While They’re Young
Population growth has always been a problem of our country, and large family size are always problems for the parents who barely make enough to support their brood. What could we do?
The most reliable way NOT to get pregnant is to practice abstinence. That means if you do not want to get pregnant, just don’t do it. But I don’t think you can convince people to abstain, can you?
Let me be the first to say that I believe it natural family planning. It does make sense. If a woman is aware of her cycle AND the changes in the character of her discharges, it would be possible to determine when she is fertile and when she is not. But NFP requires that the couple must be adequately knowledgeable about the woman’s cycle. It also requires cooperation from both parties. In a lot of cases, one or both parties would not be able to practice self control and “just do it”.
Natural family planning consists of the following: rhythm method, Billing’s method, lactational amenorrhea.
Natural family planning needs a lot of education. It is doable for people who are willing to be educated.
Natural family planning is something that both the husband and the wife have to willingly participate in.
If the couple can’t practice control and do not know about natural family planning, there are also artificial birth control methods (pills, condoms, IUD, injectables, patch, vasectomy and tubal ligation) which are now very widely available.
However, people just have a variety of excuses why they produced an “unexpected” baby
- husband will get angry if wife does not give in, even if she’s in her “fertile” days
- wife computed the dates wrongly
- pills (or some other artificial method) are expensive
- they do not like the feel of condoms
- etc.
It only takes one sperm and one egg to meet and join to form a baby. If you could prevent this from occurring, you prevent a pregnancy from occurring. Whether it’s natural or artificial.
Sex education? YES, PLEASE!
Education empowers people. It makes teens less prone to sexual experimentation, since they know about it and know about the consequences. It lets couples know about their choices, whether natural or artificial. If you know about your choices, you would be in a better position to choose the one that fits your needs best.
When should be RIGHT TIME for sex education? I believe that this should be done BEFORE kids become curious about sex and are physically mature enough to engage in sexual experimentation and the consequences of early pregnancy. And yes, in school! Make it required! That kills the mystery of sex, and hopefully, if they know about the consequences, they’ll think twice about it.
On the practical side, it’s easier to implement sex education in school rather than organize lectures hoping for attendees, especially adults.
It’s difficult to educate adults, especially in a lecture setting. They have a lot of excuses: they are too busy, they already know about that (even if they don’t), they don’t have time, they have to do this, to do that…
My personal experience: I was educated in a Catholic school. Our school had sessions for sex education, this was done during our second year of high school. Boys and girls have separate sessions to avoid embarassments but it’s basically the same lecture. Amidst the giggling (I think a lot of us think of it as humorous or embarassing), we actually learned from it. NONE of my batchmates got pregnant before they got married. I’m not sure about other batches but I haven’t heard of any. So yes, I believe it’s effective. You have to admit, it’s a pretty interesting topic for a preteener or teener, and they’ll remember it.
I believe the best people would have been the parents. But I also think that Pinoy parents are too embarassed to talk about sex with their kids. So, it’s up to the second homes, the school.
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This is my entry to the 18th edition of The Blog Rounds, hosted by Prudence M.D.
Thanks Doc Joey for the post!
Yes, I strongly agree that sex education should be implemented in schools. I don’t believe that discussing sex with young people will only encourage promiscuity. Rather,education will open their minds and correct misconceptions that often adults are too afraid to correct themselves. And the most common misconception of all? That one will not get pregnant on a first sexual encounter. I’ve asked a lot of teens and even young adults and they still believe in this. Only education can prevent misinformation from spreading.
If I’ll be a parent someday, I won’t be embarrassed talking to my kids about sex. Better that they learn it from me than from experimenting with friends and/or other people. I think the best age for this would be at puberty. If only parents would have the courage enough to take up this responsibility of educating kids about sex, then we’ll see less of problems in population control.
September 7th, 2008 at 5:33 pm—–
Very well said, Dr. Tess! It’s horrifying that most people learn about sex from peers and experimentation. Sex is still considered a taboo subject, that’s why. Nahihiya kasi. But it’s miles better that it be learned from parents.
-Joey
[...] glad that we’ve got some incredibly informative contributions, since my own post about it, What the RCC hates in the RH Act, has been a bit mediocre and emotional attachment is getting at me. It is with a passion that I [...]
September 8th, 2008 at 12:27 amUnfortunately, even if we has some sex education in high school, I have a lot of then high school classmates who got pregnant out of wedlock, became young mothers or single parents and some are now even separated from their husbands! I think it is best that children learn about sex from their parents but if they are not equipped to teach the kids, the school has to step in. But the way it has to be taught has to be done in a manner that is age-appropriate. The curriculum has to be really studied with consultation with parent’s groups, the education and religious sector and medical professionals.
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You are right, Dr JA. There is an age appropriate way to do it. The way it was presented to us before was very scientific, the lecturer taught us about the different anatomy of men and women, how the egg matures, how the egg gets fertilized, that sort of thing. And since we were already second year high school, with biology class already, that was quite easy to absorb. That was also the right age because we were around 14 or 15 then, when most of us were in puberty and are starting to get curious. Oh, and separate lectures for boys and girls to lessen embarrassment.
Would you believe a priest is the one conducting the sex education? Of course he injected his belief that sex should only be done within the context of marriage. Which is what I still believe in and what I guess my classmates did too.
September 9th, 2008 at 1:52 pm–Joey
I remember when I used to teach pre-school part time that there’s this story book (published in the States) for children which discussed sex. I love that book but I don’t think it ever came out in the Philippine market.
I agree with you Doc, we should start really early.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:33 pm————-
Maybe somebody should look for that so we can start incorporating it into our early education. Like what JA said, we have to find an age appropriate way of imparting sex education. It does not have to be very graphic. Children eventually have to learn about the birds and the bees anyway.
-Joey
I have been trying to Gain access to this site for a while. I was using IE7 then when I tried Firefox, it worked just fine? Just wanted to bring this to your attention. This is really good blog. I have a few myself. I really love your layout. I know this is off topic but,did you make this design yourself,or purchase from somewhere?
April 10th, 2010 at 5:35 am