The Sex Lives of Teenagers

With more and more teenagers having sex by the age of sixteen and others feeling pressured to do so before they're ready, parents and adolescents are having to find ways of communicating openly and honestly about a subject that has been ignored for too long. In The Sex Lives of Teenagers, Lynn Ponton offers guidance to parents in understanding and talking to their adolescent children about sex. By going behind the closed doors of a therapist's office to hear what teenagers have to say about their sex lives, readers are introduced to the often daunting scenarios of young people such as Naomi, a pregnant teenager who wants to keep her baby; Lara, who is infected by HIV; Tom, who is hooked on pornographic videos; and Angie, who was sexually assaulted after getting drunk at a party. Sprinkled throughout are the voices of parents who struggle to cope with their child's problems. The author skilfully opens a dialogue between the two that examines controversial topics such as pregnancy, abortion, masturbation, sexual orientation, Internet dating and gender roles. Sensitive subjects such as AIDS and drugs are also explored.