Back in my day, being in high school and pregnant meant you were hidden away

[Nelson Muntz]

Now, they do a whole series of it on TV.

Which is better?  Hiding teen pregnancy or talking about it?

[Alfred E. Neuman]

How about discussing the birds and bees prior to little johnny 'knocking up' sweet mary lou...........

[Mr T]

Back in my day girls were hidden away.  Some went out of state to "help relatives."  Sometimes mom had a "surprise" baby.  Some went to the Home for Unwed Mothers.   It was in town, blocked with pines but you could see through.  No-one wanted to go there.

The pill was still illegal.  I knew one, maybe two who got pregnant (as far as I know.)  I think pregnancy was very feared.  No-one I knew or heard of kept the baby themselves.

Nowadays pregnant teens and teen parents are everywhere.  I can't help but believe that there are WAY more babies born to teenagers today.  Shame and fear were motivators.

[OBSERVER]

Life to, some extent, has lost it's true value.   --- Do you know some kids now refer to these babies of unwed teens as "F### Trophies" !!!!!!!!---- ::(:

[Still standing]

 :-\  I think its a 'cycle' or transition that we are making in life. Just as we didn't talk about alot of abuse or 'hush hush' stuff back in the early 1900's.  Times change and so do we in the way we look and think about past mistakes and beleifs.

[flybananas]

why is this in religion?  nothing religious about it. 

surprise!  females have babies. 

our teens have no defined place in our society.   kids are kids.  expected to be kids.  adults are adults expected to be so.

teens?  grow up!  no you're not allowed to do that!  sit down!  stand up!  get a job, go to school, if the job interferes with grades, quit the job. 

some teens are even thrown away....

thankfully, i never was a teen mom and so far my girls haven't become teen moms.  since one of them is now 22, she won't ever BE a teen mom.

why blame it on the kids?  where are the parents?  where is the supervision?

I have a 15yo daughter.  i want to know where, when, how, with whom, etc etc etc

when her "boyfriend" comes over, the door stays open, they are chaperoned... 

besides, i've taught my children that we can care for babies, we can't "care for" AIDS.  wrap it up!!

[Whoo]

Thanks for pointing AIDS out, Nanners.  Teens should be a helluva lot more worried about AIDS than pregnancy.  Unfortunately, too many parents stop their warning talks with pregnancy, and overlook warning about AIDS.  If they took the necessary precautions to prevent AIDS, they will take care of pregnancy as well.

[flybananas]

exactly whoo. I realized that very quickly, that's been my mantra since the kids were old enough.

Embarrassingly, i took my 15yo to the health dept today for the plan b pill. I was mortified, but i took her. She got a lecture. She hated it and bawled and protested and said at least i came to you. Yes. Yes she did. Tho i did learn she tried talking her sis and a friend or two into taking her first to avoid the lecture, but the girls know me too well. And, that is legal, but the girls she went to know better. :) they love me. :)

She didn't get beat, she didn't get thrown out, she got a lecture about the lack of a wrap. And my ultimate preference that she not be active at all. But lets be realistic. Almost 16.

That's a lot to share. Hope the haters don't bring it. 'sigh'

[Palehorse]

Teens think they are invincible and the bad stuff only happens to others. . .

[Whoo]

exactly whoo. I realized that very quickly, that's been my mantra since the kids were old enough.
She didn't get beat, she didn't get thrown out, she got a lecture about the lack of a wrap. And my ultimate preference that she not be active at all. But lets be realistic. Almost 16.

Good for you, Nanners.  I've lost so many friends to AIDS over the years, and if I could, I would show every teenager the real, ravaging effects of AIDS on a person.  It is a horrible struggle.  There is nothing pleasant about it. ::(:

[Mara Lynd]

If the TV program were somewhat realistic to the challenges a young mother faces (whether she keeps the baby or not) then it could be useful. However true to the low ethics of the ratings hounds and to a certain extent the advertisers the issue is glamorized. Even the movies do it, think "Juno" or "Where the Heart Is".

[Whoo]

Good point.

[MissiL]

Such a difficult subject.   I think a huge part of the problem is that many parents are scared or embarrassed to talk to their kids about sex.  For some reason, many think that talking to their kids about sex is somehow giving them the "OK" to do it.

Good on you, Nanners! But yanno..I'd rather take my kid for PlanB and deal with that than prenatal vitamins, diapers, and butt cream :) 

[flybananas]

Thanks Missy.  It was very difficult!  She needed a scolding, but not so badly that she would feel unable to come to me with other problems.  GAH, parenting teens is soooo hard.

Mara, you have a valid point.  I would consider "Where the Heart Is" to be a bit more realistic toward single parenthood than "Juno".  It shows difficulties of being a single mom.  AND the part where her best friend (ashley judd character) is beaten up by a man she "thinks" is a keeper, is very graphic.

I want my daughter to see "If These Walls Could Talk" the original one with Cher.

[Whoo]

That's a great movie, Nanners.  Somewhere I think I have that on VHS. 

Missy, ya little stinker, about time we saw you around these parts!!!! :)
I dunno why the majority of Americans are so stuck in the mud over discussing sex in general, much less with their kids.  Europeans laugh at us.  Alot.   :-[ :-X

From the time my niece was old enough, my sister left the subject up to me to discuss the do's and don'ts with her.  We both figured the "Ewwwww, Mom!" factor would be neutralized that way, and frank discussion could commence.  Some of it stuck, some of it didn't.