Let's Talk Month

During the month of October, groups across the nation including the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy promote effective communication between young people and the adults they trust, especially their parents. Let's Talk Month emphasizes the importance of a strong partnership between all sectors of the community and families in order to help young people develop responsible, positive, sexual health attitudes and behaviors.

In celebration of Let’s Talk Month, faith communities, media, businesses, schools, and community agencies can assume leadership roles by providing activities, information, resources, and educational programs to encourage parents and other caregivers to have open, honest discussions about sexuality with their young people. Most importantly the month serves as a great time for parents to begin dialogue with their children about love, sex and relationships.

“We know that parents should be the primary sexuality educators of their children,” said Forrest L. Alton, Executive Director of the SC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. “Teens continue to overwhelmingly say that their parents and other caring adults have the most influence on their decisions about sex, but too often parents strongly underestimate the impact they have on their children’s decision making.”

Campaign officials encourage all adults to use images in the media as “teachable moments.” Alton commented, “The mass number of teen pregnancy stories making headlines in the past year confirms that our young people are growing up in an ‘R’ rated society. As parents and adults we have to be willing to have more than a ‘PG’ rated conversation with them. Rather than shying away from stories like Jamie Lynn Spears and Bristol Palin, parents should be using them as teachable moments.”

Advocates for Youth is the national sponsor of Let's Talk Month, which is now celebrated in all 50 states and several other countries. The organization has a campaign guidebook and materials available to help. Visit their website for more information or click here to view Tips for Parents – a guide to talking with your teen about love, sex, and relationships.

Ten Things You Can Do for Let's Talk Month

  1. Include an article about Let's Talk Month in your newsletter or bulletin.
  2. Sponsor a parent-child communication training program at your school.
  3. Provide parents with resources such as pamphlets, brochures, and articles, etc.
  4. Encourage your school board members, administrators, teachers, nurse, and counselors to attend training programs in child/adolescent health and sexuality.
  5. Ask parents and other adults to wear an "I'm Askable" button.
  6. Suggest that parents leave an "invitation to talk" in their child's lunch, bedroom, on a mirror, or any other place the child will find it.
  7. Sponsor a contest (coloring, poster, essay) for your students that encourages parent-child communication.
  8. Promote local civic organizations to sponsor an event that will promote child health and/or parent-child communication.
  9. Encourage local churches and other faith organizations to participate in promoting Let's Talk Month activities in your area.
  10. Start a "make-a-date" campaign. Ask parents to schedule a time with their family to sit down and talk together.