From Homeschooling to College: The Need for Knowledge of Responsible Sex

By Jennifer L.

Homeschooling has very different dynamics to education systems where students frequently interact with each other, such as a public high school. Homeschooling, more often than not, involves the student one-on-one with their tutor, which could be their parent. As such, teaching tricky, sometimes embarrassing topics, can be skated over. However, this would be a disservice to any homeschooled student, especially those who want to attend college. There are a variety of colleges which accept homeschooled students. But with the potential of going to college, comes a new level of freedom for students. This applies to all students, not just those who are educated at home. College allows students to move out of their family house and forge their own lives, granting them a relatively high level of independence. With this comes the ability to explore avenues which may not have been available to them if they were homeschooled. One such example, is that it becomes much easier to engage in sexual activity.

The importance of education

Due to the highly personal nature that homeschooled students share with their tutors, topics such as sex can prove awkward to discuss. In high schools, this discussion would take place in a large group, making the content a lot less intense. Pressure is taken off of individual students; they all get to collectively be embarrassed.

Students develop their knowledge through education and direct experience. Naturally, parents will be protective over their children; however, once the journey to college arises, parental control inevitably is scaled back. It is at this stage that parents, if they have faith in how their child has been raised, can trust their child to make the correct decisions in life. That being said, if homeschooled students are not taught about sex, with the issue being skirted over, they have no basis to make reliable, informed decisions. This is further emphasized through their lack of experience with the subject matter.

Therefore, this can be a disastrous combination for students to come up against, especially when it is considered that 1 in 4 people under 25 have an STD. Even if parents do not believe their child should be sexually active, once college comes around, there is little that can be done to stop them. In this scenario then, it is in the best interest of everyone involved to make sure homeschooled students are aware of the issues, which include unplanned pregnancy, and seeking help and advice if their sexual health takes a turn for the worse.

These are just precautionary measures and do not mean parents are consenting to the idea of their child being sexually active. But by educating their child in both the physical and moral aspects of sex, parents are giving their homeschooled child the best possible chance of being responsible and independently making their own decision. This information needs to come from a parent; otherwise they may get inaccurate information from their friends at college.

College is an exciting time for students

It is said that the college years are some of the best in a person’s lifetime. Students get their first taste of living life on their own, and arguably, for the first time, can be the person they want to be. That being said, there are many more temptations. But along with freedom should come responsibility. If homeschooling has served them well, students will be aware of the dangers surrounding sex and drugs, as well as being well equipped for academic life.

After all, it should be noted that college is not solely about studying, despite what parents and tutors may tell you. It is at the college stage in people’s lives that they form interests and relationships that tend to withstand into much later life. These are the years that a person matures the most, transitioning from teen years to adulthood. And whether you like to admit it or not, your peers usually have a lot of influence on you, who you are, what you do, and eventually who you become.

At some point, sexual activities may be on the agenda. It is then necessary that these topics are covered during homeschooling sessions. Inevitably, it will be awkward, but this is an essential price to pay. The dangers and risks far outweigh the hour or so of embarrassed discussion. If the situation has been handled well, everyone can be confident that the student has been given the best information to make responsible, informed decisions.

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