Relationships

Being together with someone you really like can be great, but life isn’t all about going out with someone.

If you do choose to be part of a relationship, remember that you are a really important part of it. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Do you feel good about yourself when you are with your partner?
Do you know you deserve respect and love?
Can you speak up about what you want and don’t want in your relationship?
Do you make sure you take the best possible care of yourself and your body?
Do you feel confident and in control of your life?

Sex in a relationship

Being in a relationship doesn’t mean you have to go further than you want to, or have sex before you are ready. Only you can decide if you want to move on to the next stage. If you are under 16, it is illegal in the UK to have sex.

East Sussex young people on sex and relationships

What are the best ways to show someone you love them without having sex? It could be something as simple as sending them a text to show you’re thinking about them, or buying them a CD you know they’ll like. Share your best ideas.

Did you know?

It’s normal to be attracted to both girls and boys when you’re growing up.

During puberty, you have lots of emotions and sexual feelings. It’s normal for girls to think about girls in a sexual way, and for boys to think about boys in a sexual way. Some people realise that they prefer people of the opposite sex, while others feel that they prefer people of the same sex. Some people realise that they're gay later in life, and some know it from an early age. You don’t choose your sexuality, it chooses you. No one knows what makes people gay, lesbian, bisexual or straight. If you’re attracted to people of the same sex, this is normal and you deserve to be with someone you love.