
Because money seems to be the one thing at that age they can relate to, I decided to turn it into a mathematical problem: I told them that if they got a girl pregnant, they could figure on a minimum of $300 a month child support, multiplied by 12 months for 18 years. (That totals $65,000 — unless the girl has twins, which would double the amount.)
Then I told them if they were tempted to have unprotected sex, they should look at the girl and ask themselves if they would pay her $65,000 to have sex with them. If they couldn’t answer yes, then they needed to walk away.
Abby, it worked! No grandchildren appeared until after they were married. Feel free to share this with other parents who would appreciate a “non-traditional” approach that is effective.
— TONY IN SAN DIEGO
DEAR TONY: Gladly. I’m passing your technique along because money is a great motivator, and your idea makes “cents.”
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