My Family's Little Discussion About HIV/AIDS

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I totally concur that pre-marital sex is the Pandora box of not only diseases such as HIV/AIDS, but coupled to different social issues.  More so, we have to remember that condoms are not 100% effective against HIV/AIDS.  Condoms do not protect you from STDs.  Hence, the optimal courses of action to avoid these diseases are prevention and risk avoidance, never complacency.  Abstinence and fidelity are concepts that are rooted in the character and values of the person.  These goals can be sustainably achieved with character and values entered education, not by mere information dissemination and slogans.

I have two kids, both boys ages 7 and 11.  As news of escalating HIV/AIDS cases are prevalent on TV here in Papua New Guinea and in TFC, my boys started questing me how these people adopted suchlike diseases.  I told them (pardon me with these wordings), “You are not permitted nor any other person to touch your genitals, otherwise, you will contract the virus.”  I know it sounded silly if not irrelevant.  Possibly some will discord, nevertheless I value it is age appropriate.  What I’m driving at is, my kids shall have to know their body foremost and learn the importance of their bodies.  To constantly ascertain them that what they have “down there” is not like any other parts of their bodies such as face which you can show-off, but rather as it is hidden it means it is sacred and must be taken care of.  And then later on in school as part of their Science class, they will realize what our reproductive organs are capable of producing, which is another form of life.  By which perhaps subsequently in their lives as their rationality have fully-pledged, they will come to a discernment that our body is consecrate and “sex” is not a past time.  As I’ve said earlier, “character and values education” are our principal artillery to combat these diseases.  I never said that I'm already there, but I'm crossing my finger.  What a delicate task for parents, isn’t it? =).

Further, I consort in teaching sicknesses as HIV and AIDS in schools as early as possible.  Children must learn how viruses of such cripple our body, weaken our organs, deteriorate our system, shorten our lives, plus the halting of our dreams and future because of social stigma.  And these diseases were contracted because of unprotected and premarital sex, and promiscuity.  Perhaps, it will be equally effective as yearly’s New Year campaign of “Huwag Magpaputok”.