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What are the pros and cons regarding teen pregnancy? If you guys can list out the pros and cons so basically try to contradict yourself! What is your final verdict?
Pro
-The baby can fill the void of the teenage mother
-The baby can be someone to keep the mother company
Statements that would support this viewpoint
-Well, people were teenagers when they have kids back in the old days
-If you guys think a teenager is just a baby, then how does a baby have a baby? If you do believe in evolution and/or God, then why does not puberty starts at 18
-People say a teenager is a baby, well that is socially constructed, but it does not match up with human biology
Con
-Being responsible for the baby's well-being
-Financially responsible
-Not having time to enjoy other things
I believe that the reason for very young motherhood in past generations was due to the shorter life span of humans in general. It wasn't until the last one hundred and fifty years that folks began living past the age of forty or fifty, save for the wealthy. So, in order to raise the children into adulthood, marriages were early.
As for puberty starting earlier, you can blame that on the foods we consume and high fat dairy products, and believe it or not, detatched parenting. Having sex at a young age also increases the chance for certain kinds of cancer, not to mention STDs. http://www.babyreference.com/EarlyPuberty.htm
Chances are that the teen girl was trying to fill an emotional void by having sex in the first place, at which point, no baby will fill that void any more than the boy she was with. As far as the baby being companionship for the teen, WHAT? You obviously have not dealt with an infant. Teens minds are young, even if their bodies are not.
Last edited by sirron; 09-26-2008 at 06:21 AM..
Reason: forgot to post link
I believe that the reason for very young motherhood in past generations was due to the shorter life span of humans in general. It wasn't until the last one hundred and fifty years that folks began living past the age of forty or fifty, save for the wealthy. So, in order to raise the children into adulthood, marriages were early.
As for puberty starting earlier, you can blame that on the foods we consume and high fat dairy products, and believe it or not, detatched parenting. Having sex at a young age also increases the chance for certain kinds of cancer, not to mention STDs. Early Puberty may be diet and attachment related
Chances are that the teen girl was trying to fill an emotional void by having sex in the first place, at which point, no baby will fill that void any more than the boy she was with. As far as the baby being companionship for the teen, WHAT? You obviously have not dealt with an infant. Teens minds are young, even if their bodies are not.
Don't forget that also, people were having children younger because of the need for many hands to help w/the farm work. Also, it was expected to marry early & have children. Through time & experience, those expectations have changed. It is now the norm for women to graduate high school, go to college & start a career. People are more ambitious nowadays, children can be seen as a burden, ESPECIALLY having them at too young of an age.
I don't really see this as a pro, whether it be a teen girl or an adult woman she should get her own life together first before bringing another into this world.
Actually, the average age of menarche (the first period) has not changed appreciably in the last 50 years. It's generally sometime in the 13th year (age 12). I read this in Newsweek a few years ago.
I can't help but think of the situation with Casey Anthony, who had Caylee in her late teens. She had the total financial support of her parents, didn't have to be on welfare, didn't have to worry about a home for the baby, and she still couldn't handle it.
I have a daughter who is a teen mom. There are no real pros....other than the beautiful addition to the family. I guess that should be enough, but these young girls are really taking on more emotionally and financially than they seem to be aware of. It is so hard to say the act was a mistake without saying the child was mistake.
I think the usual end result is that the parents of the teen end up picking up the responsibility. The hope is to guide the teen into an area where they will one day be able to be self sufficient with parenting skills and the financial resources needed by continuing with their education.
No pros at all in todays world IMO.
Young girls are mostly ill prepared to take care of children without help from parents or government hand outs.
That is the reason I am a big supporter of sex ed, free birth control and parenting classes, to give young girls a taste of what "motherhood" is really like. A baby is not a "doll" that you can turn off and on, it is a huge responsibility that should never be taken lightly.
__________________
The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. ~Henry David Thoreau
I guess it is a pro depending on what culture it is because there are some cultures that getting marry while being teenagers are still the norm! From what I have see, it is mainly a culture that involves a tribe of some sort and there are a rite of passage to becoming an adult in their culture! So, you can be 13 and be consider as an adult in their culture!
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