Will Live Free Class Take Away My Child’s Innocence?
From the Desk of . . .
Lisa Fricke, Program Director, SRAS
As Program Director for Live Free, I talk with a lot of parents regarding their questions and thoughts about our program. Most parents are relieved that their student will be participating in the Live Free program at their school. They know that sex is an important topic in the teenage years, and parents can understandably be uncertain on how to navigate these tough conversations. The Live Free program naturally creates a space for conversation of this type in the home as parents can ask their students about what they are learning and hear the student’s thoughts on their lessons.
Every once in a while there will be a concerned parent wondering if the class will take away their student’s innocence. As a parent, I certainly understand this concern. We all want our kids to be as innocent as possible for as long as possible. However, around the age of middle school, students are receiving mixed messages about sex from many different avenues. Many of these messages are misguided at best. For example, ideas about sex are coming from their peers, from their favorite pop star, from social media outlets like SnapChat and Instagram, and from culture as a whole…. These are all areas that are bombarding our kids’ thoughts and ideas concerning sex almost daily.
To me as a parent, the opportunity for my child to participate in a SRA (Sexual Risk Avoidance) Education program (otherwise known as abstinence education) such as the one Live Free offers, provides peace of mind that among the mixed messages our kids are constantly receiving, they are also receiving the clear and concise truth about sex and its consequences outside of marriage from Live Free. They learn that sex is not the casual, glamorous activity that may have been conveyed to them from the culture, and that the fun pop song about sex doesn’t tell the whole story. They learn about the serious physical and emotional consequences to teen sex. They learn to think about their futures and make decisions consistent with their goals.
We at Live Free first and foremost consider ourselves a supporter and partner of the parents of our students. Our mission is “to equip youth to live free from the damaging consequences of sexual activity outside of marriage and to make choices consistent with their values.” You as their parent have instilled values in your child that you hope guide and direct them in life. Our goal is to point the student back to you and your values and to equip them to make choices concerning sex that align with those values.
As a parent, I wish I could shield my child from the culture and its messages about sex. Rest assured, parent, your student IS receiving information daily regarding sex. You want them to also be provided with the truth about teen sexual activity. That is what we strive for with Live Free SRA education!