It will never be easy to talk to teens about sex, STDs and pregnancy, but a report just issued by the Guttmacher Institute indicates teen pregnancy has increased 3% among 15 to 19 year olds, making it more important than ever to communicate with teens. Just two months ago, Fox News reported the birth of a child to an 11-year old girl, one of the youngest pregnancies documented in the U.S. As a parent, having
"The Talk' is probably one of the most difficult and challenging moments of parenthood. It’s tough to believe your child is mature enough to even understand what you will be talking about and harder yet to know where and how to begin. Parents should not feel like they are condoning sexual activity just because they arm their children with information about how to protect themselves from STDs, AIDS, and unwanted pregnancy. Along with information about protection, you can teach your teens to recognize their own limits and make sure they know it's not just ok to say NO but that saying NO can save their lives
It is vital to make sure teens know about safety, whether they are sexually active now or they become sexually active in the future.TeezItNow utilizes a unique format to deliver the “Practice Safe Sex” message, by using hundreds of "IT-ioms" to make initiating and talking to teens about all these very sensitive issues much easier and comfortable for everyone. Just talking to your teen about the pressure that can go along with 'hanging out and hooking up, especially now that Spring is here and they will soon have a-lot of time alone during Summer vacation. One mom's response to TeezItNow's approach says it all: "Where were you seven years ago when I was having the Talk with my other children? All I can say is, I'm glad you are here now! As far as I'm concerned, you have reinvented The Talk"
Don't let your teen assume that silence means you condone sexual behavior. Have frank discussions with your teens about the ramifications of unprotected sex. When parents don't talk to their teens about sex, teens assume that having sex is ok or try to find the information somewhere else. According to StayTeen.org, teens want clear and accurate information from their parent, they want honesty and information, not threats or personal experiences. Having a chat with your teens before that moment arrives when they will have to make one of the biggest possibly life saving decisions of their lives may help arm them with the willpower and knowledge to say, and the information and protection they will need if they say yes..
We believe in the ABCs (Abstinence Before Condoms), but given the stark realities of peer pressure and the desire to fit in, we as parents need to be proactive about opening the door to conversations about sex. We cannot prevent our teens from being bombarded by sexual pressure, messages and images, but we must be the source of educational and accurate information they receive.
No one should ever feel obligated to participate in sex if they don't want to, no matter how special the moment might feel, but understanding how to protect oneself from the AIDS, STDs, and unplanned pregnancy is an important conversation all parents should have with their teens. By having "The Talk" you are empowering your child to have a say in their lives, health and future.
To know more about AIDS & STD prevention and on AIDS & STD awareness
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Condoms: The Yucky Words
Source: Teezitnow Blog
by Teez It intern Gema
Tired of the raised eyebrows, the whining “ew, gross” that comes with showing the thin square that holds a condom? Just seeing a broken wrapper on the floor makes some girls want to gag, or so they claim. The dramatic response doesn’t only come from girls, though. Even though the year is 2010, some boys still frown upon girls carrying around a condom. The possibility of sex creates sexual tension so thick it creates its own atmosphere. This is why I think the mere word “condom” is taboo. It brings up a topic that some feel too uncomfortable to discuss. It brings up questions that many people do not have the courage to ask.
* How experienced is he/she?
* Does he/she expect sex today?
* Does he/she only want sex?
* Does he/she have sex with every person he/she dates?
* Does he know how to use it?
But what people don’t understand is that these questions need to be asked. If anything, condoms should be applauded for bringing up the issue.
People should not feel uncomfortable when the word condom is brought up or if they see one. If anything, they should feel relieved to know that the other person is protected. It’s all about: safety, safety, safety. Even if you’re practicing abstinence, condoms are a precaution. Nobody is perfect. Everyone is bound to stumble upon temptation someday. It’s better to be prepared than to deal with an unwanted pregnancy or an STD. Condoms evoke responsibility, preparedness and knowledge of consequences.
So how can we transport a condom from being taboo to acceptable? Personally, I think it will only stop being a taboo when we stop treating it as a taboo. It starts with the family. The word condom should not be whispered or shushed. It should be inserted into normal conversation. Whether it’s at the dinner table, on the way home from church or during movie night, the word should never be censored if the topic comes up.
Another way we can change the connotation of the word condom is by making it cool. Greasy hair and bad breath aren’t cool. Being unprotected should be held on the same level as hygiene. Not protected? Not cool! Got a condom? Very cool! Our shirts are a great way to do this. The catchphrases are hilarious and they have condoms on the shirts. We need to the word socially acceptable. We need to make having a condom normal. “I have a helmet.” “I have a kneepad.” “I have a condom.” None of those things should be considered scandalous.
Stop the taboo today. Go outside and yell it loud and proud: “I THINK CONDOMS ARE COOL!”
by Teez It intern Gema
Tired of the raised eyebrows, the whining “ew, gross” that comes with showing the thin square that holds a condom? Just seeing a broken wrapper on the floor makes some girls want to gag, or so they claim. The dramatic response doesn’t only come from girls, though. Even though the year is 2010, some boys still frown upon girls carrying around a condom. The possibility of sex creates sexual tension so thick it creates its own atmosphere. This is why I think the mere word “condom” is taboo. It brings up a topic that some feel too uncomfortable to discuss. It brings up questions that many people do not have the courage to ask.
* How experienced is he/she?
* Does he/she expect sex today?
* Does he/she only want sex?
* Does he/she have sex with every person he/she dates?
* Does he know how to use it?
But what people don’t understand is that these questions need to be asked. If anything, condoms should be applauded for bringing up the issue.
People should not feel uncomfortable when the word condom is brought up or if they see one. If anything, they should feel relieved to know that the other person is protected. It’s all about: safety, safety, safety. Even if you’re practicing abstinence, condoms are a precaution. Nobody is perfect. Everyone is bound to stumble upon temptation someday. It’s better to be prepared than to deal with an unwanted pregnancy or an STD. Condoms evoke responsibility, preparedness and knowledge of consequences.
So how can we transport a condom from being taboo to acceptable? Personally, I think it will only stop being a taboo when we stop treating it as a taboo. It starts with the family. The word condom should not be whispered or shushed. It should be inserted into normal conversation. Whether it’s at the dinner table, on the way home from church or during movie night, the word should never be censored if the topic comes up.
Another way we can change the connotation of the word condom is by making it cool. Greasy hair and bad breath aren’t cool. Being unprotected should be held on the same level as hygiene. Not protected? Not cool! Got a condom? Very cool! Our shirts are a great way to do this. The catchphrases are hilarious and they have condoms on the shirts. We need to the word socially acceptable. We need to make having a condom normal. “I have a helmet.” “I have a kneepad.” “I have a condom.” None of those things should be considered scandalous.
Stop the taboo today. Go outside and yell it loud and proud: “I THINK CONDOMS ARE COOL!”
Thursday, April 15, 2010
The IT-ternship
Source: TeezitNow Blog
http://www.teezitnow.com/internships.html
Vista Holdings is on the look out for some amazing teens and college students! We are looking for teens and college students who are interested in writing, marketing and advising a large social company.
We take applications year-round.
Why Our Internships Are Great!
**We are an extremely forward thinking company our Company’s Mission Statement: TeezITnow is a True Innovative Prevention Program that works. We want to empower the our teens to have a say in their lives, health and future.
**We have lessons that our interns go through to actually learn about the online business as well as how social companies work. We want to teach you how you can work and make a difference. You will learn how your efforts will make a difference and possible save lives.
**Teen unemployment has reached an all time high of 31%, we are hoping to give teens something else to work on and learn from, as jobs have become very hard to come by.
**Perks! We always give our teens giveaways, iTunes gift cards and even the opportunity for paid experiences with our focus groups. We also would love to hire some of our interns after we see some of their great work.
**Resume Building: We know that getting into University is becoming more and more competitive, we want to give our teen interns an extremely unique boost to their resume with this experience.
**Future recommendations: We often write recommendations for teen interns for other jobs, college applications and programs.
Intern Qualifications:
-Must be ages 15-24
-Can be in High School or College
-Must be willing to work virtually for at least 2 hours per week
-Has strong interest in moderate writing, advising, current trends and online marketing.
-Lots of creative Ideas and opinions
-A strong desire to make a difference
Internship Description: -Each intern is on our IT Campaign advisory board. We want energetic and creative young people to tell us what and how we should get our positive message out there. This involves posting in an online forum and responding to questions.
-Some interns will be chosen to write for our blog. You can write articles on a variety of topics, for 1 article per month 300-700 words on topics of their choice as well as topics assigned by the rest of the Young Adult Advisory Board. This is a creative process and topics are usually discussed before writing with some guidelines.
-Writers will learn how to write engaging articles for blog audiences and the differences between online and offline articles.
-Interns will also do at least 2 hours of work per week working on extensions of their articles through comments and in our teen discussion forums. These hours can be done at any time as long as writing and task deadlines are met…we want you to have a fun summer and be able to do lots of other activities, or still keep up your grades in school!
-Interns will be given access to our private social network where they will learn about experience marketing articles, cold emailing and how to participate in advising companies.
-Our interns work in our virtual office with google documents, ning and email. They will be given their own email address and have opportunities for creative input on the website as a whole.
-Interns who have an interest in marketing, will learn about experience marketing articles, cold emailing and writing press releases, contacting producers and networking with other bloggers.
-Marketing Interns will do at least 2 hours of work per week learning new online marketing skills and performing tasks online to build their knowledge of Web 2.0 marketing. This is great experience for those wanting to go into the industry!
-Each week of our internship is split up by topic, each week, interns will learn about the skills needed for this area of the business (press releases for example) and then will spend at least 2 hours practicing these skills for our websites.
-Teen marketers will also explore different social networks and other web 2.0 tools to learn about this aspect of online marketing and marketing a website.
-Those interested in trend spotting and reporting trends will also have the opportunity to participate in our online forums.
Other Benefits for you:
-You can finally express your ideas and opinions to people who will listen and disseminate them on a large scale.
-You can put on your college application/resume that you worked with us
-Practice expressing and writing out your opinions
-Access to interesting trends before they come out
-The Opportunity to get involved, develop and promote various other businesses, products and Brands.
How to Apply: Send an email to manager@radicalincorporated.com with the subject “IT Internship”
Send us:
Your Name: Age:
Hometown:
Why you are applying for the IT Internship: (200-500 words)
-Please also submit one writing sample. This can be a school essay or an article.
-Please also submit 1 paragraph on your favorite marketing campaign this year and why. (eHarmony’s Online commercials, Nike’s superbowl commercial etc) There is no ‘right answer’ to this question, feel free to be creative with it. We want to get to know a little bit more about you and your interests.
-1 Paragraph about your career goals. This is not something we judge you on, we actually really want to help you achieve those goals, and this will help us place you with a special project and/or mentor within the company.
http://www.teezitnow.com/internships.html
Vista Holdings is on the look out for some amazing teens and college students! We are looking for teens and college students who are interested in writing, marketing and advising a large social company.
We take applications year-round.
Why Our Internships Are Great!
**We are an extremely forward thinking company our Company’s Mission Statement: TeezITnow is a True Innovative Prevention Program that works. We want to empower the our teens to have a say in their lives, health and future.
**We have lessons that our interns go through to actually learn about the online business as well as how social companies work. We want to teach you how you can work and make a difference. You will learn how your efforts will make a difference and possible save lives.
**Teen unemployment has reached an all time high of 31%, we are hoping to give teens something else to work on and learn from, as jobs have become very hard to come by.
**Perks! We always give our teens giveaways, iTunes gift cards and even the opportunity for paid experiences with our focus groups. We also would love to hire some of our interns after we see some of their great work.
**Resume Building: We know that getting into University is becoming more and more competitive, we want to give our teen interns an extremely unique boost to their resume with this experience.
**Future recommendations: We often write recommendations for teen interns for other jobs, college applications and programs.
Intern Qualifications:
-Must be ages 15-24
-Can be in High School or College
-Must be willing to work virtually for at least 2 hours per week
-Has strong interest in moderate writing, advising, current trends and online marketing.
-Lots of creative Ideas and opinions
-A strong desire to make a difference
Internship Description: -Each intern is on our IT Campaign advisory board. We want energetic and creative young people to tell us what and how we should get our positive message out there. This involves posting in an online forum and responding to questions.
-Some interns will be chosen to write for our blog. You can write articles on a variety of topics, for 1 article per month 300-700 words on topics of their choice as well as topics assigned by the rest of the Young Adult Advisory Board. This is a creative process and topics are usually discussed before writing with some guidelines.
-Writers will learn how to write engaging articles for blog audiences and the differences between online and offline articles.
-Interns will also do at least 2 hours of work per week working on extensions of their articles through comments and in our teen discussion forums. These hours can be done at any time as long as writing and task deadlines are met…we want you to have a fun summer and be able to do lots of other activities, or still keep up your grades in school!
-Interns will be given access to our private social network where they will learn about experience marketing articles, cold emailing and how to participate in advising companies.
-Our interns work in our virtual office with google documents, ning and email. They will be given their own email address and have opportunities for creative input on the website as a whole.
-Interns who have an interest in marketing, will learn about experience marketing articles, cold emailing and writing press releases, contacting producers and networking with other bloggers.
-Marketing Interns will do at least 2 hours of work per week learning new online marketing skills and performing tasks online to build their knowledge of Web 2.0 marketing. This is great experience for those wanting to go into the industry!
-Each week of our internship is split up by topic, each week, interns will learn about the skills needed for this area of the business (press releases for example) and then will spend at least 2 hours practicing these skills for our websites.
-Teen marketers will also explore different social networks and other web 2.0 tools to learn about this aspect of online marketing and marketing a website.
-Those interested in trend spotting and reporting trends will also have the opportunity to participate in our online forums.
Other Benefits for you:
-You can finally express your ideas and opinions to people who will listen and disseminate them on a large scale.
-You can put on your college application/resume that you worked with us
-Practice expressing and writing out your opinions
-Access to interesting trends before they come out
-The Opportunity to get involved, develop and promote various other businesses, products and Brands.
How to Apply: Send an email to manager@radicalincorporated.com with the subject “IT Internship”
Send us:
Your Name: Age:
Hometown:
Why you are applying for the IT Internship: (200-500 words)
-Please also submit one writing sample. This can be a school essay or an article.
-Please also submit 1 paragraph on your favorite marketing campaign this year and why. (eHarmony’s Online commercials, Nike’s superbowl commercial etc) There is no ‘right answer’ to this question, feel free to be creative with it. We want to get to know a little bit more about you and your interests.
-1 Paragraph about your career goals. This is not something we judge you on, we actually really want to help you achieve those goals, and this will help us place you with a special project and/or mentor within the company.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
The Facts: About Safe SEX
We believe in the ABC’s…”Abstinence Before Condoms”
but…
With so many battles to fight…IT’s the only weapon!
Unfortunate Facts
The numbers don’t lie…the statistics related to STD’s, HIV, and AIDS are sadly real. Which means the unfortunate fact is this: No one is immune. Bottom line? If IT’s not on, IT’s not in! This should be the motto of today’s sexually active youth, and adults. They must adopt IT if they want to live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
* Everyday over 7,000 young adults become infected with HIV.
* Over 8,500 people die from AIDs everyday…that’s 1 every second!
* There are over 33 million people currently living with HIV.
* One child will die of AIDs every minute.
* Condoms are 99% effective at stopping the spread of STD’s and immdiately reduce the risk of getting and passing on HIV.
* There is still no cure or vaccine for HIV or AIDS…
So If IT’s Not On, It’s Not In!
The Realities
* Nearly half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned.
* More than 2/3 of all pregnancies to unmarried women and 82% of teen pregnancies are unplanned.
* The U.S. has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the industrialized world.
* Just recently the Guttmacher Institute released a report stating that teen pregnancy has increased 3% among 15 to 19 year olds and There are over 750,000 teen pregnancies annually.
* Plus, nearly half of all 15-19 year olds in the United States have had sex at least once.
Remember…Using IT $1.00…Not being called Mom or Dad…Priceless!
Source: TeezitNow Blog
but…
With so many battles to fight…IT’s the only weapon!
Unfortunate Facts
The numbers don’t lie…the statistics related to STD’s, HIV, and AIDS are sadly real. Which means the unfortunate fact is this: No one is immune. Bottom line? If IT’s not on, IT’s not in! This should be the motto of today’s sexually active youth, and adults. They must adopt IT if they want to live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
* Everyday over 7,000 young adults become infected with HIV.
* Over 8,500 people die from AIDs everyday…that’s 1 every second!
* There are over 33 million people currently living with HIV.
* One child will die of AIDs every minute.
* Condoms are 99% effective at stopping the spread of STD’s and immdiately reduce the risk of getting and passing on HIV.
* There is still no cure or vaccine for HIV or AIDS…
So If IT’s Not On, It’s Not In!
The Realities
* Nearly half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned.
* More than 2/3 of all pregnancies to unmarried women and 82% of teen pregnancies are unplanned.
* The U.S. has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the industrialized world.
* Just recently the Guttmacher Institute released a report stating that teen pregnancy has increased 3% among 15 to 19 year olds and There are over 750,000 teen pregnancies annually.
* Plus, nearly half of all 15-19 year olds in the United States have had sex at least once.
Remember…Using IT $1.00…Not being called Mom or Dad…Priceless!
Source: TeezitNow Blog
Monday, April 5, 2010
Two Words and Seven Letters that Parents Dread
It will never be easy to talk to teens about sex, STDs and pregnancy, but a report just issued by the Guttmacher Institute indicates teen pregnancy has increased 3% among 15 to 19 year olds, making it more important than ever to communicate with teens. Just two months ago, Fox News reported the birth of a child to an 11-year old girl, one of the youngest pregnancies documented in the U.S. As a parent, having
"The Talk' is probably one of the most difficult and challenging moments of parenthood. It’s tough to believe your child is mature enough to even understand what you will be talking about and harder yet to know where and how to begin. Parents should not feel like they are condoning sexual activity just because they arm their children with information about how to protect themselves from STDs, AIDS, and unwanted pregnancy. Along with information about protection, you can teach your teens to recognize their own limits and make sure they know it's not just ok to say NO but that saying NO can save their lives
It is vital to make sure teens know about safety, whether they are sexually active now or they become sexually active in the future.TeezItNow utilizes a unique format to deliver the “Practice Safe Sex” message, by using hundreds of "IT-ioms" to make initiating and talking to teens about all these very sensitive issues much easier and comfortable for everyone. Just talking to your teen about the pressure that can go along with 'hanging out and hooking up, especially now that Spring is here and they will soon have a-lot of time alone during Summer vacation. One mom's response to TeezItNow's approach says it all: "Where were you seven years ago when I was having the Talk with my other children? All I can say is, I'm glad you are here now! As far as I'm concerned, you have reinvented The Talk"
Don't let your teen assume that silence means you condone sexual behavior. Have frank discussions with your teens about the ramifications of unprotected sex. When parents don't talk to their teens about sex, teens assume that having sex is ok or try to find the information somewhere else. According to StayTeen.org, teens want clear and accurate information from their parent, they want honesty and information, not threats or personal experiences. Having a chat with your teens before that moment arrives when they will have to make one of the biggest possibly life saving decisions of their lives may help arm them with the willpower and knowledge to say, and the information and protection they will need if they say yes..
We believe in the ABCs (Abstinence Before Condoms), but given the stark realities of peer pressure and the desire to fit in, we as parents need to be proactive about opening the door to conversations about sex. We cannot prevent our teens from being bombarded by sexual pressure, messages and images, but we must be the source of educational and accurate information they receive.
No one should ever feel obligated to participate in sex if they don't want to, no matter how special the moment might feel, but understanding how to protect oneself from the AIDS, STDs, and unplanned pregnancy is an important conversation all parents should have with their teens. By having "The Talk" you are empowering your child to have a say in their lives, health and future.
"The Talk' is probably one of the most difficult and challenging moments of parenthood. It’s tough to believe your child is mature enough to even understand what you will be talking about and harder yet to know where and how to begin. Parents should not feel like they are condoning sexual activity just because they arm their children with information about how to protect themselves from STDs, AIDS, and unwanted pregnancy. Along with information about protection, you can teach your teens to recognize their own limits and make sure they know it's not just ok to say NO but that saying NO can save their lives
It is vital to make sure teens know about safety, whether they are sexually active now or they become sexually active in the future.TeezItNow utilizes a unique format to deliver the “Practice Safe Sex” message, by using hundreds of "IT-ioms" to make initiating and talking to teens about all these very sensitive issues much easier and comfortable for everyone. Just talking to your teen about the pressure that can go along with 'hanging out and hooking up, especially now that Spring is here and they will soon have a-lot of time alone during Summer vacation. One mom's response to TeezItNow's approach says it all: "Where were you seven years ago when I was having the Talk with my other children? All I can say is, I'm glad you are here now! As far as I'm concerned, you have reinvented The Talk"
Don't let your teen assume that silence means you condone sexual behavior. Have frank discussions with your teens about the ramifications of unprotected sex. When parents don't talk to their teens about sex, teens assume that having sex is ok or try to find the information somewhere else. According to StayTeen.org, teens want clear and accurate information from their parent, they want honesty and information, not threats or personal experiences. Having a chat with your teens before that moment arrives when they will have to make one of the biggest possibly life saving decisions of their lives may help arm them with the willpower and knowledge to say, and the information and protection they will need if they say yes..
We believe in the ABCs (Abstinence Before Condoms), but given the stark realities of peer pressure and the desire to fit in, we as parents need to be proactive about opening the door to conversations about sex. We cannot prevent our teens from being bombarded by sexual pressure, messages and images, but we must be the source of educational and accurate information they receive.
No one should ever feel obligated to participate in sex if they don't want to, no matter how special the moment might feel, but understanding how to protect oneself from the AIDS, STDs, and unplanned pregnancy is an important conversation all parents should have with their teens. By having "The Talk" you are empowering your child to have a say in their lives, health and future.
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