Prom Sex And An Otherwise Perfectly Great Night

Promiscuity and promises

Ask any girl who's looking forward to her prom and she can probably tell you how many weeks, days and hours it is before she steps into her limo with her date and heads off for the biggest party of her life.

Ask Trojan which is the biggest selling period of the year for condoms, and they're likely to tell you it's prom season.

High school is a steaming kettle of hormonal adolescents, struggling with their unfolding sexuality, their studies and their social lives as best they can. Peer pressure was around since pre-school so while it's nothing new, the kinds of temptations and persuasions are becoming more serious. The possibility of prom sex is visible on the horizon.

Many a teen movie has been built around the hilarious antics of kids at the prom, getting up to mischief, drinking enough alcohol to sink a couple of ageing Rolling Stones and indulging in a little 'herbal therapy' to calm the nerves. The reality, however, is not so funny. Parents can laugh along with their sons and daughters while watching the same DVD, but when it comes time to send their own out the front door and into the manic, buzzy atmosphere of the actual event, the giggles give way to apprehension. Perhaps prom sex is an urban myth, they wonder.

For the prom-going youth, all the months of planning have centred on what to wear, whom to go with, how to get there and how much they can spend. Hopefully, parents' preparations have unfolded over not just months, but years. How well, they wonder, have they raised their child? Have they instilled in him/her values that will ensure the prom is an evening of mostly wholesome enjoyment? Have they imparted enough information to get their teenager through the temptations of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll that are very possibly going to be there for the taking on this night? Will he/she come back home with body unharmed, health intact and lots of funny stories?

Well what's a parent to do?
If they follow the leads of the propaganda machines, they should sentimentally track down condoms in color co-ordinated wrappers to match their daughter's gown and insist that she carry them in her purse, just in case she makes the choice to partake in prom sex. And for the young man, a wink and a glint, a fistful of dollars for "a decent hotel room" and a few words of advice: "Go get 'em, Tiger!"

No, really, is prom sex something that ought to be discouraged, turned a blind eye to, or considered a given?

Why can't kids go out and have a fantastic time and enjoy a dance or ten, live it up in almost adult style and do it all without the mind-altering substances? Surely it can't be that unrealistic.

The problem is, Prom Night is considered a rite of passage, a bigger-than-big night of nights. It's the high school equivalent of the Academy Awards, complete with red carpet appearances. "Study hard, darling, get good grades and you can let your hair down at the prom," junior and senior students are encouraged. Promises, promises.

If your kids are dating while they're in high school, there's really no reason to assume that they won't indulge in prom sex, is there? While you're determined to be their best friend, and not intrude on their teenage need for privacy, they're dealing with issues of promiscuity, abstinence, birth control, reputation and other common teen dilemmas.

The best preparation for your child's prom night is a lifetime of teaching and guidance.