MTV's 16 & Pregnant..The Real knocked-up teens of America (television, happened, episodes)
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I wouldn't consider it such. as others have said if this gets young girls to realize how hard being a parent is, then it's worth it.
It's not like MTV doesn't have shows on that are far worse than this, The Hills.
I think most girls who watch MTV aren't old enough to figure out how babies are made. 16 is about the maximum age for an MTV viewer. Other than Jackass or music vids (the few and far between) I haven't watched MTV for more than 10 minutes since I was about 12.
I watched it -- I admit that I do think Mtv has the best documentaries.
I think this series needs to be shown in all jr high schools during health class with a discussion about the episode afterwards.
So many girls think that their boyfriend will be different, that its love, that having a baby will make them grownups, that there problems will disapear. It doesn't. Watching the show - wow, you could just see the boyfriend become more and more distant with each passing day. He may end up paying child support, but I doubt he will ever be a father to his son. He is just not 'there', and if he didn't in the beginning of the pregnancy he certainly blamed his girlfriend for the whole situation at the end of the show. Like a lot of guys, I'm sad to say.
Did you grow up in NJ? I did.
I can't count the number of girls that used to talk in the locker room after gym about who is going to have who's baby. This was the 80's.
Nope Fl but in the 80's I was still a twinkle in my father's eye
I watched another episode last night and I wasn't that impressed with this one. I think the girls name was Farrah. I really don't believe her episode was as helpful as the original one in showing the reality of being a teenaged mother; this chick was 6 months pregnant and still trying to go out on dates. Every time her mother reminded her that she was pregnant and should be focusing on other things besides boys and having fun, she started bitching about how controlling her mom was. Then she had the nerve to completely disrespect her because her mother wouldn't buy her a car. MTV even typed the synopsis describing her as the "overbearing" mother and how Farrah wanted to be out on her own.
If I would have been her mother, the show would have been a real eye opener for teenage girls because she would have been working at night and I would have taken $100 out of her check each week for room & board, made her buy her own food & clothing, and charged her for any childcare that I did involuntarily. Then we would have seen how eager she was to be "out on her own".
My daughter got pregnant at 16......and the father was only 15 by the time the baby was born. They have lived with his parents, with me and have tried it alone. Now, two years later, they are both great parents.....but there is no financial stability for them or their son. Family members sort of chip in and try to help them.
Now, at 17 and 19, they want to date other people. It's understandable. Just this week they made the decision that she would move back in with me with their little boy and the dad would move back in with his parents. The trouble is, this is going to be one sad little kid who will really miss his dad who will be living 3 hours away.
I didn't watch the show because it's just too close to home for all of us. I do hope they will be realistic in showing how tough teen pregnancies are. Again, it isn't that teens don't make good parents or love their babies....they just don't have the education or finances needed to make it without a whole lot of help from their families. It is hard on everyone concerned.
Instead of teaching sex education from books, maybe they should have girls like my daughter come in and explain what real life with a child you can't afford to take care of on your own feels like. It is VERY stressful.
Compared to what goes on in big cities 16 is nothing nowadays you hear about 11 and 12 year olds havin kids and I had a friend who knew a girl in 8th grade who already had 5 ABORTIONS
You can teach sex ed, hand out condoms and birth control pills all you want and even have post partum 15 year olds speak to kids. It all falls on deaf ears when parents aren't supportive of anything other than one more monthly check coming in.
Either you lay the law down at home or you don't. There IS a reason why some underaged kids don't get themselves knocked up while others do...and keep getting themselves knocked up.
Beside that GLARING FACT...there should be mandatory "public service/part of your sex-ed grade" time spent at a daycare center. In the infant room. Watching 3 babies and getting the hang of how quickly an 8 hour shift flies by and you didn't have time for a nap, homework, showering, putting on makeup, friends, partying, going to college, peeing, etc.
I didn't watch the show because it's just too close to home for all of us. I do hope they will be realistic in showing how tough teen pregnancies are. Again, it isn't that teens don't make good parents or love their babies....they just don't have the education or finances needed to make it without a whole lot of help from their families. It is hard on everyone concerned.
I think that the show is very accurate on the lives of these teens. I don't think they have ever questioned the love the teens have for their newborn. I shows the maturity level, lack of life experiences and available resources for them. Is any first time parent really prepared for their first child? 16 is young no matter how mature you can be.
I can only imagine how hard it is for your family. Good luck to you!
I watched another episode last night and I wasn't that impressed with this one. I think the girls name was Farrah. I really don't believe her episode was as helpful as the original one in showing the reality of being a teenaged mother; this chick was 6 months pregnant and still trying to go out on dates. Every time her mother reminded her that she was pregnant and should be focusing on other things besides boys and having fun, she started bitching about how controlling her mom was. Then she had the nerve to completely disrespect her because her mother wouldn't buy her a car. MTV even typed the synopsis describing her as the "overbearing" mother and how Farrah wanted to be out on her own.
If I would have been her mother, the show would have been a real eye opener for teenage girls because she would have been working at night and I would have taken $100 out of her check each week for room & board, made her buy her own food & clothing, and charged her for any childcare that I did involuntarily. Then we would have seen how eager she was to be "out on her own".
I haven't watched any of the episodes that I taped yet; your comment makes me wonder what this teens child will be like.. I can imagine.
If it's a girl - oh, how cute little "Farrah" dances around shaking her behind singing the latest song that kids listen to.
I feel bad for the school teachers that will be teaching these children.
EDIT - After posting, I'm reminded of the commercial for the kids animated movie - I like to shake it shake it, I love to move it move it...
If anyone has heard the whole unedited song.. I'm surprised this was used in a kids movie. So not cute to see your little niece dancing to that.
Hopefully the show will get more girls to use birth control, make their boyfriends use a condom, and try to be more proactive about preventing pregnancy.
I would hate for it to glamorize pregnancy or make a girl think, "Oh, that one girl was just a whiny baby. Being a mom isn't THAT hard."
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