IN YOUR DAILY DOSE today is research that demonstrates the effect talking to your teens about sex has on their behavior and their future.

IN MAKING CHANGES today you’ll discover strategies you can use to bring up the topic of sex and share yourself with your children.

IN FACT OR FICTION you’ll find out where the most snow fell in a 24 hour period. You’ll be amazed by how much snow could be dumped in one place at one time.

In The News

Risky sexual behavior can result in infections and unintended pregnancies and children. Fortunately, there is a strategy research supports that will help reduce risky behavior, especially in women. Communication between parents and adolescents is one important factor that has a positive effect on safer sexual behavior.

Open communication about sex however is not always best because inaccurate knowledge can cause more problems than it’s worth. After reviewing the medical literature and data from 30 years of research, scientists determined that there was a small but significant positive effect on the parent-adolescent interaction that is associated with safer sexual behavior.

The association was stronger for girls than boys the study reported. According to Science Daily, “Results of this study confirm that parent-adolescent sexual communication is a protective factor for youth, and a focus on communication remains justified in future intervention efforts," the study concludes.”

SOURCE:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151102125735.htm

Daily Health Tip

Talking about sexual behavior isn’t always the easiest conversation to have with your teenager, but having that conversation is the best thing you can do for them. In fact, having open and honest conversations about everything in their lives is one of the best things you can do for them, for yourself and for your relationship as it grows through the years. Remember that these teens will one day be adults. What kind of a relationship do you want to have with your adult children? Ask yourself that question and then determine to start that relationship today.

Making Changes

If you normally have open conversations then adding a new topic won’t be such a leap. If having conversations with your children that go beyond the weather and school, this might be a little more difficult - but well worth the effort.

Start by having conversations about subjects that are meaningful but not about sex.  In other words, not about the weather.  Try talking about their feelings about their teacher, their friends, about giving to others and share with them your feelings about the same things. Now is the time to start delving deeper into what makes your children tick and allowing them to learn more about you. This is a give and take conversation - not all one sided.

Before talking about sex make sure you have your facts straight. You might know the mechanics but may not understand all the facts. Go to some of the government websites that share statistics about sexually transmitted disease and birth control. Next, define for yourself how you feel about pre-marital sex, how that fits into your lifestyle choices and whether you want them to fit into your children’s choices.

The hard fact is that we can’t make choices for our children. They must make those choices themselves. What we can do is give them a worldview to see those choices more clearly. If you are a Christian, this article from Focus on the Family (http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/christian-singles/being-single-and-faithful/three-lies-about-sex-before-marriage) gives a good explanation for why saving yourself for marriage is better for you and your future spouse.

But, no matter your worldview or that of your children, it is incredibly important that you have conversations and continue to have conversations with them about the hard topics in life. You are where they learn the basics and determine for themselves what they will and won’t believe.

My Daily Affirmation

People with less financial resources show me how to be satisfied. Their way of life dictates that I examine the excess in my life. I become more introspective and less dissatisfied with unfavorable outcomes.

I realize that even when I feel like I am lacking, I have enough.

Fact Or Fiction?

You might think that 2 feet of snow in 24 hours is a lot of snow - but another city in the US experienced a whole lot more than that in 1921.  Can you guess how much?

The east coast was just hit with a storm that dumped over 2 feet of snow on New York and Washington DC. But that doesn’t even come close to the most amount of snow that fell in a 24 hour period. In 1921 over six FEET of snow fell on April between the 14th at 2:30 and the 15th at 2:30pm in Silver Lake Colorado.  Shovel anyone?

Have a wonderful day!

Your Healthy Life America Team