Dear ODS: Condoms and Elderly STDsDear ODS, I am a mother of 3 with the oldest coming in at 16 years old now. I was doing his laundry when I discovered a condom in his pocket. I’m definitely a cool parent but I’m a Mom and this is a lot for me. I don’t even think he has a girlfriend! What do I do? Thank you, Mama Gonna Knock You Out Ah yes, teenagers. Too lazy and childish to do their own laundry, hormonal enough to get aroused and an altogether mishmash of adulthood and childhood. The first thing to remember is that you don’t have the same control over a 16 year old as you do a 10 year old (or even a 14 year old for that matter). So no matter what decision you come to or course of actions you go with, remember that you can’t just lock him up and sit him out. He’s getting to be a grown up and he’s got to live a grown up life (which brings us to laundry – if it’s “condom in the pocket time” for your son, then it may well also be “do your own laundry time.”) I don’t know what his father is up to, but if he’s around then this is one that he should probably deal with. Sexuality is rough for anyone to deal with, and nigh crucifying for a teenager. The Dad should be sitting him down and talking to him about the reality of sex – the emotional side, the dangers, the joys, the responsibilities – just talking to him about what sex really is. If Dad is not around, get an uncle or older male figure to sit him down and chat. This is just not something that the vast majority of teenage boys can talk to their moms about… no matter how cool they are. And don’t forget that teenage boys carry condoms around like small town cops carry guns – it’s not that they are going to need it, it’s more that they like the feeling of having it just in case. Your boy could very well be a virgin and for all you know the condom could’ve been a joke purchase that he just forgot about. Don’t freak out about the condom…but he is growing up and it is time to really talk sex with him. Dear ODS, Is it true that you can’t catch STDs after menopause? Thanks Slimster Dear Slimster, Not only is that not true, as you age, your immunity system loses some of its efficacy. This is part of why flu shots are important for the elderly. As an interesting sidenote, with the explosion of divorce over the past 20 years and the partnered rise in 50+ daters, STDs have actually erupted in the baby boomer and elderly populations. But yeah, no… not even kind of true. To ask ODS a question of your own, simply address your question to Dear ODS at contact@onlinedatingsites.org. We cannot promise we will answer every single question, but we will do our best to cover as many as possible on the column. |
|
Write a Review