In this 4 part series, we are going to cover the key things you need to know about sexual health. This content is brought to you by a specialist in this area, Becky Blackledge, and you can find more information about her work at Get Real Sessions here.
Introduction
Often in life we don’t pay attention to information until it is relevant to us in the moment.
If at some point in the future you would like to be a parent it is good for you to have a baseline understanding of pregnancy and parenting.
This session will go over facts you may already know and also give you some new ones, as well as giving you space to think about the different choices a person can make.
We will look at:
- Pregnancy facts
- Pregnancy choices
- Parenting Skills
Pregnancy Facts
Task One – Knowledge Check (5-10 minutes)
Pregnancy Facts – true or false?
- It is impossible to get pregnant when you are on your period. True or False.
- You can get pregnant the first time you have sex. True or False.
- Pulling out is a safe form of contraception. (Pulling out is when a person pulls their penis out of the vagina just before they ejaculate – so that the sperm doesn’t go into the vagina.) True or False.
- You can’t get pregnant from oral sex. (Oral sex is when someone uses their mouth – tongue and lips – on someone else’s genitals to give them pleasure) True or False.
- It is possible for someone to get pregnant at any time during their menstrual cycle. True or False.
- The average pregnancy lasts for 45 weeks. True or False.
Click here to see the answers.
Pregnancy Choices
Task Two – Reflection (10 mins)
Pregnancies can be planned and unplanned. Often someone’s stage of life, age or relationship status will affect their thoughts about getting pregnant themselves or their partner getting pregnant.
- How do you think someone might feel if they think they might be pregnant? Consider how their age, life situation, relationship status and feelings about being a parent might affect their feelings?
- Do you think there is a ‘good’ age to get pregnant? Why do you think this?
- If someone was worried that they might be pregnant (unplanned) what could they do and who could they talk to? Make a list of the different actions someone could take in this situation.
- When someone has a big life decision to make, like around a pregnancy, what do you think is the best way to support them as a friend?
We’re all different so think about the type of support you find helpful and ask other people what behaviours make them feel supported – e.g spending time with someone, listening to them, sending funny gifs to cheer them up, telling them you support them.
Parenting Skills
Task Three – What makes a good parent?
Every parent and carer is different. They all show love and care for their children in different ways.
- Look at this list below. Do you think these are important parts of being a good parent?
If you had to rank them from most important to least important, which order would you put them in?
- Providing Practical Things – food, clothes, somewhere to live
- Boundaries and Discipline – clear rules, consistency, fair consequences, safety
- Spending Time with Children – E.g playing, talking to and listening to children. Having focused time with them.
- Stability – not moving around lots, stable relationships, being there through the years..
- Do you think there are any other essential or important qualities that a parent or carer should/ needs to have? What are they?
What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a parent or carer?
Remember that no-one is perfect or gets it right all the time. We’re all human and we all make mistakes, including parents and carers. Being a parent or carer means learning on the job and trying to do the best you can for your child in the situation that you are in.
Remember…
This has been part 3 of a 4 part section covering Sexual Health. Click the button below to move onto the next part: