I work with teenagers.

Some of them have hard lives and parents who are unable to take them for a multitude of reasons. Some these teenagers are fantastic, smart and eventually figure it out and that's pretty cool. However, I can't help but feel so disappointed when one of them gets pregnant and decides to keep the baby. It's their bodies, not mine and that's not my choice to make. However, most of these kids haven't finished high school and most of the young teenaged fathers are total douche bags to their girlfriends. I know most of the partnerships won't last and it's really sad. Having children young isn't a death sentence but there is such a high risk of perpetuating poverty. Of course I'm going to support the teenager whatever decision they make but, for real, we advertise and offer so many free sexual health resources it's kind of stupid.

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Anonymous

Jan 12, 2017 at 7:00pm

What a selfish post.

The teens are legally free to have it off, make babies etc; but this tw@t wants everyone down to the abortion clinic. Sieg Heil.

Anonymous

Jan 12, 2017 at 7:06pm

"Having children young isn't a death sentence but there is such a high risk of perpetuating poverty."

Disgusting. Our society produces a surplus of food, housing is an issue, but, you know, the few teenagers who do get pregnant, if we had appropriate social housing, not an issue.

"Poverty" is not a result of "bad choices," it is a result of a system that has profit-seeking as its goal, not poverty-elimination. Like, if anyone is perpetuating poverty, it's middle class university grads obsessed with cryptoeugenics, like having teen moms abort their babies.

northislandgal

Jan 13, 2017 at 9:45am

some people dream of parenting since early childhood i think you are being unfair and judgemental

Missing the point

Jan 13, 2017 at 11:57am

Seems like folks are missing the point... OP is talking about seeing these KIDS in unfavourable circumstances having children of their own. I grew up with a lot of young, single mothers. The majority of them should not have had those babies while they were still babies and you can now see the results of that. These kids were raised by people who were not emotionally or financially prepared for a child.

Obviously if someone decides to have a child that is their decision, which is exactly what the OP has said. But I agree. It's sad to see those kids continuing the cycle a lot were probably born into.

Not Missing The Point

Jan 13, 2017 at 1:58pm

"The majority of them should not have had those babies"

Sorry, I'm not a eugenicist. Nature, in its wisdom, has enabled people to get pregnant at a variety of ages---there's a whole spectrum of ages at which people get pregnant. Your view of teenaged women as "babies" suggests that you're an authoritarian parental type of some stripe.

As for "emotionally or financially prepared," no one is emotionally prepared for something that they haven't experienced---plenty of middle class people who have kids at 35 are emotionally unprepared, who they're prob. more likely than a 16 year old to over-estimate their competence.

As for financially, this is really just a product of our financial system and lack of appropriate social services. Instead, many prefer 'soft eugenics' like the OP favors. Sorry, not a eugenicist, it's not for bean counters or statisticians to decide "who's ready." We tried that last century, it's the wrong mindset.

@Not Missing The Point

Jan 14, 2017 at 1:57pm

OP of Missing The Point

You are wildly off base with your assumptions. I had no problems with these young teenage girls I grew up with *physically* having a baby - but taking care of a child? They were nowhere near capable of it. And yes, they were babies. They could hardly take care of themselves, let alone another life.

My mom gave me advice that was quite excellent: Don't get pregnant when you're that young - not because it would ruin "your" life but because it's not fair to the child.

But please, go on with your social services comments, you know the services that are stretched thin and people constantly fall through the cracks. That's where some of those kids end up. Why? Because the parents are unable to properly care for them. Does that happen with adults? Of course it does, but that wasn't what the original post was about.

Also, I am the FURTHEST thing from an "authoritarian parental type". I don't have kids because I know I'm not capable of providing the way they deserve (at the moment). In fact, I'd consider fostering kids before having one of my own, knowing how many out there need that support. I grew up in an abusive household, authoritarian one may say, and am working hard to prevent the cycle from repeating. Kinda like what OP was saying. Huh.

Snackster

Jan 16, 2017 at 12:41pm

You know, being a teenage mother was a common occurrence for the vast majority of human history--it's only recently that it has become frowned upon... and that's only in your own sheltered little world.

Maybe you should get a new job... may I suggest joining the Trump PR team?

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