"Get Real: Comprehensive Sex Education That Works" is middle-curriculum that's encouraged young teens to delay sex with classroom learning and parental involvement.

Planned Parenthood and New York University's Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health recently debuted results of a national survey that included 1,663 parent-child pairings. While more than 80 percent of parents and children reported that they'd had some conversation about sexuality, and most started when their children were aged 14 or younger, some key topics were never addressed.

By age 21, 1 in 5 parents have never talked with teens about strategies for saying no to sex, birth control methods, or where to get accurate sexual health information. Over 30 percent of parents have never talked with their teens about where to get reproductive health care services. These are necessary topics for parents to discuss with their teens.

Material that's age-appropriate and accurate is made accessible to 6th, 7th and 8th graders through "Get Real." Twenty-seven classroom lessons and corresponding take-home activities are offered to teens to help them learn about healthy relationship skills and family. To date, "Get Real" has reached more than 150 schools in Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island and Texas, proving that it's a national campaign aimed at encouraging parents and their children to talk with one another about sex, sexuality and relationships.

The curriculum was built on best practices, and it's aligned with local and national standards for sexual health education. It regards families' values and beliefs concerning sex. The curriculum is formed from the wisdom of adolescent development experts, cultural competency experts and social/emotional learning experts, and it's combined with educators' collective decades of experience in the classroom, qualifying them to deliver quality sexual education.

Sixteen percent fewer boys and 15 percent fewer girls have sex compared to peers who did not take part in the "Get Real" program. The program is one of a very few middle school programs that's proven to have reduced risky sexual behavior for BOTH boys and girls. And the program was tested among young people at high risk for sexual intercourse.

"Over 90% of parents support having sex education in both middle and high school," said Leslie Kantor, Vice President of Education at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. "We also know parents can make a real difference in their teens' lives by talking early and talking often about sex. The Get Real findings add to a growing body of evidence that family communication is critical to young people's decision-making and health, and that it's important that communication begins before a teen becomes sexually active and continues throughout adolescence."

Researchers at Wellesley Centers for Women examined research on how parents speak to their children about sex, and found that parents tend to talk to their daughters earlier and more often about sex. "Get Real" evaluation findings showed that 6th grade family activities encourage parents to discuss sexual issues with their sons earlier and more often than they would have otherwise, which could be the critical factor for delaying sex.

"Our goal is to give students accurate information, help them to develop healthy communication skills, and promote family communication, all of the key ingredients needed to form healthy relationships, delay sex, and protect their own health," Jen Slonaker, Vice President of Education and Training at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, said. "The Get Real program is meeting that goal and we're excited to bring it to more schools and communities around the country."

The "Get Real" curriculum has proven to be powerful for teens and their families. It provides young people with an understanding about their bodies. Evidence shows that parents can make a difference in the lives of their teens by talking with them early and often about sexuality. The conversation should begin before a teen becomes sexually active and that continues throughout adolescence. "Get Real" has made it possible for parents to communicate with children in a way that seems organic.

During a teleconference, VP of Education Leslie Kantor and many other experts in the field of research and sexual health spoke on education's impact on delaying sexual activity, STIs, saying no to sex, birth control and sexual education. A gigantic take-away was that 8th grade students who learned about sex at home and in the "Get Real" program were likelier to abstain from sex than peers who did not attend such a program.

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