What are your views on teenage pregnancy?

Sex happens. It’s my view that adequate education about sex, birth control, pregnancy, child birth, child rearing, family life, and earning a living would go a long way to combating teenage pregnancy.

I wish the new family well.

The fact of the matter is, it’s too easy to get hand outs in the UK. But while there’s good hard working people paying for this, there’s always going to be the takers. I feel sorry for the child.

I agree with @hawaii_jake. Better education around these topics is really important. Very few teenage pregnancies are planned. If kids knew what they were opening themselves up to (no pun intended), they might think twice before having sex, take more precautions, etc. Things happen. Life is not black and white. It’s up to the adults around them to stop judging and start educating. After that, the kids are going to do what they’re going to do, but at least they’ll be making informed decisions and as such will have to deal with the consequences of their actions.

@stardust But surely it doesn’t take a complete tool to realise if you have unprotected sex, something is going to happen.

Most teenagers can’t even care for themselves properly, (as in, have very few responsibilities) let alone care for a new born child.

@thebluewaffle: Yes, if you have unprotected sex, something is going to happen BUT many teens don’t think of that. They are full of raging hormones, testing out their new independence, wanting to keep up with the joneses, ignorant about sex, birth control and the chances of getting pregnant, curious about what their friends may be experiencing and wanting to try it out themselves, reacting to peer pressure or pressure from their boyfriend/girlfriend, and last but not least, thinking that they are not going to get pregnant (or get the girl pregnant). They also do not think of the long term implications of giving birth and having to raise another human being. Believe me, I am not saying teen pregnancy is good, but there are many varied reasons why it occurs.

@jca So, you’re saying…what it boils down to, is complete ignorance?

@thebluewaffle: I’m saying it boils down to a whole bunch of factors that may or may not be issues for the individual and may or may not be related.

I think it’s not a smart decision.

vaginia divided by penis = baby! (everyone on earth understands this simple math) I’m not saying this to play on the ignorance of teens, but I know some teens think sex is “cool” and at that age it is fun to experiment with the unknown thrills of sex. The hard truth is the unplanned consequences of these actions.

I think it is one of the biggest problems in America today. If you look at successful prosperous countries they pretty much all actively controlled fertility to some extent in the last 100 years, including America. Then we have a subgroup of Americans who have babies when they can barely financially afford to and are mentally unprepared to be parents or independent. Any girl can get pregnant, and I know what it is like to be a teenage and how things just happen, because teens are not always thinking about consequences, so I don’t judge the teen that did not think things through, but I do judge them if they are not freaked out they are about to have a baby, and just think it is cool.

Statistics show babies born to teens are more likely to be raised in poverty. I assume this is twofold, although I have never analysed the literature, possible poor people are more likely to have babies as teens, and also once having a baby it is more likely the teen mom will have trouble finishing her education and securing a well paying job. The cycle continues, so the young mothers have children who become young mothers, and their situation stays the same. These are all generalizations, of course their are single moms who do very well, and children of teen moms who are very successful, but the statistics work against them.

If it’s above 16 and they planned having a kid [though they had it earlier then expected] it’s all good. If they learn to handle it from a younger age it’s good. If not they will become negative role models for other girls. [well someone has to server as a bad example or others might fill the job fast]

@Hibernate I will assume you pick 16 because wherever you live that is the age many finish secondary school? In the US 16 is ridiculously and irresponsibly young. With small exceptions like the Amish.

Not really. Our school system is divided in 9 grades from the age of 6/7 then comes high school. So basically our 9 grades equal to US elementary and junior high[or middle school]. And most finish it around 14.
I know it may sound irresponsible but having a kid at a young age can keep someone on the right track. I know a lot of people which finished school [a master degree and a doctorate] and yet they live with their parents with no job just because they wanna catch up all those years when they were in school. [It’s not a bad thing to live with your parents as long as you do what you are supposed to do]. Most of them are above 35 with no plan for the future. Till they will get married, get a decent job then provide a good environment for kids they will be either to old to raise proper kids or they won’t bother having any just because they can’t do them anymore.
So if the 2 “kids” decide to get married later in life I don’t see a problem into having a kid at a younger age [I said 16 because most girls have their heads figured it out by then].

There are down sides on having a kid at a young age but what’s the point of having a kid only after you have your career/home made one hundred percent? I know it for a fact most of them won’t have enough patience to raise them.

And it’s just my point of view here.

Teenagers aren’t equipped to raise and care for children, so to me, its not a good thing.

Also the fact, a lot of these couples, including my cousin, have only been together for a few months. So they might not be still together in months to come!?

Wouldn’t it make much more sense to create a stable ‘family unit’, than just to pop out a kid now and then?

I understand accidents happen even with safe sex and people sometimes get pregnant. What blows my mind is how many people decide to keep these children even though they’re going to end up being raised in a horrible environment. Im not saying they should all go out and have abortions but putting the child up for adoption isnt a bad idea either.

Seems like the usual ‘I’m upset they’re getting benefits ‘cause they’re so dumb and ignorant and I work so hard yada yada yada’ spiel…you’re better than that, aren’t you? Is teenage pregnancy the ideal? Of course not. But no teenagers exists in a vaccum and we all must take responsibility for how we gender our kids, how we educated (or not educated them whatsoever) about sex and protection (even the parents here on Fluther aren’t good at talking about sex to their kids, from many questions on the topic).

@Hibernate: I understand you are just posting your opinion, as we all are here on Fluther, but I think statistics oppose what you consider ideal (as per @JLeslie‘s post). I think the kids who get a degree and lay on their parents’ couch (your example) are in the minority, or they may be trying to find a job but are unemployed. Having completed their education and then looking for a job gives young people better chances than having a baby and then struggling to finish school.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir . Believe me, it’s not the ”‘I’m upset they’re getting benefits ‘cause they’re so dumb and ignorant and I work so hard yada yada yada’ spiel”

Their financial state can be described as just ‘scraping through’...I however have a fairly decent disposable income. So, its not one bit aimed that way, more into the mindset of why do it to yourself.

I try not to judge. I think it’s unfortunate if it happens and it was unplanned and will negatively affect the lives of the family involved, but I think young parents can be capable of doing just as good of a job at child-raising as someone older.
My mother had my brother at a very young age and under less than ideal circumstances in general, but she raised him to the best of her ability and I don’t think someone else could have raised him better.
I would worry more about the individual parents as people before I would take their age into very much consideration. Someone much older and at the usual ‘child-bearing age’ could make for a much worse parent than an unprepared but caring and intelligent teenager. It all depends.

Teenage pregnancy is a bad idea, which is why our schools should be offering more “sex ed” classes, beginning in junior high apparently. I’m hearing about 12 and 13 yr old girls giving blow jobs and having sex. In my opinion, that’s entirely too young to begin with, BUT add in the factor of the average teenage brain and you get raging hormones and no protection.

@Hibernate I hope you are under the age of 20.

@jca I know but it’s not that hard to stay on track after having a kid at a young age. I don’t consider it to be ideal and who’s talking about statistics? Statistics are made only on a random number of people from a random location. I understand what you are saying. It’s bad to have kids being under age; yet do you agree with them girls having abortion and risk not being able to make kids after in life?

@JLeslie mine will soon be in their twenties. Oh and I doubt only the Amish community makes kids at young ages in US. I saw a lot of movies made by a relative of mine in the US trailer parks. ironic… “best grandma” and that person was under 40.

One thing most people didn’t understood. It’s not easy to stay on the good path when having a kid when they are kids too it’s not easy. It’s not that easy to try and create the perfect environment to raise a kid either.
Who’s to say what’s fair to say and not to say here.

This is a complicated subject. I won’t enter into an argument about supporting or not supporting girls wanting/not wanting to have kids at a young age. Nobody was looking on the other side of the fence so I just stated some other aspects on having kids while being a kid.

@Hibernate I was not saying only the Amish have children at 16. I said teenage pregnancy is one of my biggest concerns in America. I only meant if a 16 year old Amish girl has a baby and she has Accepted the Amish life for herself, I am much less worried for her and her baby, because she is fairly prepared to raise her child.

Where do you live again? I know I asked you before, I don’t remember your answer. I am thinking we might have a very karge cultural difference going on here.

The President of the US was born to a teen unwed mom. Certainly being born to a teenager does not have to mean you or the parents are doomed, but it makes things much tougher for the parent and child, and the odds are against them. Saying it might turn out ok, is not really the same as giving advice on what someone should strive for.

If a teen has a baby, I am all for rallying around them to gove them the best shot they can have. I would never shun a teen for getting pregnant or having a child. But, again, the teen should be freaked! Not a good plan. Things will be tougher. Probably know she has put her parents in a position they did not want to be in, because of her carelessness.

Sex Ed needs to start in the home at a young age and be appropriately taught to children as they age. Ignorance=Unwise teenage sexual relationships that lead to disease, pregnancy or both.

One word: stupidity.

@JLeslie, The President of the US was born to a teen unwed mom. Are you sure about that?

@JLeslie I know you want all that’s best for those in this situation. But when it comes to Amish communities .. well she risks being excluded from the community if she has sex outside a marriage or before her rumspringa.

No. I did not state where I live and I won’t say. As for the part of cultural difference .. that’s not true since most people do not think like me. They are all in favour of having kids when the parents are prepared. Not to mention they encourage safe sex even when in a marriage; let’s not talk about sex outside marriage.

@bkcunningham I was mistaken seems they were married at the time of his birth, and then divorced when he was 3. Thanks for saying something. I did not find her age. But, I remember Obama saying she was 19 when someone tried to get a comment out of him about Sarah Palin’s daughter.

@Hibernate I meant she might be married. I assume the Amish might allow young marriages. The Amish have less of a requirement to finish school and go on to college. Their lifestyle is very different. A 16 year old knows enough to handle an Amish life and find her place.

Amish also have lots of support from their community.

In a marriage they support her but if it’s a kid made ouside a marriage it takes a long time before she gets any support [is she’ll get it].