Teen Pregnancy

Teen Pregnancy.

So as a mom it’s extremely difficult to think of the future of my children.

Especially being a young mom to two daughters.

In fact, it’s kinda frightening.

Watching Teen Mom is scary. I don’t think those girls have any idea of what they’re in store for because unfortunately, they are making adolescent mistakes and learning the hard way and they’re doing this with a dependent. A little baby who has no fault for coming into this world.

It’s frustrating because I wish I could sit down with some of them and just shake them and tell them what they’re doing wrong and what’ s going to happen because of it. It’s hard not to empathize with some of them, Maci I find is one of the girls I hope will beat the statistics and I find her story to be the most interesting. Farrah. Well, I think she is a disgrace. Anyhow, you’d have to watch the show and have had to watch 16 & Pregnant to really know their stories.

So, teens having babies?

Well, teen pregnancy is a huge problem that is only rising as the years go by. Frankly, not only is difficult caring for a child while they are children themselves but there is the monetary issue behind it. Most of these girls rarely finish their high school education and most of them never enter post-secondary education.

According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy report, only 40% of teen moms that have children at age 17 finish high school and only 23% of teen moms of the same age go on to complete their GED and the gap gets even larger when it comes to post-secondary education. About 16% of teen moms go on and complete 2 years of post-secondary, 5% aged 18 or younger and 21% of moms aged 20-21.

This is scary to me, only 2% of teen moms ever finish college by the age of 30. Compared to the 9% that gave birth at the age of 20-21.

Now, these are US statistics, how about us Canadians? According to Statistics Canada, believe me, we aren’t very far behind and almost the same as the US. We have more than the UK and guess what? Ontario has the highest abortion rate in Canada sitting at 60%.

Those are quite the numbers…

The NCPTUP states that the halt in teen moms education not only affects them presently but goes on to affect them the rest of their lives because they will earn less money throughout its entirety.

Teen parents who have had a baby at 17 or younger can expect to earn $28, 000 dollars less in the 15 subsequent years after they have a baby compared to if they had held off until age 20 or 21.

Numbers are numbers, there are always exceptions.

Now if that’s not scary enough it keeps going, daughters of teen parents are more likely to become teen mothers themselves and sons are more likely to be incarcerated. Though theses are just statistics, I don’t believe that all their offspring are doomed,  it just takes a lot to break this cycle.

I thought I was young having a baby at 20, it was difficult and most definitely a life altering experience but, I knew my goals and followed through with them. Since then, I’ve managed to gain two diplomas/certifications and am working in one of those fields. Of course, it didn’t come easy and it took a lot of perseverance, hard work, and little rest.

It’s just a shame when I watch that show. I may not have been a teen mom but I sure was young but, I was more than lucky to have the support of a loving family to guide me.

Something most of those girls lack.

So, what do you think of the show?

Do you think it condones teen pregnancy or do you think it scares them to NOT want to have babies?

I think it shows the struggles teen moms face, the relationships with their baby’s father crumble. Still, I think it may lead teens astray simply by influence.

I’m just nervous of what’s to come, but I have to have faith in the values I instill in my children and the way we raise them that will hopefully allow them to make wise decisions in the future.

What do you think? I’d love to hear from you!

Til then, cheers m’deres!