WHEN TO HAVE SEX?

There comes a point in many young people's lives when they are put in a difficult position. To have sex, or not to have sex, that is the question. Well here is an upfront answer. If you are put in a difficult position, and you are having a difficult time answering that question, then you are not ready for sex. If you are ready for sex, you will know. It will be a point in your life where you are absolutely sure that you are ready for sex, and it is the right thing to do.

WHAT IF I REALLY WANT TO PLEASE MY PARTNER?
Some persons feel obligated to have sex if they have a partner that is ready and wants to have sex. Once again, if you are put in a really difficult position, then you are not ready. However, if you fear the risk of losing your partner over this issue, here is a good thing to remind yourself: Say your partner really wants to have sex, but you are unsure. He or she may try to pressure you into it by saying something like, "If you really loved me, you would have sex with me." Someone who loves you would never say that, and you could reply by saying: "If you really loved me, you would respect my decision to not have sex." A normal relationship should not be based around sex, and sex should not be the main point of pleasure. Love is always the most important thing in a relationship therefore sex is unnecessary.

WORRIES/PRECAUTIONS
STD'S (SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES)

According to www.unspeakable.com, every one out of five Americans has an STD, so the risk of getting an STD is quite high. There are tons of STD's, some harsher then others, some are even deadly. STD's are diseases passed on from one sexual partner to another sexual partner through sexual contact. That's right, you don't need to have intercourse to get an STD. Any sexual act you participate in is taking a risk at getting one or more of the many STD's out there. Some of them are treatable some are not. The only real way to ensure that you will not get an STD is chastity (not participating in sexual activities at all). However, if you have decided to take that risk and have sex, or participate in sexual acts, then you MUST take the necessary precautions to reduce the risk of getting STD's. There are numerous sexual accommodations to help you with this, such as condoms, which if used properly will reduce the risk of HIV infection (AIDS) and many other sexually transmitted diseases. If you participate in sex, it must always be protected. If not, the chances of pregnancy and STD's are extremely high.
It is safer to just get yourself thinking that unsafe sex WILL produce a child, seeing as sex IS meant for reproduction. Unsafe sex is not for people that do not want children or STD's. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Condoms reduce the risk of STD’s as well as pregnancy.

(This page was put to together by Sheepy, one of the TeenSC team)

For more information on STD’s, visit

SEXUAL ALTERNATIVES

When we hit puberty, sexual experimentation is at hand. However, having sexual relations with another person is not necessary. There are different things that teens can do to calm the raging hormones and sexual ambition. A great example is masturbation. Masturbation is a fine technique for teens to experiment with. Couples can masturbate together, which is a wonderful alternative to sex. There are so many risks to consider on the subject of sex. These risks can be avoided by masturbation in the place of sex. It also takes some of the pressure off, as you will no longer have to get in that difficult situation of trying to figure out when the right time is to have sex. Your partner should be pleased with this idea also, as masturbation can be just as satisfying as sex itself. Masturbation is an alternative to sex, while still allowing the pleasure of sex. It is also very educational in that you will learn about your partner's body and what pleases him or her. Aside from learning about your partner, masturbation is also a great way to learn about your own body, and what pleases you. That makes masturbation like a preparation technique for sex. Masturbation has also been proven to be a health benefit, as it activates the immune system. It is a great practice for teens, as the teenage years can be the most stressful in a person's life. Masturbation is scientifically proven to reduce stress. If you would like to learn more about masturbation and its benefits, take a look at: www.jackinworld.com

This Page was written by Brad-Nowell One of our dedicated tscNOW staff members, Brad is a young man from the United States, he was 15 when he wrote this article