True GingerV,
Absolute pledges and inflexible ideology rarely work. Some people will wait until marriage, and that is wonderful if that is their choice. If teens feel pressured to make a pledge it will more often fail!

I think that it is a much better plan to talk to kids about their feelings and futures in an honest manner. Let them know that it is a choice they have to make based on their feelings. If you are able to be that honest, they will likely hear what you have to say about the prevention of pregnancy/STD's. BTW~ this isn't just talk, this is the way I am raising my kids!

For myself, I'm old enough that groups encouraging teens not to have sex before marriage weren't around. Having gone through my teen years in the 80's in a big city, sex before marriage was very acceptable. Unfortunately, I didn't have a mother who I could talk to, so I had to make the choices myself. Yes, I did have sex before I left my teen years and yes I did (and still do) feel that I was ready. And yes I did use both the pill and a condom.

Well there's my 2 cents...

Soapbox anyone??

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"I don't mind the sun sometimes, the images it shows, I can taste you on my lips and smell you in my cloths..." ~Pepper.