ABC Family's, The Secret Life of the American Teenager is a good show that portrays perfect examples of the real problems teens today deal with, and the consequences of making unhealthy decisions.
This campy teen drama explores the love lives and relationships of a group of high school students. Front and center is Amy, a “good girl” who got pregnant when she had sex for the first time over the summer and has yet to tell her parents about her condition. Ben is the boy who has a crush on her - but is not the one who got her pregnant. That would be Ricky, who is now hooking up with Adrian - a girl with a reputation who is starved for attention. Jack and Grace are the classic football star/cheerleader couple and they’re also committed to abstinence. Except that Jack kissed Adrian and Grace found out so now they’re dealing with the aftermath of that betrayal.
The show airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m./7 p.m. central, and you can take a look at the ABC Family Web site which has a lot of interactive material about the show. Another cool site is stayteen.org, so check it out!
Monday, July 28, 2008
In the Know Joe - WTW's Advice Column 4 Teens
Hi Joe,
So, I’m a little worried and I have nobody else to turn to. I’m 15 and I’ve had the same boyfriend for about two years. We started having sex almost a year ago. Everything has been fine and great, but then a few months ago I was starting to break out in a rash. Just so you know it’s not anything too horrible, it just kind of comes and goes. But then in school I kinda remember them telling us that if we have any kind of symptoms of an STD at all that we should get checked out. Do you think it is something minor and that I can keep waiting to see if it goes away, or do you think I need to go ahead and get it checked? I also kind of want to ask my boyfriend if he has noticed anything about himself, but I’m way too embarrassed. What do you think?
Thanks,
Hesitantly Waiting
Dear Hesitantly Waiting,
Well…YES, you need to get that checked! Even if it is just a minor rash, it could still very likely be an STD. And about asking your boyfriend, YES, you should ask him because as long as you’ve never had sex with anybody else, that means he probably HAS. AND, he gave it to you! So I would ask him.
STDs are not something to play around with. They have very harsh consequences, both physically and emotionally. Physically, if you don’t get checked and get treatment ASAP, it could cause you to be infertile or have other major problems as an adult. How would you like to find out right before you get married that you have AIDS, just because you chose to have sex with your boyfriend as a teenager? As for the emotional aspects, what are you going to do when you get married and have to tell your husband that you can’t have his babies, just because you started having sex with your boyfriend when you were 14?! Seriously, STDs are serious! Right now, 1 in 4 teens have an STD, and 1 in 2 sexually active teens have an STD. That’s HALF of all sexually active teens who will have contracted a disease by the end of this year.
So even though you get checked out doesn’t mean that you can jump right in and start having sex again. Think about all these consequences, which obviously outweigh the momentary pleasure. The only 100 percent, guaranteed way for you to avoid the consequences is to remain abstinent. So respect yourself and make the right choice!
Join the Majority – WAIT!
Joe
So, I’m a little worried and I have nobody else to turn to. I’m 15 and I’ve had the same boyfriend for about two years. We started having sex almost a year ago. Everything has been fine and great, but then a few months ago I was starting to break out in a rash. Just so you know it’s not anything too horrible, it just kind of comes and goes. But then in school I kinda remember them telling us that if we have any kind of symptoms of an STD at all that we should get checked out. Do you think it is something minor and that I can keep waiting to see if it goes away, or do you think I need to go ahead and get it checked? I also kind of want to ask my boyfriend if he has noticed anything about himself, but I’m way too embarrassed. What do you think?
Thanks,
Hesitantly Waiting
Dear Hesitantly Waiting,
Well…YES, you need to get that checked! Even if it is just a minor rash, it could still very likely be an STD. And about asking your boyfriend, YES, you should ask him because as long as you’ve never had sex with anybody else, that means he probably HAS. AND, he gave it to you! So I would ask him.
STDs are not something to play around with. They have very harsh consequences, both physically and emotionally. Physically, if you don’t get checked and get treatment ASAP, it could cause you to be infertile or have other major problems as an adult. How would you like to find out right before you get married that you have AIDS, just because you chose to have sex with your boyfriend as a teenager? As for the emotional aspects, what are you going to do when you get married and have to tell your husband that you can’t have his babies, just because you started having sex with your boyfriend when you were 14?! Seriously, STDs are serious! Right now, 1 in 4 teens have an STD, and 1 in 2 sexually active teens have an STD. That’s HALF of all sexually active teens who will have contracted a disease by the end of this year.
So even though you get checked out doesn’t mean that you can jump right in and start having sex again. Think about all these consequences, which obviously outweigh the momentary pleasure. The only 100 percent, guaranteed way for you to avoid the consequences is to remain abstinent. So respect yourself and make the right choice!
Join the Majority – WAIT!
Joe
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Baby Borrowers
The following is a brief about a new reality TV show on NBC called, The Baby Borrowers, which airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
I think it's definitely a show that all teens need to watch. It is a great example of reality, and if teens are having sex they must definitely know the consequences that they could suddenly face. Maybe this show will make teens start thinking twice before rushing into sex! Remember, the consequences ALWAYS outweigh the momentary pleasure!
Can teens be good parents? That's the big question raised by NBC's The Baby Borrowers as five teenage couples take part in a reality TV social experiment that lets them experience life in fast forward. They are given nice homes and a brief parenting class, and then real life babies to care for thanks to volunteer parents (some of whom were teen parents themselves).
The teen couples quickly learn what it means to be responsible for a child as well as go to a job every day and sustain relationships with their partners. After a few days with the babies, the teen couples get toddlers to care for, then “tweens” with family pets, then teenagers, and finally senior citizens.
Over the next six weeks, you'll get to watch as each couple deals with the drama, surprise, challenges, and rewards of parenting in ways that are riveting and intense. As NBC says, “It’s not TV, it’s birth control!”
I think it's definitely a show that all teens need to watch. It is a great example of reality, and if teens are having sex they must definitely know the consequences that they could suddenly face. Maybe this show will make teens start thinking twice before rushing into sex! Remember, the consequences ALWAYS outweigh the momentary pleasure!
Can teens be good parents? That's the big question raised by NBC's The Baby Borrowers as five teenage couples take part in a reality TV social experiment that lets them experience life in fast forward. They are given nice homes and a brief parenting class, and then real life babies to care for thanks to volunteer parents (some of whom were teen parents themselves).
The teen couples quickly learn what it means to be responsible for a child as well as go to a job every day and sustain relationships with their partners. After a few days with the babies, the teen couples get toddlers to care for, then “tweens” with family pets, then teenagers, and finally senior citizens.
Over the next six weeks, you'll get to watch as each couple deals with the drama, surprise, challenges, and rewards of parenting in ways that are riveting and intense. As NBC says, “It’s not TV, it’s birth control!”
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