So I am watching Sixteen and Pregnant, I wonder why do these kids keep the babies.

[texanwitch]

They seem to think they can handle the baby, school, and work.

When I was 16 the last thing I wanted was a baby.

Of course then girls had to leave school and go visit their Aunt who lived out of town.

Now the girls just keep the babies and face a hard life.

The girls seem to have to learn the hard way it isn't so easy.

So many girls seem to be having babies, that is really sad.

[HopeHoops]

1. One of my eldest's daughter's friends got raped by her boyfriend and had the baby.

She was 16-17ish at the time and the school worked very hard to keep her involved. She did eventually graduate. Although she got a restraining order against the so-called "father", he was never charged with rape. Her parents were also very supportive. You can't just assume the girl was a willing participant, but I agree that it is a hard life. I wasn't ready for kids until I was 27 and even then it was a challenge.

[texanwitch]

2. This tv show on MTV, with several girl's stories.

The girls on the tv show just made mistake and their lives are changed forever.

There is a lot date rape.

The girls just seem so clueless about what is about to happen to them.

They think the boyfriend will be there for them and the family will be a big help.

I do wonder if birth control is being taught in school.

[HopeHoops]

8. At least in our district it is. Before they were of breeding age I started saying...

... "PUT A RUBBER ON IT!"

That and "NO FARTING!" are two things they can count on me saying. So far none of the three have gotten knocked up.

[LynneSin]

3. Because dumbass TV shows like this one glorify teenage pregnancy

I read an article somewhere how these teen mom shows that MTV created are actually making teenage girls want to have babies. For awhile there a couple of those TV Teen Moms were getting the cover of local gossip rags (mainly from their bad behavor) and for girls who watch this show it seems like a way to celebrity status. Doesn't help with all the glorification done with Bristol Palin.

Not saying we should revert back to 'sending them to a long distance Aunt's house' but making celebrities out of these girls only make teen pregnancy look enticing.

[texanwitch]

4. This is what I am thinking.

The girls are being made stars.

The old days were so bad, everyone knew what was really happening when a girl left school.

When the girls came back they were so different, their childhood had ended.

There has to be a better way to handle this.

[alphafemale]

10. Actually, teen pregnacy is down.

No idea what impact this show has.

From the few episodes I have seen it certainly isn't glamorous.

[Wait Wut]

5. My son was born just after my 18th bday.

I never thought twice about keeping him, but I knew other girls who did. They made their own choices.

I was lucky, sort of. It turned out I couldn't have anymore kids so my choice to keep my son was...well...a good one. My son is almost 30 now, a retired Marine, married, going to school and just a friggin' amazing human being despite having a rough kidhood.

Many can't do it. They don't have the emotional maturity to be able to give up their freedom for a child. But, that doesn't mean we should roll our eyes or assume they'll be horrible parents. Many have the best intentions and want to be good parents. They don't need ridicule or a stupid tv show, they need help. In my case, I hadn't received the parenting that would have taught me to be a good parent myself, so I had to learn from trial and error...a lot of error.

[texanwitch]

7. My cousin had to get married at 15, her family forced the issure.

She didn't get a choice.

Of course the marriage didn't last, the kids were just to young to handle a baby and marriage.

She had drop out of school, did get a GED.

My cousin had a really hard life, her daughter is a great kid.

I am proud of my cousin, she worked hard and raised a good kid.

She is now a Grandmother of 3, her daughter went to college.

My cousin did marry again later, she found a good man.

I just wonder what her life could have been without the forced marriage.

[rocktivity]

6. A hard life? With all the job opportunities available on the "teenage parent" TV shows?

Sixteen and Pregnant? Teen Mom? I saw a documentary about teen parents on Oprah Winfrey's network just last night! And let's not forget Bristol Palin -- she's pulled herself up from the bootstraps from public service commercials to Dancing With the Stars to her own reality show!


rocktivity

[flvegan]

9. This *so* should have gone in GD.