Teen Pregnancy

As I’ve said in the past, I watch Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant.  For some reason these shows fascinate me.  I watch as these girls take on the tough role of parenting.  I was 17 when I got pregnant.  I was very lucky in that I had a loving family who were strong enough to make me stand on my own and a man in my life who stuck with me.

I watch these girls and I think – toughen the F&*! up.  Okay I know that they are in a difficult situation.  It is hard to be a parent.  It is hard to be in charge of someone else when you haven’t been in charge of yourself really. 

I watch as these girls put up with behavior from boys which is unacceptable at any time but is even more unacceptable when they are soon to be fathers. 

When did we stop giving our kids responsibility?  When did we move from work to get what you want to gimme gimme gimme because I’m entitled? 

Some of the girls are really stepping up.  They appear to be amazing moms.  They seem to be getting their lives together, going to school, getting a job and being stressed out just like the rest of the working parents in the world.  I applaud those girls.  They grew up and faced their responsibilities. 

Other girls – I just wonder where their brains are?  One girl on Teen Mom 2 informed her ex boyfriend (who she is living in his parents house with him but in a separate bedroom) that she was seeing someone by posting it on Facebook.  Come on – really?  Are you that stupid?  The adult thing would have been to go to the parents who have treated her like a daughter and said.  Listen – your son broke up with me and I’m starting to date.  I am interested in someone else because I’m trying to move forward.  I won’t bring him around the house but I would like to date him without being dishonest.  That would have been the adult thing to do… not post the damn thing on Facebook. 

Another girl has taken back a boy who was exceedingly disrespectful to her and their daughter in a text (called his kid a mistake and worse).  Yet she lets him not only back into her life but back into her heart.  Really?  Where is your self-respect?  Earn it buddy – you want to be a dad now then PROVE you are worthy of being a dad.

Teen pregnancy is a huge issue and one our society tries to brush aside.  If we really don’t want to have these teenagers pregnant then we need to get our heads out of our asses and accept that teenagers have sex.  Most of them have sex early – 14, 15 or so… Instead of saying be good and don’t do this, we should be saying – we know you are thinking about it and it is a natural part of growing up but here are things you need to be aware of – then talk to them openly about sex, disease, pregnancy, and contraceptives. 

We expect these kids to grow up and be parents – well then we have to give them the tools to do that  or better yet let’s give them the tools so they don’t have to be in the first place… an ounce of prevention… etc