It’s normal for teenagers to be curious about sex and even to become sexually active in adolescence. Parenting a sexually active teen is difficult enough, but when your teenager is also a defiant teen, you as a parent have every reason to be afraid of their choices and worry about the possible consequences. As a parent, you may want to ask an expert, “How do you recommend to deal with a sexually active defiant teenager?”

Defiant teens are generally not open to guidance from parents or other authority figures when it comes to practicing safe sex, setting boundaries with partners and grasping the possible consequences of teen sex. When it comes to defiant behavior issues with teens, Help Your Teen now is a valuable resource for parents to get the help they need to reach their child.

Many teens become sexually active without their parents knowing, so it’s important to have conversations about sex, sexuality and keeping safe well before your child’s first experience. Because defiant teenagers often behave in ways that they know will provoke their parents, they may take sexual risks and won’t heed advice about keeping safe or avoiding negative consequences. As a parent, your main goal is to keep your teen safe and healthy when it comes to sexual activity and work on setting boundaries with your child under the guidance of a professional therapist.

Many parents feel frustrated or angry with their teen when they discover their child has become sexually active, and many overreact by judging, shaming and otherwise driving their child further away. Instead of lashing out at an already defiant teen, parents should do as much as they can to ensure the teens understand appropriate boundaries, have access to and use protection and identify aspects of teen sexual relationships that are unhealthy. The teen’s immediate health and safety are the most important thing. Dealing with the behavior issues and any sexually deviant behavior can be addressed via therapy.

While parents may feel that providing information and resources for sexually active defiant teens is condoning the behavior. However, parents need to understand that their teen is already sexually active and may not be educated on the risky situation they are suddenly in. Communication about drinking, protection and a teen’s right to say no are critical to keeping your teen safe for now.

Many teens have plenty of excuses to act in sexually irresponsible ways. They may feel that they can’t afford or can’t find protection or that their boyfriend or girlfriend won’t love them anymore if they don’t agree to sex. Teens who are trying to get a reaction from their parents by becoming sexually defiant may not be as eager to engage in the behavior when parents don’t freak out. Teens, whether defiant or not, rarely think about the consequences of sexual activity, like emotional entanglements, reputation, diseases or pregnancy.

In therapy, teens can work with an adolescent therapist who can help them better understand their reasons for engaging in risky sexual behavior. The therapist can also help the entire family in making changes to create a better relationship. Help Your Teen Now understands how hard it is to start the process of finding help for a troubled teen. As a parent advocate group who understands where you’ve been in dealing with your defiant teen, we are ready to give you the guidance and support you need to provide your teen with proper professional help.