Resources from Teen Decision
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Look under Diseases and Conditions and then Sexually Transmitted Diseases to find out about the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Fifty years ago, there were only 2 known STDs. Today there are over 30. Know what your teenager is facing!
The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding is a great place to become educated about youth culture and stay up-to-date on the issues facing your teen. It is written from a faith-based perspective at times, but has much useful information for all parents.
Booklist
- How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk by John Van Epp
- Hooked: New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting Our Children by M.D. Joe McIlhaney Jr. and M.D. Fred McKissic
- Unprotected by Miriam Grossman, M.D. (An eye-opening look at some of today’s most controversial issues and how political correctness is hurting our youth. Also a quick, easy read.)
- Raising Cain by Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson
- Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher (A psychologist’s look into the minds of adolescent females, and the problems she found with how we raise our daughters to be people-pleasers.)
- So Sexy, So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhoood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids by Diane Levin
- The Primal Teen: What the New Discoveries about the Teenage Brain Tell Us About Our Kids by Barbara Strauch
- Fighting Back: How to Promote Abstinence in a Sex-saturated World by Keith Deltano
- How to Talk to Your Child About Sex by Linda and Richard Eyre (A comprehensive, non-religious guide to conversations that can take place at EVERY age, birth through high school, to help shape a healthy understanding of sex.)
- Questions Kids Ask About Sex by Medical Institute for Sexual Health (Answers them all, and includes helpful tips for developing character in your child.)
- Too Close Too Soon by Dr. Jim Talley and Dr. Bobbie Reed
- What’s the Big Deal About Sex? by Jim Burgen
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey
(We have a separate book list we developed for our church-based audiences. Email info@teendecision.org if you’d like that list.)