How To Teach Seventh Graders About Pregnancy & Drugs
Raising a seventh grader in today's society is much more of a challenge than even 30 years ago. Preteens develop physically at a much faster rate, and, therefore, they feel they are capable of making choices about sex and drugs at this vulnerable age. Arming our children with the correct information to prevent pregnancy and drug use is particularly important for parents, but teachers, coaches, leaders of group activities and heads of churches all must join in this battle.
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Instructions
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Collect statistics on drug use and pregnancies among children their own age. Many students believe that the bad consequences will never happen to them, that it always happens to someone else. They need to be clear on the facts that sometimes having sex just once or using a drug one time can have lifelong and even deadly effects.
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Contact teens who have experienced teen pregnancy or repercussions from drug use. Ask if they would be willing to speak with the group. Very often, seeing and hearing a young teen mom describe the problems she has encountered will sway other teens not to follow in her footsteps. The same situation presents itself when a teen who was caught with illegal drugs or had a car wreck because he was high. If the teen describes the difficulties of being suspended from school or his lengthy hospitalization, the preteens will listen much more attentively to someone who is only slightly older than themselves.
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Discuss peer pressure as suggested by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Many preteens and teens believe every word out of the mouths of their peers. Point out that it is highly probable that their peers are exaggerating and just deliberately lying. Tell them about the domino effect and how just one lie can spread and soon influence hundreds of students. Tell them not everyone is having sex and doing drugs, although it sometimes appears that way because others lie or exaggerate to try and fit in or to be cool.
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Tell the students that abstaining from sex is not something they will regret, but being promiscuous is. Teach them that abstinence is the best decision, but if they choose to have sex anyway, that having sex responsibly by using birth control that protects against pregnancy and STD's is the mature and right thing to do. Stress this is something they must practice every single time they have sex, until they are married and decide to have children.
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Instruct the children to discuss sex and drugs with trusted adults. The student should know all the facts and then make knowledgeable decisions. If they choose to abstain from premarital sex and never to use drugs while they are thinking rationally, then when they are experiencing peer pressure, there is a greater chance they will remember their priorities and make the right decision when they are making out with a date or at gathering where there is severe pressure to engage in drug use.
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Engage the students in role-playing, as suggested by RAND Health. This is an effective way to encourage children to really communicate with each other about how they feel when they are pressured to use drugs. They will learn to be honest with each other about their hopes for their own futures and how they don't want to take the risk that drugs or premarital sex will destroy that chance of fulfilling lives. They can relate to each other how ridiculous they act and look when they are high or under the influence of an illegal drug. The students should think about how pregnant teens are ostracized and excluded from activities because their peers can no longer relate to them. The boys should be asked how they would feel if they can no longer participate in sports because they have to work long hours and go to school to help with the support of a baby.
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References
- Photo Credit the bicyclist and the pedestrian image by Pavel Kashaev from Fotolia.com
