Mum's 18th birthday present to son ignites debate – but can you tell why?
A Sydney mum’s gift for her 18-year-old son’s birthday has sparked debate.
The mum shared a photo of the gift on a Facebook group that discusses Kmart.
She purchased a $6 cookie jar from the store and filled it with a number of items – including small bottles of alcohol, chewing gum and some money for her son.
But people were quick to debate whether the gift was appropriate as the jar also contained a number of condoms.
“You bought your son a variety of condoms for his birthday? Is it just me or is that weird?” one woman wrote.
Another woman added it would be awkward receiving condoms from your mum, while another called it “distasteful”.
However, other people said the mum’s gift was an example of “great parenting” and praised her for the open relationship she had with her son.
One dad called it an “awesome yet simple” gift idea.
“I’m definitely using this one,” he wrote.
“I too have an open relationship with my four boys and the condoms are a good idea. We have to teach them it’s our duty as parents.”
One woman added the gift showed the mum had a “wonderful” relationship with her son.
“Praise be to those parents who promote safe sex to their kids instead of making sex a taboo subject,” another woman wrote.
“So important that young men learn that contraception is their responsibility and their right too.”
The mum, who posted the photo, later added she became a parent as a teenager and wanted to make sure all her kids practised safe sex.
“With so many unwanted pregnancies, especially in young teens, it's not just the girls’ problem,” she wrote.
“It's also the boys’ and my kids are being taught to be respectful, safe and responsible young gentlemen and young ladies.
“We all have sex get over it. Stop making it such a taboo subject.”
According to Australia’s Institute of Health and Welfare, gonorrhoea and chlamydia have been on the rise over the past 20 years.
Chlamydia has risen from 74 cases per 100,000 people to 363 between 1999 to 2011.
However, the rate slowed with 379 per 100,000 people reported in 2017, which was lower than 2016.
From 2008 to 2017, reports of gonorrhoea tripled to 118 per 100,000 people.
For more information on sexual health and practising safe sex, click here.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter, download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo’s daily newsletter. Sign up here.
