Adolescent Sexual Health Reflection and Peer Response Analysis

This discussion board post provides a student's reflection on their adolescent experience, shaped by an upbringing in a family of high expectations and religious values. The student recounts the pressures to excel academically, balancing studies, extracurricular activities, and religious obligations. The reflection contrasts the student's experience with peers focused on social activities and trends, highlighting the impact of family expectations on personal development and identity formation. The post also includes responses to other students' reflections, analyzing key themes such as developmental tasks, family and gender influences. The student's analysis offers insights into the differing experiences of adolescents and the impact of family dynamics and societal pressures on identity and choices during this crucial developmental stage. The assignment emphasizes the importance of allowing adolescents to explore their interests and have their voices heard, acknowledging the changes in generations and the need for a balanced approach to guidance and independence.

Running head: ADOLESCENT SEXUAL HEALTH 1
Adolescent Sexual Health
Name
Institution

ADOLESCENT SEXUAL HEALTH 2
Adolescent Sexual Health
Reflection
Just like many other people, my adolescent was not very bright. I grew up in a family of
extremists and perfectionists that was made up of doctors and lawyers. When I reflect on my
adolescence, I realize how I was under immense pressure to succeed and to be someone my other
siblings could look up to especially given that I was the firstborn. I remember how my parents
were very religious people and they enforced cultural values on our daily lives. I and my other
siblings had to find a balance between academics, extracurricular activities, and religion because
of the discipline with which our parents brought us up. I also remember vividly how they could
reward us for every success that we accomplished. The rewards came in the form of social trips
and being given almost anything we could ever need to ensure that we never came short in life.
During my teenage years, most of my peers were focused on relationships, hooking up, making
friends, and hanging out. Ladies rocked shiny pants, cuffed up jeans, and some tops that were
folded off the shoulder. Boys, on the other hand, dressed in ripped jeans the ones we nowadays
call unfinished. They also bleached their hair and some put on the magnetic earrings. Social
media at this time had a huge influence on popularity and what was claimed to be accepted.
Having an iPhone was almost a necessity and anyone who did not have it was alienated from
other people. People were crazy about Facebook, Skype, MSN, and all those trendy social media
sites. Above all these, however, we still had to attend classes and be enrolled in extracurricular
programs to keep us engaged in what our parents thought was the most important.
As a child, I was still trained to perform house chores and help my parents at home. Being the
firstborn, I was tasked with helping my younger siblings with their homework, dressing, and

ADOLESCENT SEXUAL HEALTH 3
cleaning. More responsibility was put upon my shoulder to do what was right. My family
expected me to be like a role model to my younger siblings. We were not highly motivated to
take part in community service. However, having been put through the IBO program we were
expected to engage in volunteering services such as helping the sick in hospitals and cleaning the
hospitals and their surroundings. We also volunteered to help the elderly in care homes, orphans,
refugees, and all the other people who were in need in our community.
My parents highly valued education and they always insisted that we get the highest grades in
everything we engaged in from academics, religious activities, to extracurricular activities. I
cannot remember anything extraordinarily special in my adolescent except for trying to get the
highest grades in school that could see me bagging an academic trophy at the annual prize-giving
day. It reached a point that I did not focus on socializing with my peers because my life revolved
around the world of academic excellence. I never took part in the social events in school
although I believed they used to be a lot of fun. I sacrificed all that because I was convinced that
I could not have such fun and excel in class at the same time. My weekends were rarely used to
hang out with friends. The library was my best friend at the time and finishing assignments
ahead of time made me happy. I know this sounds weird but that is just how my childhood was;
books and nothing more.
I, however, have to admit that there were times that I wanted to enjoy free time and have fun on
weekends just being lazy as a kid. Unfortunately, that was not my life. I was wired differently
from other kids from a young age. My ambitions even pushed me to enroll myself in the IBO
program academy. I enjoyed seeking knowledge and it gave me so much pleasure even though
some people thought that my life was boring. The hunger for knowledge always pushed me to
study until late in the night and I was very determined to make my family and community proud.

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This is a period when kids could engage in all sought of activities and games to have fun. They
could play video games, football, ride bicycles, and any other type of activity. Me, on the other
hand, my main activity involved books. I was so academically focused from such a young age
that nothing else mattered.
I remember how my parents were strict regarding the idea of a relationship. Our focus was to be
channeled towards one thing at a time. They did not want us to channel our energies and
emotions towards temporary things that could cause heartbreaks and distractions that could ruin
our lives. I was, therefore not allowed any social life and I only got my first phone after I
graduated from high school with a high score that got me a chance to enroll for medicine in the
university. This is the first time I had my first taste of freedom because I had already
accomplished the first step towards success.
I remember kids back in the days could be advised by their parents to drop out of school at year
ten. This never happened in my case though as my father always encouraged me to sacrifice so
that I never work for anyone but instead employ people to work for me. In fairness though,
freedom was not very important to me as I only wanted to make my parents happy and proud. I
wanted to repay their faith and belief in me by excelling academically.
I can say that during my time, most parents wanted adolescents to focus on academic excellence.
They were supposed to do as they were advised by their parents, teachers, and any other member
of society. In summary, what I experience as an adolescent was more about having my parents
define for me my identity; or rather the identity they wanted me to embrace. I conformed with
what I was told without necessarily questioning what was good for me. I had to live by the rules
of others who clearly were from a generation so different from mine and I, therefore, missed a lot
of childhood experiences that could have shaped me differently.

ADOLESCENT SEXUAL HEALTH 5
Response to Other Students
Jessica Gunawan
Hi Jessica,
I found your reflection on the role of adolescents interesting. It involved going to school and
studying up to university in addition to doing everything they were told by their parents and
teachers. Myself having gone through a similar childhood and upbringing, I feel like being wired
to always do everything you are told without questioning anything is a bit extreme. Even though
excelling in school is important and acquiring knowledge opens up doors for good opportunities,
kids should be allowed to be kids sometimes. The voices of the adolescents should be heard and
their opinions should be given a lot of consideration. Respecting the view of the adolescents will
make them have a sense of belonging and reduce the chances of rebellion. They must be given
time to have fun away from education and socialize with their peers. The adolescents are from a
generation different from their parents and teachers. In as much as these adults must do
everything to guide the adolescents, they have to acknowledge that a lot has changed.
Megan Mcanally
Hi Megan,
I am surprised by how different our exposure was during adolescent times. I was brought up in a
conservative family where exposure to alcohol or drugs was almost impossible. We did not have
the freedom to be in relationships with opposite genders like you. I missed out on a lot of
experiences as an adolescent due to my family setting and the demands that were put on me

ADOLESCENT SEXUAL HEALTH 6
while growing up. I was all about books and gaining knowledge. Yours is what most people
would describe as having fun. I am glad you are still friends with your high school best friend.
Analysis
Theme 1: Developmental tasks: moving towards adult responsibilities
As one grows older and passes the adolescent stage, the responsibilities of an adult start creeping
in. They are tasked with more responsibilities and duties because they can be trusted. One starts
to understand that feeling of owning their own money. This can be justified by the following
statements; “Decided to enter the Nursing School when I was 18 and completed my 3 years
training when I turned 21. I felt it was enough being a child and time to be on my own. After
21st birthday, I had my own car with no more control from my grandma.” “I managed (god
knows how) to scrape some GCSE's together, and got a job as a receptionist”. “Within family, I
was expected to contribute/work for family businesses”.
Theme 2: Influences on adolescents: gender
Gender plays a big role in how adolescents are brought up in a family. Most of the time both
male and female children are given similar responsibilities but this may change with regards to
going out and getting engaged in some activities. The following statement depicts this
arguments; “BUT, my sisters and I spent a lot of time complaining about how much stricter mum
and dad were on us than on our youngest brother!!” “Although I always had a casual job
working very limited hours, a lot of girls in my cohort weren’t expected to work and were often
given an allowance”.

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Theme 3: Influences on adolescence: family and birth order
A lot of responsibilities and expectations are placed on the firstborns. They are expected to assist
their younger siblings with tasks such as homework, cleaning, and dressing among others. The
family was influenced both negatively and positively by adolescence of teenagers. Our behavior
was impacted by the expectations of the family on us. This argument is supported by the
following statements; “At home, it was known that I would help with the chores and help my
sister with her studies if required. My parents were big on being responsible and respectful.”
“My parents were very supportive and understanding, so long as their expectations of
adolescence were being met”. “As I was the eldest child, I felt a lot of responsibility to lead by
example to my younger brothers”.