Birth Control: Help or Hinderance?

[fantasticfour]

Set aside all the medical issues that revolve around birth control pills, the alergic reactions from condoms and assume that both are used correctly.

Is buying birth control for your children a help?  Does it make them more responsible because mom or dad is providing birth control?  Does it make them stop and think first about the consequences that go along with sex?

I know it's the safe thing to do because honestly, we cannot watch our children every moment of the day and prevent them from having sex.  But I have to wonder about the pill.  When girls are on the pill, does it make sex more appealing to them because they won't get pregnant (or shouldn't)?  Do they still make the guy wear a condom to protect against STDS?

With guys, do they believe the girl is on the pill (biggest mistake ever) and forget about condoms?

[luckysevenwow]

I think it depends on the child. I know that my kids had access to it at 16 but most of them were 17 when they first had sex. My son still wears a condom even with his girlfriend on the pill because she is forever "sick" and on some kind of antibiotic. Luckily I knew to warn him about that. My girls are on the pill but aren't the best about taking them right so they also always require a condom. 

[Jerzymom]

  Nothing is 100 %. You can still get STD's even if you use condoms such as Herpes. If the person has an outbreak in the pubic area and that pubic area comes in contact with you, chances are you have Herpes.

[Saille717]

I thing having a girl in the pill makes her way less likely to use condoms.
I've included condom talk in talks with my son for a year now. I've told him over and over to never trust a girl when she says it's okay not to wear one. That she could forget a pill, she could think its safe when it's not, etc.

I don't believe that giving teens access to condoms encourages them to have sex. I don't think withholding birth control slows them down one bit.

[bizzeemom2717]

It's a slippery slope if girls assume they are safe from everything-std's and pregnancy when on the pill. Bottom line as parents we need to talk to our kids and make sure they are educated.

[rkoloms]

My position is if you are not mature enough to buy birth control, you are not mature enough to be sexually active. That said, I would rather buy birth control for my daughter then have to deal with a teen pregnancy.

[boys2men2soon]

I don't think birth control makes sex more appealing.     I also believe that many teen pregnancies are intentional.   I find it interesting that many teen Mom's have a second child while still in their teens.   So even pregnancy and motherhood is not a deterrent.    The Pill is the last option I would choose...it requires responsibility in itself.  One must take it at the same time every day, it loses effectiveness when combined with antibiotics, etc.  

I have drilled self protection into my sons' heads!   Always, no matter what, use a condom!!!   Never rely on someone else to protect you.   I hope to heck they take heed.  (So far, so good)   Both sons have already dealt with girls who wanted babies.....both sons ran as fast as they could.....to me!  LoL

[PinkieRed]

Wow, that's disturbing!!

A baby was the absolute last thing I wanted as a teenager. I had my daughter at 24, and I felt young even then to be having a baby.

I cannot fathom having had one even at 18, let alone at 13, 14 years old.

I'll never understand teens having multiple pregnancies, either.

My husband has several nieces who had their 1st child as a teen. One had 3 kids before she was 18. That astounded me. She's about my age now, maybe a little younger (I'm 38), and has 5, maybe 6 kids now, and is not married.

Quoting boys2men2soon:

I don't think birth control makes sex more appealing.     I also believe that many teen pregnancies are intentional.   I find it interesting that many teen Mom's have a second child while still in their teens.   So even pregnancy and motherhood is not a deterrent.    The Pill is the last option I would choose...it requires responsibility in itself.  One must take it at the same time every day, it loses effectiveness when combined with antibiotics, etc.  

I have drilled self protection into my sons' heads!   Always, no matter what, use a condom!!!   Never rely on someone else to protect you.   I hope to heck they take heed.  (So far, so good)   Both sons have already dealt with girls who wanted babies.....both sons ran as fast as they could.....to me!  LoL

[atlmom2]

Condoms and another form of BC is a must.  That is as near as 100% as you can get except no sex.  My girls always know abstinence is best.  Thank goodness they listen. 

[mumsy2three]

Quoting bizzeemom2717:

It's a slippery slope if girls assume they are safe from everything-std's and pregnancy when on the pill. Bottom line as parents we need to talk to our kids and make sure they are educated.

I agree. I was put on the pill when I was 15 to regulate my cycle. Being on the pill didn't make me any more likely to have sex.

[fantasticfour]

The reason I ask these questions is yes I want my children to be safe and not make me a grandmother really soon, but also because I know what I was like as a teenager.  I was scared of getting pregnant, terrified really, but when I discovered that I could have my boyfriend walk into somewhere and get condoms I went crazy.  I was addicted to sex!  I wish I hadn't discovered it until my husband now because my drive is nonexistant, but as a teenager the moment I got my hands on birth control (condoms) I was doing it constantly.