MTV's 16 & Pregnant..The Real knocked-up teens of America (how much, cheerleader, stations)

[maciesmom]

Well, I doubt most pregnant teens even think about adoption these days so I thought it was quite appropriate and inspirational to have that in the finale. Of all the episodes, the teens profiled in this show were portrayed as being the most mature, having the most realistic expectations and the most hopeful and driven toward a better future..I don't think the show portrayed it as being easy at all. In fact I was on the edge of my seat until that baby was handed over. The other teens seemed destined toward spending their life barely making ends meet and having uncertain relationships. If that seems glamorous to you well, ok. Not much I can do about that. There will always be teen pregnancy. Always has been, always will be. Education comes in many forms - we can educate them about abstinence, about birth control and we can try to show them the options in the event birth control fails. Teens being teens frequently don't believe what they are told by adults - or at least they believe they will be different. I am not a fan of MTV but I do think this series was well done. I hope they don't wreck it in subsequent "seasons".

[cr1039]

[quote=bayarea-girl;9805628]

What also bothers me is that they aren't really showing what happens where the baby comes out of if you talk to some teens they really don't know, or the stitches you get from c-sections and or that end up on the vagina (sorry fellas if I have gotten too specific but am sure you aren't following the thread unless you are a moderator), the bleeding, the pain, then the crying baby and loss of sleep, getting a job, the expense, etc. It was kinda we have a baby it is kind stressful and kinda hard but we are ok.

[quote]


I see what you mean, BUT - these are teens. What will resonate with them is now that they have a baby they cannot:
Cheerlead
Date
Stay on the computer late night
Go to college
Graduate high school
Hang with friends
Go shopping

They are young and not thinking about their:
Finances
Health
Long term commitments


Just a general statement. It may sound shallow, but they are so young and that is how many of the young guys and girls think...

[bayarea-girl]

maciesmom, I don't think it is glamorous at all but see how teens might. Also, I don't find the show entertaining but a tragedy. How come the teenage pregnancy rate is low in other countries? It must be something they are doing right. As a teen having sex and doing whatever I wanted to do was not an option in my house and the fear of my parents and their expectations of me is what kept me straight. Something that is lacking in today's parenting.

cr1039, yeap I see your point but a lot of the kids getting pregnant have deeper issues and if you look at the kids on the show they all had issues with their parents and came from dysfunctional homes. They need to do shows for the young girls and boys that suffer from self esteem issues. Those kids know about birth control but blame the other for some one getting pregnant.

For those that caught the Oprah show on girls having sex didn't like that one either and it was promoting bad behavior to generate ratings. Anyways, hope those teenagers that catch the show are watching it with their parents who can explain the reality.

[bayarea-girl]

Oh, Macies mom forgot to mention most teens think about their options when their friends and or parents suggest things to them. Often a teens first option is abortion. You'd be surprised with all the teen programs they have for the kids how often adoption is pushed. Again, what many people don't realize when they are considering to give up their kids is how many people aren't adopting and how often the kids end up in the system. MTV should be showing that.

[maciesmom]

I didn't "forget to mention" anything. This thread is about a specific show. I personally felt that it was a fairly realistic show about what happens when a 16y.o. becomes pregnant (and chooses to continue the pregnancy). In many instances, celebrities etc seem to glamorize the situations. Teens being teens (especially spoiled or not very educated ones) seem to have a hard time separating their own circumstances from what they see when some of these young celebrities get pregnant. They get wrapped up in the idea of all the attention, new clothes and baby showers....that part of it sounds fun. This show depicts that there is a lot more to pregnancy than clothes and parties. You are uncomfortable, you must be responsible, things don't always have the fairytale ending. Babies require more than cute clothes to survive - and someone actually has to take care of them 24/7 - and find a way to pay for them. That is reality. You keep saying you don't find this "entertaining" - ok - not in the sense that you are using it that's true. But a lot of stuff I watch not for entertainment but for education. Do you never watch documentaries? I didn't find Schindler's List or Mississippi Burning "entertaining" either - but I did watch them and felt I gained some knowledge by doing so. BTW - those movies, I'm sure made money. That doesn't make them wrong or evil. I also read books that are not necessarily "entertaining" - I do so to expand my knowledge base.

[bayarea-girl]

I didn't say you forgot to mention something it was me who forgot.

Yes I watch documentaries but I have children and I am far from my teen years to find this compelling viewing. The teenage pregnancy show is not educational at all IMHO.

[maciesmom]

Well then I misunderstood your phrasing - sorry....
I actually am far far from my teen years...my oldest child is about out of her teen years so trust me I don't spend much time with MTV on. As I said, I happened to catch this by accident as it came on after something my son had been watching while taking a break from yardwork. I found it interesting so I watched for a bit. I still believe, compared to a lot of programing - and just cultural references, this show was pretty well done. I watched it for awhile with my son (until he just rolled his eyes and decided that doing yardwork was preferable - LOL) and thought it was educational. We all have different opinions - that's fine.

[senalj]

My daughter watches this show, and I have caught a couple of episodes with her. I think the show is accurate with it's portrayal of how hard it is to have a baby. What amazes me is how many celebrities are opting to have kids without being married. So if grown people do this, why should we expect our teens to behave differently?

[bayarea-girl]

Senalj, Grown people have jobs and can support themselves. Teens still rely on their parents and can't get a job or live on their own. Celebrities should never be put in the same category as role models.

[George Chong]

The last episode, Catelyn, made me cry I was so impressed by the maturity of her and her boyfriend in making the difficult decision to adopt out her baby. They knew that they were emotionally and financially incapable of rearing a child. Good for them They demonstrated much more maturity and common sense that their own parents.