Upcoming Classes

Wednesday, August 20th, 7-8:30pm

This 2 hour course is designed for children between the ages of 9-13 and a significant adult in their lives, such as a parent, aunt, grandparent, guardian or mentor. 

Topics include:

• abstinence
• anatomy and physiology
• menstruation
• nocturnal emissions
• reproduction
• physical changes during puberty
• adult/teen communication
• decision making skills

"Teen Talk" Workshop

Wednesday, September 24th, 7:00-8:30pm

Teen Talk is a 2 hour course for young women and men (ages 14-18) and a significant adult in their lives, such as a parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle, guardian, or mentor.

Topics include:

• parent commuincation
• abstience
• avoiding risky behaviors
• contraception
• using condoms
• reproductive health
• healthy relationships
• sexuality through the lifespan
• mixed messages in the media

These classes are free of charge.

Classes are held at the Evelyn Golden, M.D. Education Center within the Flint Health Center of Planned Parenthood, 3371 Beecher Rd, Flint, MI 48532.  For registration information please call Diane at 810/238-3631, Ext.326.Significant Adults and pre-teen Puberty Class

Parents as Primary Sex Educators and Safer Choices, a Teen Sexuality Program

Ask about bringing this class to your group or organization!

Thanks to a grant from the Ruth Mott foundation, Planned Parenthood of East Central Michigan has been able to test a pilot education program called “Parents as Primary Sex Educators". Its main goal is to create an environment where parents can gain the skills and resources to talk with their children about issues related to reproductive health and positive relationships.

The first session of the class provides parents with the latest knowledge on reproductive health.  Parents also gain communication skills, practicing these skills with each other and at home through a homework assignments. We create a group environment to allow parents to turn to each other for continued support.  The follwing sessions parents gain communication skills, practicing these skills with our teenaged peer educators. These are also a follow-up class which allows parents an opportunity to share their experiences with each other about the homework assignments.  Parents will be given the opportunity to discuss the successes and challenges they face with the group and devise strategies to allow better communication with their children.  They also have an opportunity to ask any questions that come up between classes.

PPECM believes very strongly that parents are children's first and most important educators when it comes to sexual health. Research shows that children are more likely to make healthy and responsible decisions about sex when there is positive communication and connection between parents and their children. Weinstein &Thornton, 1989 and  Lustor & Small, 1997 show that parents who share their values about sexuality influence whether teens have sexual intercourse. Barnett, Papini and Gbur, 1991; East, 1996b; Fox & Inazu, 1980; Furstenburg et al, 1985; Ward and Wyatt, 1994 and many more talk about how important open, positive and frequent parent/child communication about sex is associated with adolescents not having sexual intercourse. It is with this philosophy in mind that we created this program. 

Safer Choices is a teen sexuality program.  This program was tested in twenty Texas and California schools and was proven to:

• Delay the on set of EARLY sexuality awareness
• Increase effective contraception use
• Increase a student’s beliefs around the risk of getting HIV
• Reduce the number of sexual partners. 

The curriculum messages are:

• Not having sex is the SAFEST choice for preventing HIV, other STI’s,  and pregnancy
• People who do have sex should protect themselves by using a condom EVERY TIME. 

Through instruction by trained professional peer educators the messages are taught.  They use acting, games, dance and art so the lessons are animated and exciting to teens.