Governor Declares October "Let's Talk Month." PARENTS ENCOURAGED TO TALK WITH THEIR CHILDREN SMITHFIELD-- October has been designated as "Let's Talk Month" to encourage communication among parents and their children. The observance was started in 1986 by the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of North Carolina to promote the idea that "parents are the primary sexuality educators of their children." Statistics support the need for Johnston County parents to communicate with their children, said Endra Pugh and Etta Marett of the Johnston County Coalition on Adolescent Pregnancy. In 2003, 258 Johnston County teens between the ages of 10-19 were pregnant. During the same year, 17,833 teens in North Carolina between 10-19 were pregnant. The Johnston County Coalition is a group of individuals whose purpose is to promote community awareness about the prevention of teen pregnancy. The local Coalition has been funded for ten years by United Way. In addition to promoting community awareness about the prevention of teen pregnancy, the Coalition also provides services to local teens through the use of an abstinence-based curriculum to help these teens make wise choices. During the month of October, Sarah Thompson, Parent Involvement Specialist with Johnston County Schools and a member of the Coalition, will host parent workshops on "How to Talk" with their children about sensitive/tough issues. These workshops will offer parents research-based strategies to assist them in talking with their children. Child care will be provided. Parents will need to pre-register at their school for these events. The schedule for these parent workshops are: Tues., Oct. 11, 6:00-8:00 @ Meadow Elem. Thurs., Oct. 13, 6:00-8:00 @ South Smithfield Elem. Mon., Oct. 17, 6:00-8:00 @ Glendale Kenly Elem. Tues., Oct. 18, 6:00-8:00 @ Benson Elem. Thurs., Oct. 20, 6:00-8:00 @ West Smithfield Elem. Mon., Oct. 24, 6:00-8:00 @ Selma Elem. Thurs., Oct. 27, 6:00-8:00 @ Corinth-Holder Elem. Thurs., Nov. 17, 6:00-8:00 @ Wilson's Mills Elem. The Coalition is purchasing parent pamphlets to distribute to family resource centers in schools. These pamphlets encourage parents to talk with their children. Posters promoting Let's Talk Month will also be provided to schools and other agencies. The local Coalition works closely with the Adolescent Parenting Program which is administered through the Dept. of Social Services. The Adolescent Parenting Program encourages pregnant teens and teen parents to continue their education and to prevent another pregnancy. This program is in need of volunteers to work with teens.
