What you have been saying up to this point is that "parents parent their children." I agree with you- peers have been shown to have the second most impact on how a young adult behaves after their home environment- but it's the parents who decide who their children get to spend time with extracurricularly, parents shape those groups.
I don't agree with what you are saying about teenagers, and either does any fact based research I have ever come across. I recommend this site for a clearer reality on that: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/TeenPregnancy/
We always teach our children how to protect themselves- whether the situations arise that they will need it or not. To deny knowledge that protects them against STDS or unplanned pregnancy on some idealistic hope that they won't need it is as ridiculous as denying knowledge of seatbelts or life jackets. Suppression of knowledge has never been effective.

If you are instilling your values of abstinence on your children, why would they go looking for condoms? Only teenagers who would be planning on having sex would be looking for those- so I am not seeing an issue. Sex education teaches the consequences of having sex, and how you can be safer when you decide you are ready. If you have taught you child that they are ready when they fall in love or get married or whenever, they will not seek out birth control. I don't see an issue unless you think teens are going to have sex regardless of what their parents teach them.....

I believe I wrote you have a right to impose whatever belief system on your children that you see fit- and yes, that is what I wrote. If you chose not to tell your son or daughter about birth control or safe sex until they are 18, that is your prerogative.
But if your child gets pregnant or gets someone else pregnant after the age of consent, they are responsible for the choice and/or consequences of that- as in the daughter can choose to terminate or parent independently, and/or the son is responsible for custodial obligations. They also can be consequences for having unprotected sex and spreading STDS.
All of this leads to the fact that I have the right as well to protect my child with information and education against these happenings, these real consequences. Parental rights work both ways.

I do not, I will ask on the message board I got it off :-)

You have a right to impose whatever belief system on your children that you see fit- if you are 100% certain that you can pass along your values of abstinence and purity, then teach your son or daughter that. But when it comes to wider policy, birth control is a doctor prescribed medication that should not be denied to others because of anyone's personal beliefs or ideals.

Birth control accessibility depends on what state you live in and what insurance coverage you have- it's still an issue in the USA about whether insurance should cover it, and who should have access to it. There are clinics (like Planned Parenthood) which offer low cost birth control- but some states restrictions have cut their funding so much that people have no access to them. We have a long way to go here, dogma, religion, and old ways of thinking still impact our policies- we're working on it :-)

When has giving a gift ever meant that the person receiving it "owes you" anything? That is the exact opposite of what giving is. He was wrong to expect something in return, if that is why he bought her things. No gift should be given with hope of reciprocation or reward- Especially some kind of romantic/sexual favor.

This was a really widely published photo back in 2007/2008- here is an ABC story with quotes from Christian and his mom: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3140316

I think it is fantastic the way you and your mother talked, and congratulations on your relationship! Guest is right, the laws are different from state to state here in America, but to be considered an adult it ranges from 15-16 years old.

I am slightly embarrassed at how loudly I laughed at this. I literally lol'ed

You beat me to it!

That's a good philosophy, but what about when they're out of the house, and you can't watch them 100% of the time? Unless you plan on keeping her/him at home, period, until they are 18- some education and communication might be helpful.

Lol, I love how this message thread completely contracted the message, you guys cracked me up. <3

I see what you are saying, but in the end it always comes down to the choice of the individual (unless the are forced), so this post to me speaks of educating and communicating rather than relying on intimidation and denial that anything could happen. Teen pregnancy is a reality, especially where abstinence only sex education is taught- having a daughter (and son!) who is fully educated about their choices and the consequences of them is a good way to go. Because no matter what, in the end the choice is up to them.

This is from 2012, but it's the American article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20/pyotr-pankratau-and-minsk_n_1898498.html

...You can do a cartwheel? I am shamed...

I absolutely understand that to some religious coverings are worn by choice and not by mandate, like your mother. But it's also true that when the punishment for being seen without the proper clothing (being Muslim, Amish, etc.) leads to punishment- that is not a choice. I respect a person's right to wear what they wish- if you wear the trappings of religion freely than all the more power to you. If you wear them because you fear retribution, punishment, or shaming- to me, that is not a choice, and that is what I was referring to.

Lol, there are two kinds of people....