this happened several times - as it does to most sexually active teens?

9. Deep in my heart and mind, do I think having sex as a teenager is right, wrong, moral or immoral?

10. Is there something special about my virginity?

11. Do I "live for the moment" without thinking of how my behavior might hurt me or another person later on or do I carefully consider the consequences of my actions?

12. Do I believe that sex should take place only with a serious, long-term commitment from both partners?

13. Do I assume that a sexual relationship will create a long-term commitment?

14. How can I live my life now in order to give myself the best possible chance for a successful future?

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copied, printed for dd 10 yo and ds 9 yo.

thanks.

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There was a thread about this recently - talking to teens about sex. I think it was the 11 year olds getting birth control at their school.

Anyway, one of the things that came up was that parents don't talk to their kids.

These questions are questions we as parents should be sharing with our kids. I've got 4 kids and the oldest is 24. Almost every single day something would come up that you could link to a talk about some scenario you want your child to consider. You just have to take advantage.

I liked this too . . . thanked the NP for at least trying.

steph

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just made me reafferm why i do not need birth controle.

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just made me reafferm why i do not need birth controle.

Hey Meg! I've been wondering where you are and how you are!

Nice to "see" you. :flowersfo

steph

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hey steph. I have had lots going on at school and I am getting ready for another surgery so i am busy all around.

It is nice when I get a chance to be around here when i get a chance now.

Hey Meg! I've been wondering where you are and how you are!

Nice to "see" you. :flowersfo

steph

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hey steph. I have had lots going on at school and I am getting ready for another surgery so i am busy all around.

It is nice when I get a chance to be around here when i get a chance now.

You know hon, you should post an update thread - I know people here miss you.

If not - well, I hope your surgery goes well.

steph

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Our local women's health NP gives teens this questionnaire to fill out when they come in for birth control.

Ask Yourself These Questions

Here are some questions to think about. They will help you decide whether teen sex has a place in your life and your goals.

1. How would I feel about having to choose between abortion, adoption or raising a child?

2. Am I ready to give up my freedom to parent a child?

3. Can I afford to raise and support a child?

4. What if I had to pay hundreds of dollars every month in child support until I am middle-aged?

5. If my partner and I were faced with an unplanned pregnancy, how would our relationship be affected? How would our families be affected?

6. How would my education and chance at a good career be affected by a pregnancy?

7. If I got a sexually transmitted disease, what would happen to my health? How would I feel about myself?

8. If I began having sex with my partner, and they walked out on the relationship, how would I be affected? What if this happened several times - as it does to most sexually active teens?

9. Deep in my heart and mind, do I think having sex as a teenager is right, wrong, moral or immoral?

10. Is there something special about my virginity?

11. Do I "live for the moment" without thinking of how my behavior might hurt me or another person later on or do I carefully consider the consequences of my actions?

12. Do I believe that sex should take place only with a serious, long-term commitment from both partners?

13. Do I assume that a sexual relationship will create a long-term commitment?

14. How can I live my life now in order to give myself the best possible chance for a successful future?

Lovely. If that had been my experience when I was a teenager seeking birth control, I would have immediately gotten up and left, and found a less judgmental, paternalistic healthcare professional (as I hope any self-respecting teen would today ... :))

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Lovely. If that had been my experience when I was a teenager seeking birth control, I would have immediately gotten up and left, and found a less judgmental, paternalistic healthcare professional (as I hope any self-respecting teen would today ... :))

I don't agree that they are judgmental but I can certainly see how some of the questions might rub you the wrong way.

But how about the ones where you ask the teen to consider what making this decision might do to their future and to the future of the person they are intending to have sex with?

I talked to my boys about the abortion, adoption, raising a kid question too. My boys are pro-life. They are also full of hormones. If they jump into a "hook up" as it is called now, with someone they cannot possibly know, what if a pregnancy occurs? Do they realize that person has all the power regarding the outcome?

Also, sex does not equal intimacy. I try to teach them to think with their brains and not their libido. And that true friendship and trust is extremely important to achieve prior to swapping body fluids.

My kids aren't perfect. But I'd rather talk straight with them then not.

I'd rather there was some meaning attached to sexual intimacy. Besides orgasm. Nice as that is. It is better with love and trust.

And I'd rather the doc or NP talk straight to them about the emotional consequences as well as the physical ones to beginning a sexual relationship when you are a teenager.

steph

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I think those are terrific questions. Kids don't think about the future, they get too caught up in the moment and whatevery one else is pressuring them to do. I think these could be adapted to drug abuse education as well. It definitely puts the burden of responsibility on them. Yes, some people listen to their parents and don't have sex, but most don't. Their thinking is impaired because the blood is not in their heads when they are making these decisions - it's in those feel good places that tell them to just do it. Kudos to the NP taking the route of success and not pussyfooting around issues.

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I definitely remember being a hormone-addled teen . . . fortunately I was very shy and not very popular so that saved me. Because I had no direction. My mom's life philosophy, that she still uses, is "Circumstances alter all courses". Nothing is wrong, nothing is right. No one can judge.

My oldest son was involved in DARE and The Chemical People as a counselor. They used scripts to dramatize examples of high risk behavior.

I think these questions are an effective tool to at least get kids to think. I'm an OB nurse . . . . I see so many teens come in to have a baby and they are absolutely clueless, absolutely immature, not ready to have a sexual relationship. And the baby gets to suffer the consequences.

steph

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

Those are great questions that I think should be asked of all teenagers as part of a regular health screening. Hopefully it will encourage them to come in for birth control and counseling about how to prevent STDs. If they are already there for birth control, then I don't see the point of asking those questions at that time as they have already obviously made a choice and decided to do the responsible thing.

Also I would absolutely eliminate #9-12 as I don't think they serve a good purpose and might intimidate teens or discourage them from seeking his or her services. She or he needs to leave the morality bit for their parents and/or their spiritual advisors.

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