Parenting takes the most responsibility and is the greatest challenge a person will ever encounter. Certain subjects, such as sex, are not always easy to talk to your child about, but it is one of the most important. Positive Choices can help parents get through to their children about remaining abstinent. Positive Choices has been teaching abstinence education since the mid 1990s and realize that the most influential learning begins in the home.

Positive Choices offers support groups for just parents, or parents and children, that is focused on abstinence education. Positive Choices feels it’s important for parents to be involved in their children’s lives and is ready to help parents get involved and make a difference.

The Choosing the Best Parent Training Program motivates parents to help protect their teens’ health by showing them how and why abstinence really works. The information is designed to help parents understand the problems and pressures to be sexually active and the challenges to remain abstinent. This parent training program then describes the ten significant steps to helping teens choose abstinence. They are to be informed, explain the risks, be committed, stress the rewards, be there, build self esteem, talk about relationships, establish rules and boundaries, teach refusal skills and practice unconditional love. This program and much more is available through Positive Choices.

Positive Choices wants you to know that there is help when needed. All you have to do is:
1) Call 419-251-2304 schedule a program designed for parents/adults.
2) Call 419-251-2304 to engage an ongoing support and educational group for parents, which can last anywhere from 6-36 sessions.
3) Call 419-251-2304 to join the Parent Advisory Board and help with decisions on programs, volunteer at various events and activities or help support work done by fundraising.

In the past, Positive Choices has held an activity called Dialogue Night at these support groups. This activity was held for parents and children ages 9-17 to give parents and children the ability to communicate about certain topics such as dating, love, sex, drug use, friendships, rules, responsibilities, boundaries and goals.

Positive Choices also gives presentations to educators, social workers, parents or any other adult figure wanting to learn how to teach abstinence education. These tools are for teaching about abstinence to decrease prevalence of STDs and unwanted pregnancies. Instructional Objectives include:

• Prevalence of STDs and HIV/AIDS in Lucas County
• Identify the emotional and physical consequences of teen sexual activity.
• Describe the cost of teen pregnancy on society, the family and the child.
• List resources and communication strategies to address teen sexual behavior.
If you are interested in scheduling a presentation for a group of educators, please call (419) 251-2304.

For further information try the book; Parents, Teens and Sex: The Big Talk Book by Bruce Cook. This book is used to supplement and deepen the lessons learned through the parent training program. Occasionally this book will also be made available to parents via Positive Choices informational tables. It is based on feedback from over 100 teens that have chosen abstinence and describes 10 specific steps parents can take to protect their teens’ health and future. This book includes current medical data and communication tips. This book will guide parents in fully understanding and explaining the emotional and physical health risks of premarital sex; sending clear messages about the rewards of abstinence; nurturing self-esteem and respect for boundaries; teaching their teens how to handle crushes, infatuation, and love; coaching teens on how to say “NO”, and yet maintain a friendship; fostering open communication and good family relationships.

Need more information right now? Visit:

Parents Helping Parents (http://parentshelpingparents.com/)
Choosing The Best (http://choosingthebest.com/index.html)
Kinship Navigator (http://areaofficeonaging.com/kinship.html)