Sunday, October 25, 2009
Teen Pregnancy
In today's society I have noticed teen pregnancy has become a big issue. It seems though, people are taking the issue very lightly. Recently while I watching different shows on T.V., such as MTV, I saw that they have a program called Sixteen and Pregnant. I decided to watch an episode to see what it was about. In the program they went over two teen couples lives and the girls pregnancys. They showed from the times they got pregant until they gave birth and what was occuring. As I was watching I noticed that in the beginning of their pregnancy the most of the family members were not in support of everything that was going on. By the time the girls were ready to have the children it was as if the family were doing their best to help make everything turn out ok. One example was the family help the kids move into their own place as if they were adults ready for the world. I later saw the episode that showed life after the births of their children. It was as if they made it seem like everything was fine or that they were doing well. To me, it was as if the show was presenting that girls can go out at anytime, do what they want and no consequences would be laid down. It also made me feel like if a girl at a young age makes choices to get pregnant that everything will be taken care of for them. With that being said, I felt like it was very misleading to any youth female that is out being promiscuous or even thinknig about having a child in their teen years. Teen pregnancy just seems to be taken very lightly especially in the media. One last example that I had noticed was Britney Spear's younger sister getting pregnant. From watching the story on that it seemed as if they made it out to be like it wasn't even a concern. This also strongly misleads youths or tricks them into thinking if a so called " role model" can do it why can't I make it work. From what I know she is or was suppose to be a positive role model on teen females. I don't think people in the media especially role models to youth understand how important their role is on the youth. I just feel as if they are portraying being pregnant at a young age and having little or no morals will just be fine as they get older. Which I feel certainly isn't the case.
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Samantha, teen pregnancy has nothing to do with morals, promiscuity, TV, music, values, or anything else of that nature.
ReplyDeleteTeen pregnancy and the teen birth rate (TBR) is an adult-caused, adult-created adult perpetuated problem. Teens have nothing to do with it, except to act exactly as they should.
The TBR is a function of 10 dynamics, which include the Adult Birth Rate, poverty, sex abuse, violent homes, economic attraction to older males, educational failure, lack of reproductive health care as an un-pregnant female, lack of competing choices, male abandonment, and the uncomfortable but true fact, that often times, having a child as a teen is a good short term choice.
Teens are "forced" into social corners and pregnancy is one of their responses.
Adults created it and only adults can fix it. It's an adult problem, and always has been.
Rick Machado
Public Speaker on Teen Pregnancy
I would have to agree with Samantha on this issue. There shouldnt even be a show called "sixteen and preganant". MTV is watched primarily by teens, and portrays what is now "in". If this show is showing how easy life is for these teens who are pregnant, than they are sending a very negative meesage to all teens. I guess i can see where Rick is coming from, adults do run all major networks, and are a huge influence on teen society. I dont believe, however, that all the blame should be put on adults. Teens have brains, yes not as matured as adults, but if these teens are capable of deciding whether or not to give life, than they should be capable enough to know right from wrong. Such as risking having to bring a child into and unstable enviroment.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the shows are just rubbish! I mean how can these parents be pissed off in the beginning and in the end they are pretty much saying ok and enabling their kids who went and got pregnant! It makes me mad that these parents are saying its ok by their actions. I think this show is BS and it doesn't portray what it is really like and how tough it is being pregnant at such a young age! Where are the parents and the morals and values?
ReplyDeleteI agree that teenage pregnany is a big issue; as Rick said, it has nothing to do with lack of morals. But rather more lack of sexual education from parents, school, as well as dating older males, are contributing factors. I really don't believe it is a girls "choice" become pregnant, but in most cases it a mistake. As GOOD parents we are supportive of our children no matter what the situation, so it doesn't necessarily mean becoming supportive of your childs teen pregnancy is sending them the message that it's "OK". It doesn't send the message that they don't have to be responsible for their actions either. The responsibilties that come with parenting, especially teen parenting causes consequences in itself, that I believe will make a teenage mother ponder deeply ablit making the mistake if an unplanned pregnancy in the future. Young people make the most mistakes and nobodies perfect. Having a positive role model doesn't even guarantee that a young person wont make mistakes and get into trouble. And I speak from experience...@ 17 I WAS that teenage mother.
ReplyDeleteI think teen pregnancy is a big issue because as a teenager I dont think they are mature enough to take care of thier child. They probably cant even supposrt themselves. And why should the government help support the children, it wasntthe govt fault that someone had a baby so young. Also a teen parent might not have a lot of experience to have good parenting skills but i could be wrong?
ReplyDeleteI believe that teen pregnancy is a big issue but I dont place blame on the teens themselves.I think that it is also the parents' responsilbility to educate their children so that they are aware of the consequences and what to do in the instance of a sexual situation.I think the best thing a parent or even peers can do is practice abstenence
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