South African parents, would you allow your teen to have sex in your house?
In most South African homes, it's not uncommon for sexually active teens to be sneaking out of the house to meet their partners. This isn't very different to American homes where teens are welcome to ask for contraception but having sex at home is frowned upon.
The Dutch do things differently though...
Amy Schalet, author of Not Under My Roof, interviewed 150 white, middle-class Dutch and American teens and their parents. The two extremes were apparent. Where Americans chose to ignore the sexual relationships their teens were in, Dutch parents openly accepted their teen having sex. Even under their roof.
Dutch parents may be comfortable with their teens having sex but not with them starting families so they make sure that their teens are protected. Which is better than just ignoring the situation, right?
Where do you think South African parents fall into this spectrum? Vote and comment below!
By: Robyn Addinall