comments and questions about the HPV vaccine

Me, too.

And the TV ads ("Tell someone...") make me mad.
a) this isn't really esoteric information. I already knew about HPV and I'm just a regular lady who reads the paper. Not a medical professional

b) they want you to tell everyone about HPV - but they don't mention that there is a very good way to avoid it.

The vaccinations may be efficacious in some ways, but I resent the implication that HPV is just floating around out there waiting to gitcha. (I also am not particularly fond of the pediatricians I've met who assume every child will become sexually active and needs to be innoculated. It is as if the doctors themselves have been innoculated against the ideas of chastity and self-control. But I don't hear many docs in flu season telling you to get a flu shot but not mentioning proper hand washing, "safe sneezing" etc.

as mother to a tween and an almost-tween girl, the mindset that says to do the vaccine at 10-12 years of age bothers ME terribly. Ugh. I'm seen as so naive and irresponsible if I expect, and of course, work toward, chastity in my kids. Unlike my parents' generation, however, I think there are lots of things parents can do toward that goal. Communication of expectations, healthy outlets, talking, talking, talking, etc.