Geauga Teen Pregnancy Prevention Project (TPP)
Teen Parent Panel Training Manual
Geauga TPP
Teen Parent Training
Table of Contents
About TPP: Philosophy & Introduction2
Main Points By Program3
Teen Parent Panel Speaker Guidelines 4
"Tell It Like It Is" Panel Guideline5
Parenting 101 Questions6
Dear Mom & Dad Questions7
Geauga TPP Director
Karen Lackey
(440) 279-2097
TPP Philosophy:
TPP was founded on the premise that adolescents are able to make healthy decisions regarding their sexuality. TPP emphasizes abstinence as the healthiest and safest choice, and as the only 100% effective method of preventing STD transmission and unwanted pregnancy.
However, we know historically that many youth do not always choose the safest and best road in various situations. These youth do not deserve a death sentence through HIV infection, a sexually transmitted disease, or the consequences of an unwanted pregnancy.
As such, TPP's primary voice is that of promoting abstinence, though contraception is not treated as taboo. STD and contraceptive units are available to schools or organizations who add them in age appropriate section of their program.
School district personnel, classroom teachers, parents, youth and community leaders take a lead role in determining student needs and program content in many areas. Questions from teachers, parents and students are always answered in an honest and open manner.
Introduction:
3 ways TPP uses teen parents in programming:
1. Tell It Like It Is Parent Panel
2. "Dear Mom and Dad" evening for parents
3. Parenting 101, one of a generational parent panel/interview
Why TPP uses teen parents:
* Reality check and myth busting "It can happen to you"
* Youth. You remember what it was like, what you felt and thought at their age.
*To provide real life examples and give credibility for what we teach
Goal:
For parents to share only the parts of their "story", and their experiences, that support the Main Points and purpose of each program.
TPP Philosophy/Approach to Teaching:
A. Parents should be a primary source of sexuality and relationship information.
B. Abstinence=The best choice to keep yourself safe.
C. The Whole-Person Approach: Sex and relationships are about a lot more than teens think, including emotional, social, ethical and future risks.
D. Myths and media are not real - don't believe it no matter how often you hear it.
E. Communication is the answer to most issues, questions and problems.
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Main Points By Program
Ready For The Pressure - 8th Grade
* Decision Making: Using all parts of "BOB" when making decisions
* Identify, Communicate & Avoid risky situations
* Personal Standards: your rules, values and sticking to them
* Abstinence: Planning and deciding to wait
Tell It Like It Is - 9th Grade Assertive Communication Training
* Why teens don't talk about sex, risks, values (Passive). Why it is important to talk.
* The influence of "your little voice" (Internal Pressure).
* Setting Standards. Did you have them? Did you break them? Why? (Whole Person). Always say no to unwanted touch/pressure.
* Myths: People talk but don't do it (46%). Sex makes relationships better. Sex is no big deal if you don't get pregnant.
* Relationships. Love, communication, differences as an adult, future marriage (Levels and the road).
"Dear Mom and Dad" presentation for teens and their parents
Purpose:
A. To open the door for communication between teens and their parents
B. To give parents a reality check about what kids face, know and do in middle school and high school.
C. To let parents know, now that you look back, what would have helped you avoid your situation, so they can help their kids.
Examples from past presentations:
"No one prepared me for how strong my emotions were going to be"
"My parents always gave in when they punished me"
"Famous 3 words"
Parenting 101
Purpose: The real and permanent life impact of parenting, and the knowledge and skills necessary to be a good one.
Goals:
A. To give kids an understanding of the awesome responsibility (both good and bad) of having a child.
B. Affect their thinking that "I'll just keep the baby", or "we'll just get married". It's not as easy as that.
C. Provide insight into the future regarding how everything they do and learn today will influence the kind of parent they are in the future.
Structure of Panel:
Teens will sit as one of a generational panel of parents. Students will ask questions/interview parents about any parenting topic.
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TPP Teen Parent Panel Speaker Guidelines
Professionalism
This is a job. It might not be a regular or frequent job, but it is a paying job.
Be on time (5-10 minutes before bell rings) & don’t leave early, classes are short, every minute counts. Pay will be cut and/or you will no longer be used as a speaker for repeated offenses. It is understood that sometimes emergencies/illnesses happen. Please give me a minimum of 24 hours notice if possible when you can not attend a scheduled event. Please allow yourself extra time to get to the school in which you are speaking at. In the event that you are running late, call or text me immediately so I can notify the TPP Instructor.
Greet the classroom teacher, shake their hand, and introduce yourself. Help our instructor set up for the panel. YOU are the face of TPP! Make us look good! We will be surveying the teachers to see how they liked you.
Please dress appropriately. A good guide is to follow a general school dress code. We know you probably have a tough schedule to keep and we all have kids, but try not to look like you just rolled out of bed. Keep it neat. This means no dirty clothes, sweat pants or pajama bottoms. Jeans are O.K. (If you are coming from or going to work, uniforms are also appropriate and ok if they are a bit dirty)
If you are a smoker, please do your best not to walk in to a classroom trailing a strong smoke smell. The kids always comment on it and you may lose a connection to some kids that way.
Be mindful of your language. Be candid, but also appropriate.
Pay
If you are chosen to be a speaker you will bill once a month for 8 months. Send all invoices to Courtney McIvor at the end of each month at or 17614 Millbrook Dr., Chagrin Falls44023.
Invoices will be available the day you speak or can be emailed to you. Be sure to fill in the dates you spoke on panel and the schools you spoke at (not the school you graduated from or are currently attending). You MUST have your address, signature and Social Security number filled in on the invoice, or you will not be paid.
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Teen Parent Panel Outline
“Tell it Like It Is”
Intro:
Name, age & age when had baby
School you graduated from
Child’s name & Child’s age
Married/unmarried (or are you still with father/mother of baby?)
Quick “Your Story” (3 minutes)
Setting Standards:
Did you have them? Did you know your values well?
Did you break them? Why? (puzzle person).
Did you always say no to unwanted touch/pressure? Why? (85% DON’T!)
How/why did you make the decision to have sex for the first time?
Why it’s important to talk:
Why don’t teens talk about sex, risks, and values? (Passive)
Did you talk to bg/gf about previous partners or STI's?
Did you talk to your bf/gf about pregnancy?
Did you talk to your bf/gf about contraception?
Emotions:
Did things change in your relationship after sex? (Did sex become the focus)
Was the relationship better or worse?
Was there more or less trust after sex? (Jealousy)
Did your emotions allow you to disregard risk?
How did your relationship change after baby?
“Your Little Voice”:
What did you tell yourself about sex? (Internal Pressure)
Did you think it was no big deal? Why?
What are some stereotypes or myths about sex in high school? (bf will break up with you, all guys want is sex, you’re “prude” if you don’t)
Bust these Myths for kids:
Everyone’s doing it. (only 48% nationally have had sex as a teen)
Sex makes relationships better. (Emotionally, socially)
Sex is no big deal if you don’t get pregnant.
Your relationship will be better because you’ll be closer to your bf/gf (emotional)
Birth control and condoms will keep you totally safe. (Physical)
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Parenting 101
Panel Questions
Typical Interview Questions
1. What was the biggest change in your life after the birth of your first child?
2. What was the biggest myth, or misconception you had about parenthood before you experienced it?
3. Who does most (more than 50%) of the care of your children, mom or dad?
4. What is the most difficult and the most rewarding part of being a parent?
5. What did you change about yourself (if anything) to become a good or better parent?
6. If there is one quality that you feel a parent can't do without, what would it be?
Possible Questions
1. What was your first reaction when the nurse handed you the baby?
2. Why did you decide to become a parent?
3. Do you believe in spanking? Why or why not?
4. What is more important, your relationship with your spouse or with your children?
5. Think about your skills as a parent. When in your life did you start to learn these skills?
6. Some people think that unhealthy behavior (drugs, alcohol abuse) are okay as long as your kids don't see or know you do it. What do you think?
7. Do you think it would be easier to be a single parent (less arguing, decisions, etc)?
8. What is the most important advice you give/will give your children?
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Dear Mom and Dad Questions
- When you were 12 or 13, what were “relationships” about? How did it change in high school and why?
- When you were this age, what were your values or standards regarding dating, relationships, sex and marriage? Same as parents’ standards?
- What kind of sexual pressure is there in middle school? How about high school? Other kinds of pressure that affected your values/actions? Looking back, how would you have handled the pressure differently?
- What did your parents tell you, or talk to you about specifically regarding sex or relationships, at any age (little kid, middle school, high school).
- What do you wish they would have said or done, explained to you, or prepared you for differently?
- What do you think are the most important questions kids have (at this age, or early high school) but are afraid to ask their parents?
- At what age, and how often, do you think parents should talk to their kids about sexuality topics?
- If parents aren’t the main source of information and influence, who usually is? Is media up there too?
- How many of you be surprised if you heard of a 7th or 8th grader that was sexually active?
- In your experience, what is the number 1 reason girls first decide to have sex? What about guys? Does anyone ever talk about those differences?
- What do all of you see as the biggest “myths” that kids believe that influences their decisions and increases the pressure?
- What do you know about the reality of STD’s in today’s society?
- What are the real facts you want parents and kids to know.
- Looking back with everything you know now, if you didn’t get pregnant, would you still have regretted your decision to have sex, and why?
- For those of you who are happily married, what’s the difference between what you thought sex was all about before marriage, as opposed to what you know in the context of marriage?
- What is one piece of advice you would like to leave with the parents in the room tonight?