Should parents advise their children to adstain from sex until age 24?

1. 60

   Eugene Hardyposted 12 years ago

   Should parents advise their children to adstain from sex until age 24?
   
   This the advice I give to my kids.  It I not from an ideological view, but one of economic practicality.
   By age 24 you should done training or attending school, wiser, and better able to support their children, if any.

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2. 59

   Josakposted 12 years ago

   Well I see the logic, but I don't think it's realistic, not to be crass or intruding but I didn't wait that long, the averages are around 16, I think it is better to teach them to be safe and logical about it. I tell them the same my father did, you always be safe, only with people you trust and if anything goes wrong you don't panic and run off or try to get an abortion or anything but you come to me and together we sort it out. Thankfully I never had to but I am sure he would have been good to his word.

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3. 81

   urgurl_briposted 12 years ago

   I doubt that they will wait until 24 and you can't really make them.  It would be a smart idea though.  But then again, if they don't go to college then I guess it would be 18, wouldn't it?  And most people would be done with college (if they go right away after high school) at 22.
   
   I got pregnant with my son when I was 18 and a senior in high school.  Since I have gone through it and know what it's like to run out of class to have to throw up, and have to wake up early to go to school when all I want to do is rest, I am all for trying to tell people to wait.  My sister is 14 now and my advice to her is to please wait until at least after you are done with school.   It is a struggle to go through school and try to learn while you are pregnant and thinking about how nauseous you feel or how tired you are.  So I agree with you about waiting until after school.
   
   But just because you do wait until after school doesn't mean you will be any more ready.  People can say it's better to wait until a certain age, or even until you're married, but that doesn't often happen.  And even if it does, just because you're married doesn't mean you'll be any better of a parent than someone who isn't.  I was obviously a young mom and I have been a terrific mother to my son.  I have also known girls at my school, some being my friends even, who had kids younger than I did.  One of my friends was 16, another 17.  And they are also great parents.     Waiting may be helpful, but if you don't wait, it doesn't mean you won't be any less of a great parent or any less ready than someone else.

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4. 62

   Lisa HWposted 12 years ago

   Believe me, I'm not a big fan of some of what goes on with young kids and sex these days; but, respectfully, I think 24 is kind of being ridiculous.  I see the sense in what the questioner is saying, but young people who are reasonably mature usually know ways to make good and sure no "accident" happens.  To me, a nineteen-year-old knows as much about the importance of not letting an accident happen as a married twenty-nine-year old who has two babies under two, only one bedroom for them, and just enough money to pay the rent or mortgage and buy food.
   
   To me, hoping to convince them to wait until they're at least out of high school (usually 18) and more mature than they are earlier than that was always kind of my aim.  I always then figured that if someone ended up not quite making it to 18, that was better than saying, "Feel free at fourteen/fifteen."
   
   My suggestion to all three of them was that I hoped they'd wait until they were in a relationship that was reasonably serious and long-term.  In this day and age, I think that, in itself, is wiser than what a lot of other young people do.  Also, to me, that was an idea they could (if they wanted to) bring with them into their twenties, thirties, whenever (if they were single).
   
   I don't know...   It's always a matter of trying to find that balance between hoping they'll listen when it comes being sensible and safe, but also living in the reality of how things really tend to go on (especially if they have a girlfriend or boyfriend).

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5. 60

   Eugene Hardyposted 12 years ago

   Well, I can see where this is going....
   
   I'm not asking whether or not parents should advise their children to abstain from sex until 24 based on societal or moral values, but on the economics of raising children between the ages 15 to 24, versus waiting until there is more economic stability by the age of 24.
   
   I only ask and suggest this from personal experience, and sincerely mean no disrespect.

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6. 59

   nightwork4posted 12 years ago

   not really. sex is fun but what parents need to do is explain the dangers that come with having sex. i don't want my kids having sex when they are too young but after they hit 18, i honestly don't see the big deal.

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7. 59

   freemarketingnowposted 12 years ago

   No, I think setting an arbitrary number is ridiculous. I say that they should just save themselves until marriage for that special person, and then they should make a commitment that that relationship is for life. This would solve a lot of our societies problems.

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8. 59

   okaygraceposted 12 years ago

   If kids can die for their country at the age of 18, then they should be able to drink, smoke, have sex and anything else that "adults" do.
   
   Rather than setting an age limit, you should just educate your children on safe sex so that they don't have children before 24 or catch diseases, etc.

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