Devoted dad key to reducing risky teen sex

A new study was released this June that highlights something commonsense would tell us, but that now science backs up. Involved parents, particularly fathers, are crucial for the development of healthy children. Specifically, this study focused on the relationship between parent involvement and sexual activity of teens.

A review of the findings were reported on MSNBC.com (click here to read it). Check out this remarkable quote from the article:

Parental knowledge of a teen's friends and activities was rated on a five point scale. When it came to the dads, each point higher in parental knowledge translated into a 7 percent lower rate of sexual activity in the teen. For the moms, one point higher in knowledge translated to a 3 percent lower rate of teen sexual activity. The impact of family time overall was even more striking. One additional family activity per week predicted a 9 percent drop in sexual activity.

So, how do you reduce your child's chance of being sexually active, running the risk of contracting an STD or getting pregnant? Talk to them, be involved in their lives...CARE! And what's more, eat dinner together and devote time to spend as a whole family.

Do these things, and commonsense (and now science) tell us that your child will have greater chances at a happy and healthy life!


Information on the study:

Fathers' and Mothers' Parenting Predicting and Responding to Adolescent Sexual Risk Behaviors (p 808-827)
Rebekah Levine Coley, Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal, Holly S. Schindler
Published Online from the Journal of Child Development: May 15 2009 6:57