Appropriate age for sex?

[Radio Frequency X]

What is an appropriate age for children to begin having sex?

Whether or not you have children, what do you think is an appropriate age? Does age matter more than maturity? What should be the standard?

 

[wizanda]

It's tricky, yet after asking people this lately most girls become sexual active before boys, yet we have set the same age of 16 where as most girls want to know at 14/15 depending....

 

[Radio Frequency X]

It's tricky, yet after asking people this lately most girls become sexual active before boys, yet we have set the same age of 16 where as most girls want to know at 14/15 depending....

I became sexually active at 13. Now when I see 13 year olds, I am appaulded at the idea that they could be having sex. I'm not quite sure how I feel on the issue.

 

[Sunstone]

It's my impression most people are not mature enough for sex until sometime in their late teens.

 

[xexon]

Children can have sex for very different reasons than adults do. And they can certainly enjoy it just as much.

For the very young, it is a game of curiosity. Later, when hormones kick in, lust is one of the first things to surface.

Most kids will never have sex. And thats fine. Some will, and thats fine too, as long as they have the support and understanding of good parents who will correct them if they see something inappropiate.

If they are condemned for having sex, they will often carry a stigma the rest of their lives for it. This can lead to all kinds of mental problems later.



x

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Whenever they are mature enough, and fully understand what the consequences can be, such as pregnancy and protection not being 100%, STDs, and other things.

 

[PureX]

Other.

The thing is, that at a certain age that is dependent upon the individual's own physical developmental pace, the child will discover the mechanisms of their own sexuality. Whether or not they are "ready" for this to happen is mostly up to their parents and to their society, but it will happen never-the-less when their body develops to a certain point, and we'd best prepare them for this mentally and emotionally for when this occurs, so that they are not confused, frightened, or easily taken advantage of when this time comes. And these days this time is coming pretty early: between 10 and 12 years old for a lot of children.

It's an illusion for parents to imagine that they can dictate when their chgildren will be "ready for sexuality" by the way they raise them. ll that will happen by keeping them naive is that when their bodies begin expressing their own sexuality, the children won't know what's happening to them, or how to deal with it appropriately, and will then become more vulnerable to accidents, errors in judgment, and the manipulation from others.

 

[ayani]

i would say seventeen or eighteen seems like a safe age. a kid may desire to have a sexual expereince before then, but emotionally i'm not sure a kid younger than that would or should be ready for sex, regardless of what peers or tradition dictate(s).

my goodness, i rememeber in fifth grade there was a couple who was sexually active. fifth grade! i'm not sure if they were having sex, but word was that they were sexually experimenting, and they were vocal (though coy) about this. my peers and i were kind of horrified. in both of their cases, i think sexual contact was a way for them to get some affection out of another person. both had lousy home lives, and i think school and one another were refuges for them. not a good choice, though. it still boggles my mind.

 

[Comprehend]

What is an appropriate age for children to begin having sex?

Whether or not you have children, what do you think is an appropriate age? Does age matter more than maturity? What should be the standard?

I think the appropriate age is whatever age they are when they get married. Emotionally, I do not think teenagers are ready, they think they are but they aren't. 20 sounds good to me.

 

[astarath]

when they are joined by God to another...not neccesarily married but when they meet the person they think they will marry. If they arent old enough to think about marriage they arent old enough to have sex.

 

[Buttercup]

From information I read in another thread, I say the age of four sounds good.

Picking from the choices above, I say it is ideally when the person is mature. Meaning old enough to know how to protect themselves and others from unwanted occurences. Too bad one can't protect from a broken heart, but such is life.

 

[xexon]

Mary was a pretty young thing when she had Jesus.

Do you think she was too young?


x

 

[PHOTOTAKER]

until the appropriate age of marriage or marriage. for two resigns, one it show respect for the other person and two less likely of std's and unwanted pregnancy...

 

[Booko]

When they're old enough and mature enough to get married and support children.

If they're not ready to raise children, they're not ready to have sex.

 

[PHOTOTAKER]

When they're old enough and mature enough to get married and support children.

If they're not ready to raise children, they're not ready to have sex.

no one can afford kids untel they have kids... but i agree...

 

[Booko]

I think the appropriate age is whatever age they are when they get married.

No argument here.

Emotionally, I do not think teenagers are ready, they think they are but they aren't. 20 sounds good to me.

And yet, history is full of couples who got married as early as 16 and were fine. Things were somewhat different then, of course, including involvement and support from the wider family, and that makes a difference.

It's the sex without the background of "making a permanent family" that seems to cause more of the problems. If the assumption were a permanent bond to raise a family, sex is cast in a completely different framework than if it's done for its own sake.

Though it's certainly just as fun in the "proper" context.

 

[astarath]

Mary was a pretty young thing when she had Jesus.

Do you think she was too young?


x

Mary was also engaged to be married, as well people of that time matured and were prepared for the role of marriage much sooner because they were going to die much sooner. The culture didnt educate sex so much as marriage. The basics were probably explained but the focus was on the union under God

 

[Booko]

Picking from the choices above, I say it is ideally when the person is mature. Meaning old enough to know how to protect themselves and others from unwanted occurences. Too bad one can't protect from a broken heart, but such is life.

Knowing how to improve the odds isn't the same as protecting yourself, Chimpy.

Good Heavens, I got pregnant on the pill -- twice -- though I followed all the directions and never missed a pill.

There is no such thing as "safe" sex. Just "safer" sex.

Keeping your clothes on is the only thing that's 100%.

 

[Booko]

no one can afford kids untel they have kids... but i agree...

Oh, I wasn't thinking of the cost so much. Even people who think they're ready for kids aren't as ready as they think they are.

I always hear these bloated figure about what it takes to raise a kid and think -- ok, so why weren't we living on the street then? The most impoverish people in the world manage to raise kids on less than I'd make in a month.

 

[Comprehend]

When they're old enough and mature enough to get married and support children.

If they're not ready to raise children, they're not ready to have sex.

yea! sense!