“Just Say Know” – The Body Scoop for Girls

The most embarrassing and horrifying moment of my childhood was when my mother took out her sketch pad and explained the mechanics of sex.  We sat side-by-side on our rust-colored velour couch as she casually explained sex, “the man puts his penis into a woman’s vagina…”  I thought I was going to die and I’m sure I stopped breathing many times during what seemed to be a three-hour long lecture – complete with hand-drawn pictures.  It really only lasted 15 minutes. 

Fast forward 30-odd years and now I am contemplating the big talk with kid #1.  It ranks as one of the most important life topics and unfortunately, it isn’t simply a one-time “sex talk.” I wish!  For the better part of the decade, I’ve been preparing because the only thing that scares me more than the “talk” is teen pregnancy, STDs, and death. 

Like most parents, I’d like for my children to wait for their one and only.  The reality is that 60 percent of teen girls have sex before they are eighteen.  Dr. Jennifer Ashton, author of The Body Scoop for Girls, urges adolescent girls to “wait as long as possible for sex – at least until eighteen.  The longer you wait for sex, the better your lifetime health.”  Her recommendation is based on medical facts and her book is “a straight talk guide to a healthy and beautiful you.” The Body Scoop for Girls covers every conceivable topic important to a teen girl – sex, STDs, bones, breasts, weight, depression, the pill, condoms, periods, beauty, drinking, smoking, drugs, exercise, water and more. 

A go-to-guide for girls 13 to 18 years old, The Body Scoop for Girls is without question, the most important book I have ever read as a mother and woman!  Not only does Dr. Ashton provide a straight-forward discussion on sex, she also offers up street smart advice, like the chapter on “Never tell your boyfriend you’re on the pill and other rules for a healthy sex life.”  Her other four simple rules: 

1. Tell your parents when you are sexually active.
2. If you engage in adult behavior, you need to act like an adult.
3. Never do anything you don’t want to do.
4. Never date guys more than a year older. 

Her overall message – “Just Say Know.”  She wants girls to know the facts about anything that impacts their health. It is a powerful message and the most direct path to self respect and empowerment.  As a mother, I can’t make the choices for my future teens – but I can give them good, factual information. 

Here are my top three must-read sexuality/health books for parents and daughters:

• From Diapers to Dating by Debra Hafftner (guide for parents on how to raise sexually healthy children from infancy to middle school)
• The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls from the American Girl Library (guide for preteen girls – a sweet and simple primer to a girl’s changing body)
• The Body Scoop for Girls by Dr. Jennifer Ashton (guide for teen girls – a must-read for parents too as it’s a great tool for connecting and talking with your teen)

Disclaimer:  Michele received a free copy of The Body Scoop for Girls as a member of SV Mom’s Book Club.  Fact:  I’ll buy and gift this important book many times over in the future to friends and family.