“Her period was two weeks late, and I never have waited so long for something. I was thinking, I'm not ready for a child.”
—David, New Jersey
Sex Education by Teens, for Teens!
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“Her period was two weeks late, and I never have waited so long for something. I was thinking, I'm not ready for a child.”
—David, New Jersey
I want to be intimate with my partner, but I don't want to have sex. Is this possible?
Yes. It's possible to be intimate with someone and still skip the sexual intercourse, which means vaginal, anal, or oral.
As you get to know each other, you will discover lots of things that feel good and make you feel closer, but don't lead to sexual intercourse.
The most important thing to do is talk with your partner before things get hot and heavy. You both have to be real clear about what kind of touching is allowed and what's off limits. So, is kissing OK, but not other touching? Is touching above the waist OK, but not below?
Make a promise to each other that things will stop at a certain point. Then agree that both of you are responsible for sticking to those limits. The last thing you want is for sex to "just happen." That's how too many teens ended up facing an unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases (STD).
Some couples have a code word that means, "Stop now! Things are going too far." If either partner uses the code word, both partners stop, cool down, and decide if things have gone too far. It's also a smart idea to keep condoms on hand, just in case.
And remember, if you ever have penis-in-vagina sex without a condom, girls can take a back-up method of birth control called emergency contraception (EC), also known as the "morning-after pill" or Plan B.
And if you have unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sex, then you are also at risk for STDs. To find a clinic for STD testing near you, click here.