Teenage boy

[Dole_whip_doll]

Regarding schools teaching sex Ed and/or giving out protection....I know ours does not because there are issues with parents complaint that it goes against their beliefs/teachings. You’ll anger people whether you teach abstinence/protection or both.
I remember in high school there was this motivational speaker that would go around with this speech where he’d call someone up onstage and hand them an opened toothbrush. It didn’t look gross or nasty. He’d ask the volunteer if they’d brush their teeth with it. People would always say no because they didn’t know where it had been/other people use it/etc. Then he’d have one in the box and same thing.

The speech was about knowing where it’s been before you use it as a comparison to sex. I thought it was a smart way to present it. Anyways....about 5 years later parents were alllll up in arms, how dare the school have a presentation like that. So then there was a permission form parents had to sign. Then parents were all up in arms again because they signed it but it didn’t actually spell out the entire speech and meaning behind it. So the school just never had the speaker again.
In health whoever teaches it will briefly go over STDs.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

He can get his own though I don't see the harm in providing if you want to. I think there's more a difference in reliance on getting it from someone else vs getting it on your own vs someone giving it to you because they want to (which the OP seems to be in this category).

OP the only thing I can offer is if you think the son would be embarassed find a place that doesn't require an attendant to get it or open up a case for it. If he's on the shy end of that that may deter him from buying it himself or getting the one proper for him even though there shouldn't be any shame about buying that

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If he's old enough to go off to college, he's old enough to figure out how to buy condoms. This isn't 1950, where you have to ask the druggist for them--just walk into any drug store, Walmart, grocery store, gas station...

The Walmart closest to me though you have to push a button which calls an attendant to unlock the case that has those and other things related to it. After a while of having to wait an eternity for an attendant I just started going across the street to CVS where it's just out in the aisles. I don't believe all the Walmarts around me are like that either and can only assume it's an anti-theft measure as the hairdryers are also under lock and key.

 

[Dole_whip_doll]

The Walmart closest to me though you have to push a button which calls an attendant to unlock the case that has those and other things related to it. After a while of having to wait an eternity for an attendant I just started going across the street to CVS where it's just out in the aisles. I don't believe all the Walmarts around me are like that either and can only assume it's an anti-theft measure as the hairdryers are also under lock and key.

off topic, but here it’s razor blades (and I don’t mean individual straight razor blades) and ALL makeup. With the makeup you HAVE to pay for it in THAT section. They won’t even put it in the locked box to take up front.

our Ulta also has like Tile trackers on makeup, but with it, if you walls around with it too long, it starts beeping horribly.

 

[disneychrista]

off topic, but here it’s razor blades (and I don’t mean individual straight razor blades) and ALL makeup.

And Men's Socks. Woman's sock seem to be okay but Men's Socks seem to be a HOT item.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I remember in high school there was this motivational speaker that would go around with this speech where he’d call someone up onstage and hand them an opened toothbrush. It didn’t look gross or nasty. He’d ask the volunteer if they’d brush their teeth with it. People would always say no because they didn’t know where it had been/other people use it/etc. Then he’d have one in the box and same thing.

The speech was about knowing where it’s been before you use it as a comparison to sex. I thought it was a smart way to present it. Anyways....about 5 years later parents were alllll up in arms, how dare the school have a presentation like that. So then there was a permission form parents had to sign. Then parents were all up in arms again because they signed it but it didn’t actually spell out the entire speech and meaning behind it. So the school just never had the speaker again.
In health whoever teaches it will briefly go over STDs.

Oh boy... Hopefully that wasn’t the wording they used, otherwise, I understand the outrage.

Sure, OP, facilitate your child’s access to birth control. If you would do it for your daughter, why not your son?

 

[SamFaniam]

And Men's Socks. Woman's sock seem to be okay but Men's Socks seem to be a HOT item.

Baby formula and saffron.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

off topic, but here it’s razor blades (and I don’t mean individual straight razor blades) and ALL makeup. With the makeup you HAVE to pay for it in THAT section. They won’t even put it in the locked box to take up front.

our Ulta also has like Tile trackers on makeup, but with it, if you walls around with it too long, it starts beeping horribly.

Last year my husband was working in Long Beach, CA so the few times I visited him (instead of him coming home) I got a taste of how that area's Walmarts were. Nearly everything I needed seemed to be under lock and key from razors blades (I needed replacement ones for like the Venus razors), to shampoos/conditioners and bodywash, to deodorant, seemed like nearly that whole section of stuff (as well as perfume and most makeup) was under the lock and key cabinets. I think the one location in particular you could put it in the locked box or pay for it right then and there if you wanted to. I was def. not used to that with how much stuff was like that.

Travel sized stuff wasn't under lock and key though.

 

[pearlieq]

There's really no reasonable scenario where a college student wouldn't have access. Seriously - none.

It's midnight on Friday, they're in the dorms, they don't have a car, and the student health center closed at 5pm? Sure, they could try to bum some from someone, but that's both awkward and not a reliable strategy.

I would love to live in a perfect world where all kids get comprehensive sex education and always remember to pre-purchase condoms on the off chance they'll be needed, but humans, and especially young adults, just don't function that way. Even with everything we have available and among fully-grown adults, half of pregnancies are unintended! I'd rather give a kid every chance to not find themselves in a difficult situation.

 

[hereyago]

Just because he has been private to you about girls, it doesn’t mean he hasn’t done the hibbity bippity with girls that he didn’t want to bring home.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

When my son left for Uni, I made up a fun, jokey gift box. A mixed box of condoms, a new pair of underpants, and socks, a poster, cold and flu medicine, shower gel, a funny note with my telephone number, an alarm clock, some chocolate and his favourite snacks and a nice letter wishing him well. Just some silly stuff. I did the same for my daughter too.

 

[QueenIsabella]

When my son left for Uni, I made up a fun, jokey gift box. A mixed box of condoms, a new pair of underpants, and socks, a poster, cold and flu medicine, shower gel, a funny note with my telephone number, an alarm clock, some chocolate and his favourite snacks and a nice letter wishing him well. Just some silly stuff. I did the same for my daughter too.

I did something similar with my oldest. Not so much jokey things, but "Mom's Box of Useful Items". It had Goo Gone, a roll of quarters (she needed them for laundry), tape, bandaids, scissors, advil, and, yes, condoms.

It's kind of funny--I did by condoms for my DD when she was 15--not so much for her, but because she had a friend who was sexually active. I mentioned this to a friend of mine, and she said, back in HS, her sister was one of the few people bold enough to buy condoms. Sis then sold them to her meek friends! I thought that was so funny. But, by the time I went to college, every guy I knew had a stash--at least the classic "ring in the wallet", although some were way more optimistic.

 

[Suger Mag]

We taught our boys that if you're man enough to do it, you'd better be man enough to take care of getting protection!

Our thoughts too. Took my son to the store, gave him money and told him to go in and buy some... Told him the first time is the worst for buying them, and he will never be as aware of which clerk is ringing things up LOL, but if you want to be adult enough to do it, you had better be able to be adult enough to go buy them.

 

[tzolkin]

Right? Don't they teach sex ed in schools anymore?

Some are “abstinence only” and provide nearly no information.

Even if they do provide information about contraceptives/STD prevention, that doesn’t mean the kids have access to it.

I think the majority have said “if he’s old enough to have sex, he’s old enough to buy condoms by himself”, but I don’t think it’s fair to assume every teen has that access. What if they can’t drive (and their friends don’t either)? Sure, they could figure it out with some planning and coordinating, but I think they will be more likely to just not bother (especially if the use of condoms isn’t being emphasized or discussed).

In an ideal world teens will be prepared and take precautions. In practice they will often use it if it’s readily available but if not, oh well, they’ll just get swept away in the heat of the moment without.

 

[Disneylover99]

Just because he has been private to you about girls, it doesn’t mean he hasn’t done the hibbity bippity with girls that he didn’t want to bring home.

Yeah. And maybe he’s not even using condoms.
So mom, hurry up and get your son some condoms, right now!!! Lol.

 

[sam_gordon]

There's really no reasonable scenario where a college student wouldn't have access. Seriously - none.

Speaking as a former teenage boy who was shy around girls (went on one date in HS) and then went away to college... I remember college mixers for freshmen for a couple days before school started. Let's just say at that point the access was needed, but not available. Campus health department gave condoms away for free, but it wasn't open (and I don't know that we knew about it at that time), stores were too far. When the moment strikes, the moment strikes, whether you have protection available or not. Sure, you can rely on kids to say "no", but we've seen how well that has worked through the ages.

OP, just buy a box, put it in his stack of stuff to take to school and then tell him "I bought these for you. If you don't need them, great. If you do need them, you have them." And that's all.

 

[pxidst119]

I have teen DDs and we have pretty open conversations about things. I’m surprised at how little information is provided in health class. There’s lots about healthy relationships and substance abuse and mental health but very little about sex and STDs. I went to an inner city high school in the 90s and I clearly remember health class having a whole table full of birth control options and in depth discussions on how to use each of them safely so I was surprised at how little info they are getting today. I think that education and having the facts was really what deterred me from any risky behavior at that age.

As far as OPs question, I think while it may be awkward, he will probably appreciate it. To me it’s just fact of life.

 

[wildride]

We taught our boys that if you're man enough to do it, you'd better be man enough to take care of getting protection!

Same here. We didn’t give body parts cutsie names. We answered questions honestly and were very open about all of life’s challenges. Got all my kids to there 20s with no arrests, no real drama & no kids. Sex
Is part of life but of course boys would rather here from Dad or brothers so Mom, umm no backseat on this one.
That being said if you are the only parent - go for it.

 

[Dole_whip_doll]

Oh boy... Hopefully that wasn’t the wording they used, otherwise, I understand the outrage.

Sure, OP, facilitate your child’s access to birth control. If you would do it for your daughter, why not your son?

you would be outrageous over the phrase “use a toothbrush”?

 

[sam_gordon]

you would be outrageous over the phrase “use a toothbrush”?

I think the phrase in question was "before you use it". Look at the post they quoted, and the segment they bolded.