Would you allow your 16-year-old to have sex?

[darklordoftech]

Or would you punish them?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

It would be none of my business.

[dead0man]

It would be none of my business.

unless they are mentally handicapped, this is the answer.  I mean, I wouldn't encourage it, but punishing it is insane in any world.  If the ages fail the "half plus seven" rule, I'd warn them about that and would certainly be against anything in groups or filmed, but just fooling around with High School sweetheart? Ain't nothing wrong with that.

[Some of My Best Friends Are Gay]

As long as it's fully consensual and the person they're banging is a similar age to them, I obviously wouldn't care.


I myself technically lost my virginity when I was 13, but my parents never found out AFAIK.

[Frodo]

As long as it is consensual and with kids of similar age, sure.  And why are we just talking about 16-year olds?  Don't kids start having sex as early as 11 or 12?  My role would be to ensure they are comfortable talking to me about it as a parent.  

[Tender Branson]

Yes, but I guess it would be done without my knowledge anyway.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Neither.  Either punishing them for it,  or being like "sure, whatever, go ahead," would be potentially harmful.

[Beet]

Irrelevant question in my case, but I think all 16 year olds should be educated on the basic facts and precautions of human sexuality. Thankfully for the Internet, that is easier than before.

[RFayette]

Neither.  Either punishing them for it,  or being like "sure, whatever, go ahead," would be potentially harmful.

This seems like a reasonable way to go. 

[Boobs]

“Allow”? Do you understand how 16-year olds function?

[Senator Incitatus]

Having sex with another teenager would probably be punishment enough.

[Strudelcutie4427]

Yes, any dad would be proud of his son for that

[Mr. Smith]

Not if I can help it, but teens do what they want most of the time anyway.

[darklordoftech]

I say yes. Condoms work.

[HillGoose]

Uh I really don't want to know about their sex life. But as long as they're being safe and it's not with someone way older than them, why not?

[Progressive Pessimist]

That's their business. As long as they do it safely and consensually, I wouldn't care while simultaneously not wanting to think about it.

[RINO Tom]

That's their business. As long as they do it safely and consensually, I wouldn't care while simultaneously not wanting to think about it.

[Santander]

It's gonna happen whether you like it or not.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

It's gonna happen whether you like it or not.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Yes, any dad would be proud of his son for that

And your daughter?

[SWE]

If he's anything like his old man that's not a question I have to worry about

[DINGO Joe]

Not with any of you, no.

[Yellowhammer]

Absolutely not. As long as they live under my roof, no. After they leave the nest, what they do is their business, but I’ll still voice my disappointment/concern if they’re doing it before marriage.

[Some of My Best Friends Are Gay]

Absolutely not. As long as they live under my roof, no. After they leave the nest, what they do is their business, but I’ll still voice my disappointment/concern if they’re doing it before marriage.

lol please never have children

[Yellowhammer]

Absolutely not. As long as they live under my roof, no. After they leave the nest, what they do is their business, but I’ll still voice my disappointment/concern if they’re doing it before marriage.

lol please never have children

Why? Because I would raise them to adhere to basic rules of morality and human decency? Because I would want to protect them from potentially emotionally and physically harmful activities?

Like it or not, children engaging in sexual activity is not and should not be considered normal. I don't want to be the kind of parent who lets their son get a girl pregnant, and I don't want my 14 or 15 year old daughter having to deal with a pregnancy. I don't want my children to end up contracting life-altering STD's because I was a foolish, irresponsible parent who encouraged them to do whatever the hell they want to do with their bodies.

Parenthood is largely about keeping your children safe, giving them ample opportunity to succeed and raising them to be productive, respectable members of society. Allowing them to go running around f#*king people who I wouldn't even know while they are still children is 100% antithetical to all of those goals. Children are careless, too willing to take risks, and do not have the same judgement as adults, and so you can't afford to give them all the same freedoms as adults.