Why? Because you don't want your kids learning about sexuality from sources like the Midwest Teen Sex Show podcast!
Teen Sex Advice Podcast Gains Popularity
Nikol Hasler doesn't recommend the "pull and pray" method of birth control. She says you should not have sex on nature trails because of bugs and Sasquatch. And if you hate your body as a teen, just wait.
The 28-year-old mother of three speaks from experience, and her video podcast, the Midwest Teen Sex Show, is attracting thousands of viewers.
The show's target audience — teens, young adults and their parents — is responding. The show has 65,000 subscribers through iTunes and other podcast subscription services, Clark said. It's regularly ranked in iTunes' top 10 health podcasts, and its Web site averages about 4,000 unique hits a day.
Source: Yahoo News / AP
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080123/ap_on_re_us/midwest_teen_sex_1
Sex-Ed Podcast Is Frank, Funny and Controversial
Episode No. 4 of "The Midwest Teen Sex Show," a new video podcast, opens with a shot of a young woman holding a crying baby. Nearby, two young boys are noisily scuffling and trading noogies. Looking into the camera, the obviously stressed-out mother of three says nothing, but her expression says: How did I get into this mess?
Seconds later, the episode's title, "Birth Control," flashes on the screen.
That sort of wry, pointed presentation has helped the show lure thousands of viewers since its debut this past summer. Some may have been attracted by the provocative title, but this isn't pornography. Instead, it aims to teach teenagers about sex using risqué sketches, explicit language and anecdotes that draw on the teenage experiences of its two 28-year-old creators -- host Nikol Hasler, the aforementioned woman, and Guy Clark, an aspiring filmmaker.
Source: Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB119448733073986026.html
I've been sitting here at my keyboard now for some time trying to figure out what to write about this item. While I can think of reasons to praise the effort of the Midwest Teen Sex Show podcast of offering sex education to hard-to-reach teens, the content of the podcast leaves me sad and stinging.
Are these podcasts funny? Yes. Frank? No doubt about it. Do they provide an attractive, even hip, medium for teenagers searching for important information? Yup. Are they completely void of any morals? ABSOLUTELY! Therein lies the rub.
I have no doubt that in many circles, the Midwest Teen Sex Show is being lauded. I just can't join them. The podcast's creators are so pro-teen-sex oriented, that it simply can't be utilized by anyone who believes sex ought to be reserved for marriage. Some snippets from the podcasts to chew on:
On a "Con" of abstinence: "It's really boring."
On if you succeed in staying abstinent until you marry: "I feel bad for your future spouse."
Another abstinence "Con": "Sex takes practice. You can't just read a book to know how to do it. So, how else are you going to learn?" A graphic follows immediately to answer the question, with two animated stick figures. One says: "Porn." The other says: "Farm animals."
And so it goes. Other podcast episodes tackle issues of masturbation (separate shows for females and males), dating, the first time, and there's even one entitled "Backdoor Business" (you can figure it out -- and fyi, the stance is "for" not "against.")
As the news items report, the podcast is gaining in popularity. At this writing there are approximately 65,000 podcast subscribers. So, how do you keep your kids away from "resources" like the Midwest Teen Sex Show? Well, there's the obvious solution of parents setting clear expectations that their kids will not access sexuality-related sites or podcasts without specific permission. But, this doesn't really get to the heart of the matter. The heart of the matter is that teens want to learn more information about sexuality. They are intrigued by sex (aren't most adults also?) and I guarantee you that they care more for learning about sexuality right now than they do about learning theology! The question is, who will they receive their sexuality information from? If parents will commit to the task of helping their kids learn about sexuality (and do so in the context of a broadly-based, healthy, positive, moral, Biblical sexuality,) their kids will be less likely to search for information from sources that promote a valueless sexuality.
If you are looking for some help on how to start talking to your kids about sexuality, find our free resources on HomeWord.com.
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