Introduction
Most the adolescents are at risks of many dangers like unwanted pregnancies, alcohol and other related dangers that affect the state of a child to work and do what is expected in a society. A research that was carried out in America showed that more than 47% of high school teens are sexually active, meaning that such children are not easy to control without taking the required directions that will be applicable to advise a student before reaching adolescence stage. There is an indication that about 15% of students have more than four sexual partners and most of the students do not use protective devices that can control diseases and pregnancies. They’re also an indication that about a third of the students use tobacco whereas more than 90% of adult smokers began to smoke during this adolescent stage and three-quarters of teen smokers made an attempt to quit this problem. The research also showed that about a quarter of high school teens use marijuana, where about 5% use cocaine and about 3% use inhalants. (Alice, 2003)
Discussion
There are high recorded of dating violence in which about 23% of high school students have been involved in rape or forced sex, by the later years of a student then there is about 70% of male and female students who have a record of dating violence and most of males and females receive and inflict the dating violence in equal proportions. Another research was done on disordered eating where about half of teens are actively trying to lose weight, where about 6% have used laxatives, 2% have anorexia, 4% have bulimia and the female teens are many times more likely than male teens to have disordered eating. This means that adolescents have been in danger of these risks because in life of an individual this is the worst stage that should be taken with a lot of care and seriousness so that the dangers can be avoided before they occur.
Most of the dangers like pregnancies have to be taken without a lot of concern so that one can know the factors that lead to this problem. Most of the known factors include multiple aspects of positive reproductive health, which include delayed sexual initiation, reduction of frequency of sexual activity and a number of sex partners. The individual factors are associated with positive reproductive health behaviors in which the individual characteristics like gender, race and age are determining factors that lead to engagement in practices that may lead to pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. The females are seen to be involved in sexual intercourse at an early age than males and those who experience great levels of sexual activity, racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to engage in behaviors that are related to early pregnancies. (Blum, 1997)
There are other factors that are associated with positive reproductive health behaviors that include sports, religious activities, individual engagement and performance in school. This means that a student who is actively involved in such activities will be likely to lead to pregnancies and other dangers that accompany sex. So that this problem can be dealt with then there is need to involve the students with outside activities so that they can avoid the risk behaviors. The use of alcohol and drugs are also other factors that lead to risky sexual behaviors. This is because a person who is already in a state of drunkness and alcohol will not have principles and control behaviors. The problem is that such a person is out of senses and cannot be able to know exactly what is right and wrong. Another factor is that a person who is highly motivated and confident that they will delay sexual initiation is likely to be involved in bad practices and if they have their peers who are deep in such behaviors then it is not possible for one to leave this kind of behavior.
The thing is that a person knows what he or she is supposed to do depending on the principles that direct him or her. The family background is another factor that has got high contribution to behaviors of teens. Like for example if a child is from a divorced family then it is likely that such a child will engage in practices like sex so that he or she can earn living. Also a child will feel that there are things that are lacking in lifelike parental care that will push this child to practices that are not desirable. The child who is left without parental support will have hard time dealing with dangers that occupy that adolescent stage. This is because it will be hard to know the best behavior to follow so that one can have happy life. If one is from a poor family then in this stage of adolescence a person will be forced to move out and search for means of living and satisfaction of basic needs this will lead to behaviors that are not accepted in the family and society at large. The relationship between parent-adolescent is very much important in making decisions on which behavior to follow this is because depending on how a child is close to parents then it will have impact on behavior to follow. (Ben, 1990)
If a child does not communicate with parents regular then there is a likelihood of this child engaging in practices that are not required leading to dangers in his or her life. The peers of adolescents are also important in that if one stays with people who are users of drugs and do not have any care of life such a person will not be able to control him or her life from such actions this is because one will feel out of place and therefore the need to engage in practices that are done by others so as to feel in the right place. Such peers will have high influence on one’s life, as they are the determining factor of what to be done and what to be left out.
A partner is another factor where one has to know who to associate with. This is because they are people who do not accept use of contraceptives meaning that there is a likelihood of getting unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. This is because most people do not feel safe with one partner and they move out with all sorts of people without using contraceptives meaning that it is easy for one to contact disease that will be dangerous to the other partner. The school context is another factor that contributes to bad behaviors this is because the children learn things from books and others from teachers. When that child will reach this stage then he or she will be in need of learning the things that were taught in class practically from such practices then a child will get diseases and other dangers involved in bad practices. (Alex, 1999)
Adolescent stage is seen as the stage when a child is ready to learn all sorts of things practically without been directed by elder people. Other factors that can lead to bad practices are community where a child grows up to be an adult. In a community a child should be taught the norms and rules that are right so as to grow up as a responsible person but if the society and community are in violence and does not have time for children then they will move out and grow just in a manner which they feel is right. This will mean that norms that are to be observed will not be followed leading to further conflicts, as no one will be in need to know direction that is taken by a child. This will make a child grow as a person who will not benefit the society and community because what will be done will not allow him or her to fit in that place. The neighbors and other community dwellers will take advantage of this condition and waste lives of these children in their young ages leading to problems in a community and nation at large.
Another factor is need to satisfy basic needs, this is a state when one is poor and requires basic needs like clothing, food and other important requirements in life. Such a person will only see an option is to engage in practices that can lead to gaining of money that will be used to cover costs that have been used to purchase such things. A person will find it hard to leave these practices because they contribute to their living. Most adolescents are involved in practices like prostitution and other practices that can earn them income leading to dangers of diseases. The risks that are faced by adolescents can be reduced through the involvement of parents in activities that are seen to contribute to bad practices. Like in schoolteachers should ensure that they involve parents in curbing behaviors of students in their young stages before they grow up. This can be through use of punishments and rewards and assisting needy students with basic needs so as to feel in the right place. The society should play part in ensuring that set norms are followed this will have to be very serious in dealing with lawbreakers so that the rest can learn from those who do not follow the set rules. (Alan, 2000)
All should follow the norms and the parents should set an example so that their children can use them as role models. The norms can be enforced by rewarding those who do right and punishing wrongdoers when an action has already been done. The parents should ensure that even if there are problems in their family then it should be solved within the shortest time possible not to affect the life of a child. If it cannot be solved then a child-parent relationship should be maintained so that they can feel they have caring parents even if there are problems. Without parental care then one will be forced to seek fort care and assistance from outside that will be very much risky, as the people whom a child will consult may not be willing to assist as a parent.
This will lead to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. The parents should also strive to ensure that children get all that they require like clothing and food so that they will not have problems. Most of the actions that are done by a child are out of their senses as they have no other option because what they require is not available, this is a challenge to parents meaning that they are supposed to provide needs to children with or without money this is important because a parent can be employed as a casual worker and bring with him or her basic needs but for a child it is a bother. The teachers have a task of educating students on behaviors that are not acceptable this is done through punishments and holding of training programs so that they can train, advise and counsel them on dangers that are caused by bad behaviors. The teachers should know the behaviors of their children in school so that they can know how to help and assist the affected child. This is only possible through the teachers having good relationship with their students so that the students feel free to ask questions before they do nothing that they do not know. (Abam, 2004)
This will save lives of many students because if a relationship is lacking students will not be free to ask their teachers things that are not understood and it is likely that such a child will get involved in bad behaviors. A child should choose peers that have right behavior in that most of the time one should be occupied so that they lack time to waste with people who are meaningless. This will be true because with no time to waste then it will not be possible to get time for other people who are not careful on what is happening in world around them. A person should be able to have partners who are serious and trustworthy, this is because most of the partners are not honest and open leading to practices that can lead to disease. The fact is that one should have one partner and if one cannot live with one partner then he or she should be ready to use contraceptives. Even with this one partner as long as one is not married should use of contraceptives to avoid pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. For the addicts of drugs and alcohol then they should undergo counseling on how to avoid use of these drugs that may be harmful to their health and also cause other health problems together with sexually transmitted diseases. The adolescents should be ready to follow instructions so as to do what they are taught by their elders. This will be possible if one will be felt to follow the set conditions and have instructions followed within the shortest time possible.
Conclusion
Adolescents are hard to deal with but parents and society and nation at large should be ready to train and advice these adolescents within their young ages so that they can know what is best for them to do. If they are left to grow up without care and counseling then it will be hard to deal with such people and a nation will face dangers of many useless people. The parents should be ready to advise their children about dangers of bad behaviors.
Reference
Abam, Y. (2004): use of contraceptives to reduce risk in adolescents. National center for health statistics.
Alan, (2000): teenage statistics guttmacher institute. New York.
Alex, P. (1999): sexual risk behaviors. Advocates for youth. United states.
Alice, K. (2003): teenage risks. Health center statistics. New York.
Ben, Y. (1990): decision making for adolescent risks. Pediatric annals, 34, pp, 90.
Blum, H. (1997): effects of adolescent risk. Contraceptive use ands pregnancy 90, pp, 78.