Parents often ask us, “What can I do to prevent teen pregnancy?” Talk, talk, talk!  (Parents are the most important influence on their teen’s behavior.)  Be an ‘askable adult’ for your child – talk openly and frequently with him or her about your families’ values and expectations around sex and teen pregnancy prevention.  You can also help get other parents involved by organizing a local PTA or community center event on parent/child communication about teen pregnancy prevention, or by participating in “Let’s Talk Month” in October.

Parents have an awesome responsibility when it comes to raising children and preparing them for the challenges of life. For many parents, important issues such as sex and pregnancy are hard to discuss with their children. Here we have listed a few resources that we hope will make it easier for parents to understand the positive role they may play and then engage their children successfully in ‘tough talks’.

Note: Inclusion in the list does not constitute endorsement by G-CAPP, nor is G-CAPP responsible for the content or materials posted on these sites.

Ten Tips for Parents

What Kids Want To Know

Talking with Your Kids Worksheet

Talking Back: What Teens Want Adults to Know About Teen Pregnancy
From the National Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy

Parent Power: What Parents Need to Know and Do to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
From the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

The American Academy of Pediatrics has many good general resources for parents of adolescents. The site includes tips on talking with youth, health care information for parents, and other current adolescent health issues.

The G-CAPP-Carrera Program is located in Southeast Atlanta. 1984, Dr. Carrera and The Children's Aid Society developed a model that is holistic and long-term, focusing on an "above the waist approach to pregnancy prevention." This approach centers on the belief that success in school, meaningful employment, access to quality medical and health services, and interactions with high caliber, role model adults, have a potent contraceptive effect on teens. The program centers on all the forces and factors affecting the life of a teen at that time in their development, and discusses sexual issues within the context of an adolescent's whole life.

Connect for Kids is a website to help adults make their communities better places for families and children.

The Community Based Doula Project provides home-based services to pregnant adolescents ages 10 to 19. Services are offered in English and Spanish in the Southeast Atlanta, Southwest Atlanta, and Tri-Cities communities.

Georgia Department of Community Health provides information on working to improve health and access to care in Georgia, including Medicaid.

Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR) Division of Public Health provides information on public health in Georgia.

Mom Dad I’m Pregnant provides strategies on how to respond to a teen pregnancy for moms, dads and parents of young men.

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy offers extensive research and information on talking with youth about sex and teen pregnancy. Sections are devoted to teens, parents, professionals, and the media.

Plain Talk/Hablando Claro is a community-based initiative aimed at helping adults, parents, and community leaders develop the skills and tools they need to communicate effectively with young people about reducing adolescent sexual risk-taking pregnancy.

PeachCare provides information on free or low-cost health information for Georgia's children.

Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention provides practical tools and information to effectively reduce sexual risk-taking behaviors.

Second Chance Homes offer safe, supervised living arrangements for teen mothers and their babies.

Talking with Kids about Tough Issues is a national initiative by Children Now and the Kaiser Family Foundation to encourage parents to speak with their children earlier and more often about issues like sex, HIV/AIDS, violence, and other issues. They offer practical and concrete tips for talking with children easily and openly.