Healthy Relationships Utah Teens
May 2021
TEEN TALK
Physical Intimacy
Did you know that 60 percent of people do not have sex while in high school? Of the 40 percent of high school students who do have sex in high school, most report wishing they had waited.

Safe sex comes from building and maintaining a mature, committed relationship. It should always be safe for the mind, for the heart, for the body, and for protecting both people’s aspirations. Remember that safe sex isn’t just about you; it’s also about keeping your partner physically and emotionally safe. Having a plan can make it more likely that you'll be intentional in your physical relationships. Physical relationships involve more than just sex.

Ask yourself:
  • What does each physical act mean to me?
  • What meaning do I attach to physical intimacy?
  • What meaning does my partner attach to physical intimacy?
  • Are my partner and I partner on the same page?
  • How far is too far?
  • What are the risks and benefits of the limits I've set?
  • How can waiting to have sex protect my physical, emotional, and social well-being?

Writing these things down makes it more likely that you will stick to your plan, even when it's difficult.
QUOTE CORNER
Quote About the
Love Notes Curriculum
“Your class has helped me form boundaries, realize my self-worth, and move on from my old, bad relationship. It has honestly changed my life.”
- A Love Notes student, age 17
PARENTING TIP
Tough Questions
Your teen is looking to you for answers to tough relationship questions, including questions about sex.

Teaching your children about sex isn’t a one-time conversation. Frequently discuss with your teen different aspects of romantic relationships, including the emotional and physical benefits of choosing to leave sex out of high school relationships.

Ask them:
  • What does sex mean in a relationship?
  • What would you do if you got pregnant/got someone pregnant?
Your job here is to help your teen think through these things –you are a guide, not a lecturer in this conversation! Remember that fear tactics do not work. Remember that pregnancy prevention isn’t just about a list of dos and don'ts. It’s really about helping teens develop a healthy sense of self, with good critical thinking skills. It’s about talking with teens about decisions and relationships in a way that impacts their daily lives.
RESOURCES
Support Positive Youth Development during NTPPM!
Join the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) this May to celebrate National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM). NTPPM celebrates the historic decline in the teen birth rate in the United States and highlights the importance of helping adolescents reach their full potential.
Funding for this program was provided by the OPA Grant: TP1AH000232. Additional support was provided by Utah State University Extension. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are those of the presenters/authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funders. Utah State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution and is committed to a learning and working environment free from discrimination, including harassment. For USU’s non-discrimination notice, see