by Penny B

Created on: September 21, 2008

When is a teen ready for sex? In actual fact, "no" teen is ready for sex. A teenager has not yet reached adulthood, by today's standards, so therefore is still classified as a child. The act of sex carries many responsibilities, as well as consequences. Teens are just not mentally, emotionally, and even sometimes physically or financially equipped to handle all the responsibilities and consequences that having sex entails.

Biologically, our bodies are telling us that we are ready for sexual activity when we become teenagers. We are now beginning to enter into a new developmental stage of our lives. We reach puberty and all kinds of new things are happening to our bodies, both emotionally and physically. Our bodies are readying themselves for the reproductive stage of life. Hormones are kicking in full force. This is yet, just another developmental stage of life, in preparation for our adult years.

This often leads the young teen toward the misconceived notion that they are ready to participate in sexual activity. Their desire to attract the opposite sex escalates. Brain chemistry and biological factors work together to heighten sensations of emotional and physical need. It can invariably be mistaken for feelings of desire, or even love, towards the opposite sex. This, in no way, means that we are actually ready or capable of committing to the biological messages our bodies are transmitting to us.

Unfortunately, biological maturity and emotional maturity can clash into cataclysmic proportions.

There was a time, in the beginnings of mankind, when it was perfectly acceptable for humans to take a mate as soon as puberty arrived. A girl was considered to be a woman at the onset of menstruation. Her body was now able to bear children and procreate the earth. A young man was considered to be a "man" at puberty and it was deemed his right of passage to take a wife.

However, times have changed. The human race has evolved. People have become more educated since the dawning of time.

It is not that teens are any less mature in today's society, or that teens were more mature back in the "olden days", but that we have evolved as a human race and more so, as a society. Our needs and life goals have changed. It is no longer necessary to "procreate" the earth with such purposeful determination. It is no longer a female's sole function to be the bearer of children, especially before she is ready to do so.

However, even though society has made several radical changes over the past two

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>