Teens getting PG...ok, that says #1 parents are not getting involved with the teens on a personal basis. Girls who allow boys sexual license are needing a stronger father figure in the home. My father was so strong, no boy in town would dare! Boys are titillated by sexual images and provocative clothing (or lack thereof) at every angle. There again, parents need to establish what behavior is acceptable for their male teen with girls. I know families don't even eat together yet alone have intimate conversations that guide their children's life's future. Ignorance is the problem!

Abortion is destroying itself, as does most evil. Teens find it unthinkable and know it is the recipe for future depression and negative status. Being "easy" is the way to get a boys attention and affection in the short term, getting pregnant is to keep it in the long term. Girls and boys know that game works both ways. With drugs and alcohol common place in the teen culture, it has amplified the "let's be 'easy' tonight" party.

The one good thing is that the younger the mother the healthier the infant. Most woman should have their children in their teens...God created us to. I know a gal or two who got pg from heavy petting, where full penetration intercourse didn't occur...but semen travels!

Also, teen boys know that as soon as they turn 18, youth sex becomes a crime of rape, so get it while they can!

Sometimes when a culture of death, as it is aptly defined, bothers youth deeply, they will rebel and prove that they stand for life!
No, abortion is on it's way out! The girls in school that have them, well, the whole school knows about it, and it really is the underground dirty stigma stain for her. Poor things. Most high school girls have the reputation for having 3-7 abortions. Ask your own teen, they can tell you everyone in school who is post abortive. It is "what a mess!" to be sure.

I am so tired of hearing about how horrible it is to be a teenage mother. You know it's not like we planned on having a child so young. People need to start giving Jamie Lynn some credit she could be one of these girls that goes out gets pregnant and then has an abortion. But no she is taking on the responsibility of having this baby. I am seventeen years old and I found out when I was sixteen that I was going to have a baby. Before my daughter came along all her father and I did was get into trouble. We just wanted to party and have fun. But after we had our daughter our whole lives changed and now we are responsible adults, who any child in the world would love to have the life my daughter does. My little girl saved us!! If it was not for her then there is no telling where we would have ended up. Now tell me that being a teenage parent is horrible!!!

I work at an alternative school for pregnant and parenting teen-age girls and I can say that it is not a new problem at all. It is not because of celebrity baby boom or because it is the "in" thing to do. It is almost never an accident. Most girls get pregnant for a couple of reasons. The first and most common is that they want someone to love and someone that will love them. They may be looking for a child to do this or they may be becoming pregnant in hopes of receiving that love from the father of the baby. The other issue is that becoming a young parent is culturally expected for some of these girls. It's what their mothers did and what their grandmothers did.

I will say that the lack of education on birth control does not help. They don't understand that using a condom most of the time won't protect them 100% of the time. They also don't understand that taking the pill consistently is the key to making it effective.

I think educating these young women is most important. Yes, educate them on safe sex. They are obviously having it so let's pull our heads out of the sand, George W., and acknowledge that the present tactic isn't working. We also need to work on self esteem boosting and confidence boosting with teen-age girls. We need to make them understand that they don't have to be having sex to be deemed worthy of the attention that they are receiving.

I think that it is possible that the media may be adding to the desire for teens to get pregnant...but I'm more inclined to think it has to do with the govt's push toward abstinence only education. Of course this is just my opinion, but I do have some experience. I was a teen mother 13 years ago...let me tell you that it definetly wasn't planned and really made me "uncool"...it by far has been the most difficult thing I have ever had to deal with. I came from a good family with a strong moral foundation...but in the end, I just was not mature enough to realize that I really could get pregnant. I know that most of my friends were also sexually active, but they had access to birth control...which I did not (at least I was too embarrased to talk to anyone about it.) I think that birth control (the pill) should be made more available to teens. This is not a new problem, teens have been having sex forever...I don't think abstinence education can compete with raging hormones.

I am 17 and due with my first baby in 4 days.
I feel the whole teenage pregnancy issue and every pregnant teenager is grossly generalised.
We are all put in one undesirable category.
There must be so many differing circumstances for so many pregnant teenagers that are over looked.
I fell pregnant because I was unaware that the antibiotics I was taking were interfering with my contraceptive pill, I am not saying this because I feel I have to explain myself to anyone, I'm just stating my circumstance, and I didn't feel that abortion was an option for me and now that I'm here, my partner and I are fully prepared to have and care for our baby for the rest of our lives.
Nothing is up with it, teenagers have sex, just like adults do, and some of them accidentally fall pregnant, just like adults do.
Give them a break and stop gossiping about it, these are people's lives.

Sara, you are right on the money. I live in Mississippi (near Kentwood) and getting pregnant is certainly not "in" around here. Kids have sex for a reason, and you gave the most relevant one - they are looking for love and attention. I had my daughter at age 16 and am now 30. It was a tough row to hoe! Like other ladies here have mentioned, I too was uneducated about birth control. I knew about it and had access to condoms and the pill, but I didn't realize that they had to be used so meticulously. Besides that, many girls get pregnant here because it entitles them to welfare benefits - the more kids, the more benefits - and because it's a way of life (as Sara also said). Most of these girls are not in the same social class as Jamie Lynn, so it's more accepted in their circle of friends.

The biggest problem I've encountered with teenage pregnancy is that the fathers believe they can abandon their children without consequence. This leads to more lonely girls and more wayward teenage boys who don't have the support or model of a strong man. It perpetuates the cycle. I can only hope that I'm strong enough and influencial enough that my daughter won't think she has to put out for a man to find love and acceptance, and that she will be stronger than I was in standing up for the morals and virtues she has been taught.

Hi Everyone, Thanks for all the really thought-provoking comments; everybody really raises some important and valid points. And that's precisely why I put the question out there.

And I was so happy to hear former and current teen moms weigh in on this subject. Monica and Unknown, please don't misunderstand. I do not mean to judge you or anyone in your position. I just feel, and like Liv says from personal experience, that having and raising a baby when you are still a teen (never mind older!) is so difficult and such a hard row to hoe in so many aspects. I never meant to imply that teen moms were "horrible." I just worry about them. I don't question that teen moms can be terrific moms to their kids if they have support and resources, but I do worry that in many case, teen moms have to sacrifice moving on with their education to do so. And, as Liv so effectively asks, where are the teenaged (or older) fathers in all this? Why do they get a free pass? And how does their not being involved impact the kids?

Kudos to you, also, Unknown, for allowing this experience to turn your (and your daughter's father's) life around. And Monica, I wish you a fast and easy delivery and a beautiful, healthy baby!

Finally, I couldn't agree more with Sara. I really think education about the realities of unprotected sex is key here. So, thanks for reading and writing, everyone, and keep those comments coming! Cheers, Laurie

The way I see it is that up until 60 years ago or so teen-age pregnancy was the "norm". People got married in their teens. They didn't wait until they were in the 20s. They were adults by the age of 16. If we still did it that way then when sexual hormones rage it could be released in a marriage not pre-marital sex. We need to go back and start teaching kids at a young age how to grow up.

I GOT PREGNANT AT 14 AND NOW IM 27 AND MY DAUGHTER IS 12. TWO MORE YEARS AND SHE WILL BE MY AGE WHEN I HAD HER. ITS SCARY TEENS DONT REALIZE HOW HARD ITS GOING TO BE. IM STILL STRUGGLING TILL THIS DAY.

I GOT PREGNANT WITH MY FIRST CHILD AT 13TEEN YEARS OF AGE AT FIRST I WAS SCARE AND ASHAME OF MY PREGNANCY AT THAT AGE BUT MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER AND MY GRANDMOTHER SIT ME DOWN AND TOLD ME I'M DOING NOTHING THAT WOMANS BEFORE ME AS DONE AND WILL KEEP ON DOING. THE WORLD IS GOING AROUND AND EVERYTHING IS JUST REPEATING ITS SELF LIKE BACK IN HER TIME ONCE A GIRL SHOW SIGN OF BLEEDING THEY GET MARRY OFF AND START HAVING AND THEY BE FROM THE AGE 12-15 TEEN AND AS OF TODAY SOME CULTURES STILL LIVE THAT WAY. SOME TEENS DONT ASK TO GET PREGNANT SOME GET RAPE OR RAPE WITHIN THEY OWN AND IN SOME CASES SOME LIVE IN STRESS OUT HOMES AND HAVE NO SELF-WORTH AND FEEL LOW AS A PERSON AND LOOK FOR LOVE IN OTHER PLACES. THEN ANOTHER THING IF YOU DONT BE OPEN MINDED ABOUT SEX WITH YOU KIDS AS THEY GROW OR MAKE IT COMFORTABLE FOR THEM TO COME AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT SEX AND ASK QUESTION ABOUT SEX THEN WE WILL HAVE LESS TEEN WITH HIV/AIDS AND ALL TYPES OF STDS AND TEEN PREGNANCY. SEX EDUCATION SHOULD START FROM HOME WITH THE PEOPLE THEY KNOW ALL THEY LIFE AND LOVE AND IS VERY COMFORTABLE AROUND. ITS EASY TO BLAME OTHER THEN BLAME YOUR SELF.

I am currently 18 and started being sexually active at age 16 monogamously with my then boyfriend. Thankfully, I live in California, which offers comprehensive sex ed. (Take that G.W.!) It wasn't until I did tons of research online (planned parenthood, google, etc) that I felt really educated about my options and safety. Even with comprehensive sex ed I still felt the need to do research--and not everyone has the resources to be able to do that. Therefore, I think a major key in stopping teen pregnancy is availibility of information as well as family talks. My mom NEVER gave me a sex talk. All she ever said was, "at least graduate high school before you have sex.." and I really wish she were comfortable enough to really discuss it with me, especially since she knew I was dating someone for over two and a half years. Even if you don't approve of your teen daughters having sex at least be upfront about sex. Don't dance around the subject as if it doesn't exist.

Teens having sex is not a new problem. It's been going on for years, I just think that it's a societal thing now. It used to be that when girls got pregnant, they were sent off until they had the baby or things were kept hushed up; or, the girl was immediately married so as to cover up her misconduct. Nowadays, most girls don't try to hide it, and no wonder! I knew a mom who gave her 14 year old daughter a baby shower and celebrated with her, and I was thinking, no wonder these girls are doing this, their parents either don't care at all, or are just too afraid to talk to them about sex and the consequences. Two cousins in my family had children in their teens, before they were married, and my family was furious. They are both wonderful parents with great families now, but they had help and guidance from their parents. I have other cousins who have had sex as teens, and have run off and left pregnant girls to deal with the child themselves, and they end up on welfare or the baby is raised by its grandmother. I don't think it's the age of the person necessarily, but their maturity level, their ability to deal with the consequences like an adult, and the love and support of their families. If parents would be more involved in their children's lives and teach them their values, then teen pregnancy would not be a problem. If you're not mature enough to have a relationship with a person and to raise a child in this world, then you don't need to be having sex, cuz there's always a chance you could get pregnant. If you're not prepared to deal with the consequences, then don't perform the action.

I am now 42 years old, but I remember being a teenager with all types of raging hormones and questions that I so deeply wanted answers to and was not afforded the opportunity to talk about. I vowed then that if and when I had children I would be open and honest with them about the subject of sex. Well, when the time came and I had my daughter(now 21)I was very open and honest, my door was always opened, we even rolled played different scenarios about the subject. All of that went out the window and she became a teen-mom. Now I am helping to raise her son, I love them both , but I wish she would have waited. I did all the right things, I was always there willing to talk and listen. I gave her all the information and support she needed, but she still decided not to listen to me. So its not always a lack of knowledge or information!

I don't judge girls who get pregnant at a young age, and I definitely has incredible respect for those who do the right thing and take responsibility. I've known a number of girls in that situation and it's so incredibily difficult. Yeah, for 1,000's of year people got married young especially girls and whether that was right or wrong, our society isn't built that way anymore. 16 year olds cannot get good jobs, buy houses, or really establish thems no matter whether they they are super responsible, married, or have kids. It just doesn't work that way anymore. While I'm in favor of abstinence, abstinence only education is a joke. There will always be teens that have sex, and while I don't think it's great, having sex is better than having sex and a baby before you are financially or emotionally ready.

That said, I think a child is a blessing. And many girls who aren't emotionally or financially ready to have a child grow up fast and become amazingly responsible people in order to care for their child. But many don't. And even more than the schools, parental input and frankness and love is key. I was homeschooled. My sex education came from my mom and from our church youth group which was very open about these issues. I understood that abstinence was what my parents wanted for me but that I would still be loved no matter what and that I should be honest with them. And I learned about the different birth control products and how to use them. And honestly, instead of driving me towards sex, it drove me away once I understood about the failure rate of condoms and the lack of STD protection of other methods!

I did not have sex until I was married, by my own choice and despite plenty of chances. I'm glad of this, and I'm happy being married. We don't have much money though and I know if we got pregnant now it would be very difficult for us, so I can't even imagine how hard it would have been when I was 16!

There are so many comments on "teens have always had sex." It still doesn't make it right. I had great communication with my parents about sex, I was taught to abstain, and through all the years of raging hormones, I WON! I remained a virgin until I was married at the age of 28.

It's not impossible. I had a college education - as does my husband - great credit, a great career, and a great apartment. It was because we waited until we were married that we are able to give our children the best life. We are expecting #5 (due in May) and I am able to stay at home to raise them. We made decisions that were best for us and best for our lives. Not an "accident", but a decision. We need to teach our kids to think things through.

So all of you teens or parents who think that hormones need to be satisfied - back off! Thousands of young people make the right decision to abstain from sex until they are older or married. Perhaps an "abstaintion only" program may seem unworkable, but to allow kids the access to contraception or birth control without parent's knowledge is thwarting our moral heritage. It teaches our teens that it's okay to lie to their parents and try to get away with anything they can. I'm not sure that's the best way around this issue, either.

The best thing to do is to teach parents (even teen parents)proper communication skills and proper moral skills so they can teach their children when the time comes. As humans, we have hormones to ensure the survival of our race. As children of a Heavenly Being, we are also given the freedom of choice to make a decision to wait until the time is truely right. And while that "time" is only individually clear, at least we can teach our children that they don't have to "give in" or "put out".

I didn't. And I personally know hundreds of others who didn't either.

I think that our teen pregnancy rate is definitly an issue but honestly we as parents can talk until we are blue in the face and our teenager are going to do what they want anyways. It also doesn't help that our lovely government support more children but are not willing to help or support the understanding of safe sex. They would rather teach our children abstinance over how conterception works and so forth.

For me I was 20 when I got pregnant with my first child she is now 7 and let me tell you if it weren't for her I would not have done a lot of the stuff I had done. Get my education and stop partying. But for me teenage pregnancy was normal for us. In my high school we had a day care center for the teenage parents...do I agree with that NOPE but it does help encourage stay in school and get your life on track for your kids sake.

So with me being a younger mother if my daughter would come to me and explain to me that she has gotten herself in a situation I would support her. If she wanted it then I would be there for her. Dont get me wrong I wouldnt raise it, I would help her but let her come in the house a second time thats when we got a problem...I would have to tell her to get the babies and get a steppin, cause obviously I was making it too easy for her and she doesn't understand how hard it is to raise a child.

i have a problem with young people (girls and boys) having children simply for the fact that i dont believe they are often ready to do so. i have talked with a variety of women on this- young and old. many have wished to wait til they were older. many feel like they missed out. we need to stress to young people (both men and women) that there is a life after high school without children and it is very fun! we need to stress how much having a child can hold a person back from opportunities that would further them. young women need to know that there is more to life than getting married and having children. they can get an education, travel, do the 'mary tyler moore' thing- we need to stress independence in these girls! they dont NEED boyfriends. they are not 'weird' for choosing something other than housewife. c'mon, it's 2008! i notice this starts at a very young age. we teach our young girls to play with dolls and be nurturing and we teach our boys to explore and rough-house. i was more like the boys, and i think that's why i turned out the way i did.

i dont think punishing all young women and putting a leash on them is fair either. i had somewhat of a wild look as a teen (punk rock) and i had no problems of becoming a teen mom. i was in a city where needle use was rampant so condoms were pretty pushed. teens were getting hep c and hiv from sharing needles, so being safe got pretty embedded in my head. i didnt get the talk from my parents, who were catholic and pretty much asleep at the wheel with what was going on in our city. those programs stepped in. i know how to clean syringes and never shot up!

what needs to happen- abortion needs to become more easily accessible. i saw so many young women seek much less safe alternatives to going to a clinic, such using drugs. and sometimes the methods didnt work and those babies were born very sick. i remember a young girl having one at 16 with a hole in his heart from mom's drug usage. abortion should not be viewed as evil. it should be shown as a choice that a woman can make when she is not ready for children so that she can have a better life for herself and her future children. a pregnant woman is under enough stress- belittling her options will not make the situation better.

what also needs to happen- the cost of caring for a child needs to be stressed. young people need to see how costly it is without assistance programs. they need to be taught like those programs dont exist- i think this would make them think twice.

this opinion isnt really limited to teen moms- i know many people in their 20s whom i feel need this information stressed to them as well.

Wow, teen sex nor pregnancy is NOT a new issue, just like other happenings in the world. Media makes them appear new. Now coming from a young mom, I got pg w/ my first daughter at age 17. Another tid bit would be that I was also a virgin and she was the result of that night, with contraceptive, the only irresponsible thing I did was acting like an adult. While he ran off and didn't bear the responsibilities as I did, I made sure that there were somethings in place. I graduated early, with honors, I got myself set up. Unfortunately for me I was also a ward of the state and when that happens your business is there business. Before judgment can be passed it was due to the abuse and neglect i endured as a child into teens. I held jobs to support her and struggled like nothing else, by myself. I got lucky, I met the man of my dreams who loved me and my daughter. To date we have been married over 7 yrs and added 3 children to our family. While it was the hardest thing I ever had to do it made me who I am today. A loving, caring, educated (currently working on obtaining my Associates in CSI) responsible mother. We need to make education available, bless those who created planned parenthood. Teens need TRUSTWORTHY adults to talk to, rely on, its our job as adults. I also think that REAL LIFE classes need to be introduced into high schools, and not as electives. Financial classes, home care classes, family classes, while they have the "take me home" plastic babies and it serves it's purpose I think they need to make the dolls more realistic and make the world of "teen parenting" stand face to face with reality. While we will never have a hold on our society and these young babes getting pregnant we CAN offer support and education, as stated previously. Not all teen parents are responsible, as with not all teen parents are irresponsible either. Whether or not our ancestors and elder generation did it. Times have changed, why can't our resources??

I'm a 16 year old and as I was reading though all these comments, it really made me sad to think of all the stereotypes there are out there about teenagers. While I agree teen pregnancy is a huge issue, I think we also need to give a pat on the back to those girls who have chosen to wait to have sex. There are thousands and thousands of teenage girls with "racing hormones" out there choosing to wait to have sex, and sometimes I think they're overlooked. So while I think that we do need to address the issue of teen pragnancy, I also want to take just a sec and congratulate all those girls out there not having sex... because they do exist (and probably more abundantly than you may think) and they deserve some praise for their self-denial and patience. So I just wanted to congratulate you ladies out there who are choosing to wait, just believe me when I say you are NOT alone!

My mother had me when she was 19. She was unmarried and lived in a low-income housing unit for quite some time. I had my first child last year at the age of 25. If anything, watching my mother's struggle kept me from having kids at a young age.

Joanie, I agree that we do need to encourage the girls that are waiting for marriage before having sex. I was 23 when I had sex for the first time (on my honeymoon) my husband was 26 and his first time too. I have to say the wait was very worth it. Yes kids have hormones, adults have them to and many times towards someone who is not their spouse, but that is when we have to learn about self control. I think adults need to take younger girls and guys under their wing and be a positive support for them helping them learn about life's mistakes hopefully without making them, although we all make mistakes one way or another.

As for having kids, my husband and I want a kid now, but because of my health insurance we have to wait 18 more months unless we want to pay for everything ourself. Once again, self control.

I personally think that the words "teen pregnancy" should not count for someone 18 and over. If everyone in the US treats anyone over 18 like an adult any other time, then why is it the second one gets pregnant its "teen pregnancy" and that person wasn't being responsible and won't be able to raise a child. I'm 18 and pregnant. My fiance' and I have been engaged for 2 years, we both have great paying jobs, finished college classes, have our own place and are EXTREMELY responsible. Not every teen mom will end up on welfare and need support from others the rest of her life. This society stereotypes EVERY teen mother, even if they have no grounds to. And like the previous post said, I know many a girl/guy whose lives have been transformed after having a baby. Why don't we target the million other mothers who aren't teens that in my opinion should NEVER of had children? Just the other day I saw a woman who was AT LEAST in her 30's driving around with her infant in her lap. Another was letting her child eat make-up from her purse just because it kept him quiet. We don't talk about these people? Why not? I just think our society needs to take a look at EVERY irresponsible person having children, not just teens.

Why are we only talking about Teen Pregnancy. Isn't having sex outside of a marital relationship just as bad. I do not believe teens should be having sex. They can wait, stop acting like its impossible. And children without a Mother or Father and a stable home and family is also a bad thing. Wake up People. Stop glamorizing stupidity to make yourself feel better. There are plenty of teens out there and unmarried people who abstain from sex. Boy do I feel bad for the kids out there who don't know who their father is, and their mother is teaching them its ok to have sex with the first girlfriend they ever have. I am embarrassed by girls comments that its not their fault they got pregnant because the condom broke, etc etc. If your having sex ITS YOUR FAULT, step up to the plate and take responsibility that you could get pregnant.

Oh, and for all of you "raging hormone" girls who just "couldn't abstain from the temptation", when you consider an abortion, lets just reflect back and be thankful that your mom didn't get one...

Sex is a part of life. It is a need to be fulfilled, such as hunger and sleep. Therefore, as long as two consenting adults are responsible and protected I believe that it is okay for them to have sex. Just because a pregnancy isn't planned does not mean that the child will lead a horrible life. Obviously a teen mother with an absent father isn't the best situation, but I've seen teen parents make it work (not necessarily in a relationship with eachother) but the child was loved. Circumstances come up. We can't keep our heads up our asses forever.

Abstinence only sex education is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. PEOPLE NEED TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT THEIR OPTIONS.

This is a very complicated and thorny issue, and there is so much confusion out there.
I think sex education should come from the home, not the government, and it should be about your family's values, not someone else's. These decisions are very personal and should not be bureaucratized.
My own message to my both my kids, a boy and a girl, is that sex is about someone you love and who loves you, and if you're mature enough to have sex, then you're mature enough to understand contraception and use it correctly. If you're not, then you shouldn't be having sex, no matter how old you are. So far that message seems to have worked with both my kids, who are in their early twenties now.
Of course we live in a society infused with sex and celebrity worship, hence the popularity of a magazine like People. When the media pays a lot of attention to unwed mothers, like Jamie Lynn Spears, who are pretty and rich and seem to live glamorous lives, I worry that our daughters might get the wrong message. I applaud those of you who had an unplanned pregnancy at an early age and made it work, but 16 is clearly not a good age to become a mom. You are so young yourselves, and the burden of being a parent, especially if you are doing it without the baby's father, is so enormous. While many of life's most important lessons have to be learned the hard way, I wish that you had been able to enjoy your whole childhood, had finished your education while going to parties and to proms, maybe gone on to college, and certainly started your careers before conceiving. I have tremendous respect for your ability to not be defeated by your mistakes, but I think the message clearly has to be that being a teen mom is not something that is all right, whether or not you choose abstention (the right answer for some but not all) or whether you choose birth control (again, the right answer for some but not all).

It's just so simple: This is all about robbing a female teenager of her girlhood and causing her young, still developing body to endure the trauma of a pregnancy.

I am no prude (My own teenage kids were not of the "chaste" sort) but when we start to approve of "babes creating more babes," it is a sad commentary on how we regard our youth.

Sex is not simple!

It's an old story.....sex is fun and cheap and they can't say no and don't know how to.

I am 17 years old and I just found out I am going to be a mother, but no stars or Hollywood's latest fashion has made me excited. I am excited, because I'm one lucky woman to be able to be a mother. I am happier than I have ever been in my life with my fiance and I believe that at a certain age teenagers are going to start making choices on their own; Even if they do or don't have a good relationship with their parents, it's life. It's going to happen, and the only person who has the right to judge them is God, but if they don't treat their children correctly then that's whenever someone should take it into their own hands. If it doesn't need to happen then why do people add in comments about them having a baby when they should be happy that the baby is being taken care of instead of being put up for adoption or even be excited that the mother didn't have an abortion. Weather or not a parent "educates" their child sooner or later they will learn on about sex on their own. It's bound to happen!

"Wake up People. Stop glamorizing stupidity to make yourself feel better." Natalee

You know people ruin their arguments when they become judgmental.

"Oh, and for all of you "raging hormone" girls who just "couldn't abstain from the temptation", when you consider an abortion, lets just reflect back and be thankful that your mom didn't get one..." Natalee

So this is a damed if you do, damed if you don't situation. If you have unmarried sex and a baby you are a slut, and if you have unmarried sex and an abortion you are a cold hearted witch. It's funny society tells girls teen pregnancy is a travesty and it will ruin your life but you have to keep the baby because it's the right thing to do. Ladies if you don't want people criticizing you for your decisiond do not criticize people for their choices.

Abstinence until marriage may be right for you and many other women/girls but it is not what everyone wants to do and they should have the right EDUCATION mainly from parents and self knowledge (school sex ed should come last) to make that decision for themselves. I believe that sex ed should include talk about abstinence, birth control and healthy relationships.

I want to give the girls who use birth control a pat on the back, no not a pat on the back a standing ovation, and even if it proves not to be as effective as you would have liked, you are not a slut or a cold hearted witch.

I just want to add that if my mother did have an abortion I probably wouldn't care because I wouldn't exist.

For starters I would like to say to the ones who are Mothers AND Fathers that are both involved/supportive of each other as well as your children: Congrats! I was 21 when I had my first son and that was scary enough. My husband & I were due to be married 1 month after the baby was born. Our parents were DEVASTATED esp my Mother in law, she too was 16 and knew the challenge ahead of us. We moved up our wedding date. My in laws were AWESOME! They were so supportive from the beginning and my parents gradually came around. We have been married over 16 yrs and together almost 19. IF I had it to do over again Yes I would recommend waiting esp. with all the STD's that there are it compounds the responsibility. I was so naive to ALL the STD's not to mention how easy it is to truly ruin the chances of children when one is ready. As a nurse who worked in OB for over 6 years, it is an eye opener. When I worked in a OB/GYN clinic, 8 out of 10 women & girls (13yrs and up) had to come back for a repeat pap smear or Colposcopy due to the herpes virus. That is no exaggeration of numbers either. A colposcopy is painful as well as you are NOT asleep and get only 800mg of Tylenol 30-45 mins before the proceedure. The proceedure is like this: it starts out like a typ[ical pap, any abnormal cells are cut out right there to be sent of. At the end the inside of the uterus is scraped ( basically D&C) and then this done again in 3 months for a yr until all clear. Please consider waiting, multiple partners is dangerous. If not, be choosy and ready to take on being responsible. Be supportive to all teens and adults with a " Surprise" pregnancy, They need it.

I would like to say that for the increase of teen pregnancy, I truly believe that it is more from lack of direction in our society, than the lack of knowledge. Todays pre-teens know more about sex then we are willing to accept. What's more they have all the facts down pretty clear don't kid yourselves.
Statistics show, more teens have already had sex before mom and dad have even approached the possibillity. Young girls 12 to 16 feel a huge pressure to dress like an adult to bare-all in some of the revealing fashions, compounded with all the changes of puberity and emotional stress of just being a teenager. It has become too much for most. There is nothing held back from dress to verbal expression these teens do and say whatever fits for them. Our teens are doing whatever they feel like doing and telling most of us parents as they are making the decisions. Shame what is that? Do teens even know the meaning of such a word today? I have to say that the free choice society, we know today has provided no boundries to our teens whom are hugely influenced by thier peers. Which will be for generation after generation, Nothing has changed from that perspective, but parents had a much larger influence on teens 20 to 30 years ago than they do today. Let's face it Most parents had discipline and limits now we give all from guilt. We as parents are a guilted society today, our kids have more choice than the parents let's face it more freedom too. Child care providers and teachers spend more time with our kids than anyone else. I don't believe it's a parents parenting problem as much as it is a society influence as a whole. 95 percent of our teens own or have used a fake Identification solely for purchasing alcohol or entering pubs and bars. All in an attempt to be mature and to have fun. Having a baby for most is like buying a new top. Just another eventful day. Society has taken the value of being a parent away in this fast paced ever changing media driven world of ours, How do we compete and hold interest of our kids.Distracting them in a fashion more acceptable. Most teens don't even have more that 6 hours of family time a week.
With sexual disease still on a rapid increase Teens are having more sex that ever. Let's put media to a more proper use, And promote the value in family. How bout teach values continually throughout the educational system, seems like after elementary school kids forget the simple basics of caring sharing and respecting others, including themselves. We have a society of Brilliant productive teens, lets give them something to make of themselves, Instead of lost souls in search of stability, and love.

Teenagers having babies is no new thing. My grandmother had her first kids in her late teens. Now mind you, this was back in the 30's. I watched my aunt have a child at 16 which she thought was so cool until she found out how much work it was. I was four years younger and ended up spending more time with her child the first year of his life than she did. At twelve I had my first experience with taking care of a new born seven days a week. I loved the little guy but I wouldn't wish that on any one. I am now 28 and have to beautiful daughters of my own. And frankly, I'm terrified. I wasn't educated real well on sex. I was handed a book and told to read it and then handed a bag of pads. The only thing I was ever told is that sex was for married people and fornicators were going to hell. Well, that didn't work real well. I can say that I am blessed not to have had a child at say 14. I've had the opppurtunity to have some wonderful experiences and to learn who I was before I had my first child. Even at 23 it was hard. I can only imagine the emotional roller coaster a 15 year old goes through finding out they are pregnant.

I think we need to start teaching our children that actions have consequences. It is not up to the schools, tv, celebrities, or planned parenthood to teach our children. As parents it is our responsibility to educate our children. I think young girls need more ways to empower themselves so that they don't feel they need a boyfriend to justify them. TV and magazines are teaching our girls that they are measured by the amount of breasts hanging out of their shirts or who has the most noticeable backside. It's been going on forever and it's time to stop.

Nagging on these young girls is not going to solve the issue. It's time to empower them. To give them the strength, direction, and support they need to be productive members of society, positive role models for their children, and to succeed. Some of these programs for young mothers only help them survive but it's time that they succeed. And if they can educate their children and show them what can be done through hard work, doesn't that stand a chance of ending the cycle?

God forbid my daughters come home at 15 and tell me that they are pregnant. I don't wish that on any child but it is their choice and I pray that they wouldn't opt for an abortion. That child would still be my flesh and as family we would raise it. I only hope that what I impart on them now as children is enough to give them the strength and knowledge to make it past the many pitfalls that are part of growing. Temptation is always there and it is the responsible person that can ignore it; responsibility is something that has to be learned and teenagers don't have a life time of experience to call on.

I was a teenage mom at the age of 17. I am now 38 with a 20y, 18y, 13y and 2y. If it was not for my kids, I would probably be dead. I was molested and raped as a child and swore I would never let a man near me. But my 1st boyfriend showed me that not all males were jerks and needed to be locked under a jail. I was also very quiet but very hateful and couldn't stand to be around people. Not only did my kids save my life, but they probably saved someone elses.

Teens moms have been around forever. It's just now that they are being pushed to the fore-front and talked about more. It's nothing new and will never end. It's part of life and it's not always a horrible thing. I don't like to see teen girls get pregnant becuase there's so much world out there for both the teen parents to see before they have kids. I have 4 boys and I tell my older ones to be oh so extra careful and travel first. See everything your heart desires and then when the time is right, settle down and decide if kids are for you. And believe me, with a 2y old brother running around, they don't have any plans to go through fatherhood any time soon. :-D

I am 20 years old and the mother of a beautiful 7 month old baby girl. There are some times in my life that I look back and wonder why I was not more careful, and why I did not consider the consequences for my actions. Even wondering this I would never trade the card that God has given me. I love my baby with all that I am and I know that she was sent to me with great reason. Before I had her I was on the WRONG track. Now that I am a mother and have a reason to live my life right, I am so much better off. My situation goes to show that sometimes things like this happen for a reason. I do not believe that people who have children young are bad people. Did I ever even think that I would be 19 and having a baby? No. Did I plan for it to happen? No. The fact is that it did and I am going to deal with it and give my sweet baby all of the love and affection that I have in me for the rest of my life! Now if you are put in my situation and choose to abort your child, I am NOT with you on that. I think that is truly wrong! You need to step up and deal with the situation that you have created for yourself!! God will never put on you more than you can handle...

I myself was a teen mom. I had my daughter at 17, I am now 29. She was not planned. I am tired of hearing that a girl has alterior motives to getting pregnant. Timing was completely off. I didn't want to have kids until I was much older. In fact I was on birth control when I conceived her. One thing though I want to make clear is that she is the BEST thing to ever happen to me, just not at a time I had hoped for.

I firmly believe parents need to talk more with their children about birth control. If the schools know they are not in a home that can have such conversations, then the school needs to educate such students. I am tired of hearing about abstinence. We all know teens are having sex at an alarming rate. It is not going to change any time soon unfortunately. Talking about abstinence is not going to change anything, birth control will. Talk about the responsibilities and cost of having children. Teens rather spend their money on clothes, movies and music for example rather than buying diapers. I am so looking forward to the new show "The Baby Borrowers," maybe that will open some eyes and start some good talk time with families.

One more thing that really gets under my skin. WHY is everything written about the girls getting pregnant and how she is so young. Why is society forgetting about the boys who get the girls in the situation they are in. I feel boys need to be held more accountable for their part in this ordeal. There are condoms they can buy. Why is it the question of was the girl on birth control always coming up?? Why is it people ask where HER parents were when this behavior was happening. What about the boys parents?? It takes two to make a child. We need to teach boys that if this does occur how to be a man and step up to their responsibilities, their consequences of their actions. Many boys look at sex as a game and should a pregnancy should happen, many just run and don't look back and society allows this to happen.

I have three beautiful children. i had my first son at 17, my second son at 20 and my daughter at 22. i will be 23 this year. they are the most important things in my life and i will do everything i can to make sure they have what they need and the love they need. i was 17 and pregnant in an abusive relationship and had a mother telling me i could take some time of school bcuz she booked an abortion for me. it was not planned but it happened. i told my mother i didnt beleive in abortions and nothing she could do would change my mind. i had my son and from the moment i gave birth and held him in my arms i knew i made the right choice. i was into drugs and alcohol bad and was depressed and suicidal. i do not drink more then occasionaly i dont do drugs and im happy with my life now. it is sooooo hard to be a teen parent but i did it and i did it right, even though other girls and even friends i know were having babys and just going out partying still. i was not that type of mom nor will i be. my sons fathers are not around and never were but it didnt matter to us becuz my mom WAS there. the person that booked my abortion finaly accepted my choice and while she thought i was screwing up my life she was there to support me. people act like we are all whores out for the money from welfare and while alot of girls are alot of us are good responsible mothers. sure i could be out traveling and have fun BUT what i have instead is a purpose in life and three little angels that changed my life for the better. instead of thinking about what we dont get to do with our lives think about what we do have. the joys of being a mother and haveing a loving family WITH OR WITH OUT the man. you ppl always say half the men dont take responsibility and we need a man to make a family but in the next breath you tell us girls we need to learn WE DONT NEED A MAN!! make up your mind. i had to raise two boys on my own without a man but that didnt stop him from learning how to pee standing up. I taught him that not a man. you say we should learn to be responsible about having sex and dont have sex if we dont want a baby but then you say if you get pregnant as a teen then have an abortion cuz you still have a life to live and fun to have.Is it alright to murder innocent babies just becuz we still wanna go out and have a life?? well being a mother is the most amazing thing in the world and the most fun ever even when it has its ups and downs but why dont you ask all the women out there who CANT have babies if they think every young girl who still wants to party should have an abortion. why doesnt anyone say give it up for adoption so these poor women can have the babies they can only dream of. like you said if ready to have sex then be responsible for your action well then have the babies that you created. maybe teen girls have sex so friviously becuz they know they can just have an abortion like everyone else. its distgusting but thats just another thing we teach young girls!

Good freakin' lord! If I have to hear one more time about how some 'teen' says that having a baby was the best decision they have ever made, I might just blow a gasket.
Some teens think if they get pregnant, it will make their man love them more...WRONG!! As 'mommy_of_three' proves. If you were in a relationship where you were treated badly, then WHY THE H#LL DID YOU GET KNOCKED UP!!?? And then proceed to have 2 more after that? Do you really think that your mother WANTED to raise YOUR babies with you?
And alot of teens say 'well I was on BC' which is a total croc, because if you were using it properly, you wouldn't have gotten yourself in this mess to begin with.
I think young women need to be educated on the PROPER use of birth control. They need to be told the potential risks and complications that can occur during pregnancy and childbirth, and all the terrifying stuff that comes with a newborn.
I'd honestly like to see MY tax dollars go towards proper education, adoption agencies, and pro-choice organizations.
Don't ruin your life anymore than you have to.

Teen pregnancy is an issue, i agree, but believe me... there are no more teens having sex now than a generation ago when i got pregnant at 15. I have a sister the generation behind me, who lost her virginity around the same age i did... She however, had the birth control speech from me and seeing me raise my son, making her an aunt at 8 yrs old gave her a front row seat to the consequences! I was taught the "just say no" crap, and obviously didn't say no. Had i known the actual risks, the facts about sex and pregnancy, i probably would have still had sex at 15, just been way more careful! I feel like parents need to be more involved, the schools can't teach it all-take that 17 billion and put it to work educating parents on how to educate their kids!
Anyhow.... 50-75 years ago it was perfectly acceptable to be married and having kids by the time you were 18. It's not that today's teenagers have any more raging hormones than previous generations, they are just in a society that frowns upon talking about it.

i have to add to my prev comment.....
I am in no way saying i regret getting pregnant so young, like the post a girl wrote above, my little boy saved me. Who knows how much trouble i would have continued to get in. He has a wonderful life, and i get told all the time i should be proud, I feel like i have been an excellent mom. I couldn't imagine life without him, and am glad it worked out the way it did.

I think the problem is exactly THAT Andrea...teens are getting into trouble. I will not praise any of them for settling down after their child is born. That is the RESPONSIBILITY that comes with having babies. Because if you don't your children get taken away. I WILL give kudos to those that find the maturity within oneself to raise their children properly, though. I mean, finishing/furthering your education, getting a JOB, and paying bills. NOT living with your PARENTS. You ARE a parent. If you are mature enough to have a baby, than you are mature enough to take care of one...

If you like to party and drink, and be promiscuous, than PROTECT yourself!!! Because the party ends when you get pregnant! Not saying that your LIFE will end, like most people would say, but you definitely won't get to party like you used to.

I should make one thing clear here. I am a YOUNG (not teen) unmarried parent, and yes, my daughter was unplanned. But the man I am with, is a SUCCESSFUL person, who WANTED children. He isn't just my 'boyfriend'. I made the decision to keep our child, based on our age, our income, and the fact that there was absolutely no reason we could NOT care for the child OURSELVES. Had I have been 4 years younger, in an on again off again relationship (or what have you) and KNOWING that I could not provide for the child WITHOUT assistance, I would have UNDOUBTEDLY considered my options. Now I'm not saying the 'A' word you are all thinking about, although the thought HAD crossed my mind in the beginning..I am saying, there are CHOICES you can make.

I am a mother of a 1 year old and currently 38 weeks pregnant. I found out I was pregnant with my first child when I was 18 years old, and was devastated. I was so confused. Abortion seemed like my only option when your family pushes for college and financial stability before children. My husband (then boyfriend for a year) was so against abortion and assured me he would always be there for me and my child. Now this is what makes a big DIFFERENCE! How willing he is to be involved in his child's life. My husband married me (not just because I was pregnant) and he is the best husband/father in the world. I really dont know what I would do without his support. I think that the real issue with having children so young is that most people are not ready for that responsibility (and it is a serious issue). Being a mother is something that is INNATE for most of us, but being a father is NOT. I was lucky my husband is the man he is. I didn't get pregnant because my parents were bad parents. That is a factor. But you can talk to your children until you are blue in the face, and it wont change anything. Talking to your children does help, my mother did, but it didnt give any guarentees that I would not make a mistake, and I did. It only takes ONE time to get pregnant....and it happens. So the best thing we can do for us YOUNG parents is be there and support them through it all!

I do agree with (disgusted) as far as educating the youth about birth control options.At times it may seem that you may not be able to care for a child on your own, but that does not mean that not having the baby is the best option. It is what you feel, but trust me, you can further your education with a child, you can change your financial situation. Dont let anyone with a pessimistic point of view change your mind. YES, you should provide for your child on your own and with the help of your partner. But if you cant, then you have decisions to make.It is hard, but a child is a BLESSING, and no one knows that better than a MOTHER. Sooo, because not everyone...just so happens to get (KNOCKED UP) by a "SUCCESSFUL person who WANTED children" doesnt mean that you should abort.Just like Ms disgusted didnt plan her child...who is to say the "next man" would have not been successful. IT WAS HER CHOICE. IT WAS MINE. AND ITS YOURS. Because success should never validate a childs life.

i think we should show young blossoming girls and boys birthing videos. not the easy ones either. it was enough for me as a teen to be afraid of the intense pain of giving birth to keep my legs closed so to speak. parents need to be more involved in the education of their children in this area also. talk to your kids let them know they can ask questions and don't be afraid to answer honestly. my 4 year old is already asking questions like how do babies get out of mommy's belly. she was so scared the doctor was going to break my belly. i am also keeping a journal of the ups and downs of motherhood so when she is old enough i will let her read it and see it is very hard work and she should wait til she is old enough and ready to be a mother. i hope that in doing this it will make her think before she is faced with the pressures of boys and it will help her to make informed decisions as a young adult

im 18 years old and my daughter is due in 8 days and i got pregnant by a man who is alot older than me and he is still around and he is happier than me about the whole situation i think teen pregnancy should not be a problem as long as the mother can take care of the baby

Im 17 and my due date is two weeks away. Im aware that all these teenagers have there reasons for why it happend. but many times it really an accident. bout im proud of all those who go threw with it just like me. so many have abortions or put up for adoption. the reason why i beleive that there are so many teenage pregnancies is because of all the problems we are put threw. whether its family or school problems. our childhood has alot to do with our future it affects us in many ways. but in no way do i blame my pregnancy on that, i know alot was on me and boyfreind. but now with our baby on his way we will go on and go to college get great jobs, i know will struggle more but itll be worth it in the end. Instead of all this critisim towards teenage pregnancies there should be more support. look up to them instead of looking down.

I am 19 and pregnant....I am also have been married for over a year and it was a planned pregnancy. But do you think that when I walk into somewhere people look at me like a normal mother/wife?...Nope. I get the "feel sorry for me" look and then the "your a whore" looks....and I understand that I made the choice so I have to live with it...it was planned...I know, but there is no reason people should judge me just because of that. I am married and this is what my husband and I both wanted...and even if I wasn't...o well. It's not the end of the world...there are way worse things going on than babies being born.

..I have to add though that the people that have a child and realize they can't take care of them and then keep having children...that's where there is a problem. The one's that have to get on welfare just so they can buy diapers or feed their baby....it's pathetic and that is what is bringing our society to what it is now. If you can't take care of yourself or your first 3 kids....stop having them....your making the world a miserable place and honestly...I don't want to pay for you to eat and have the luxuries of life just because you can't stop....

No parental supervision. Perhaps the result of daycare?

"Apparently, Jamie Lynn has lots of company in craving cool jeans with stretch tummy panels (a fashion oxymoron if there ever was one)". Bah! Do you people hear yourselves when you say such nonsense?

I wonder if perhaps people weren't taking such an insensitive approach to the situation, if it would really seem like such an "issue". There are reasons having a baby at young age is hard, and its more than just "not being ready". Several people have already thoroughly and accurately addressed key issues, such as it NOT being a new trend, that 50 years ago you weren't a "girl" at 18 you were a young woman probably soon to be married, and more importantly that there are plenty of girls out there that abstain, or take proper precautions. TEEN PREGNANCY IS NOT A "DISEASE" CAUSED BY IGNORANCE.

Has anyone considered that young woman who DO take responsibility for their actions are almost always scorned for doing so? "Oh, but you'll have no life." "You were going places." Etc. We expect to teach our girls how to stand up and be proud of themselves, and when they do, we call them whores. Not to mention while "deadbeat dads" are clearly frowned upon, they are almost always held to lesser standards than mothers!

Perhaps the "teen pregnancy epidemic" as so many people refer to it, is rising NOT because teen pregnancy is increasing, but because as a group of women young mother's are choosing to say YES instead of caving to economic, family, and social pressures. Social programs intended to help single mothers, especially young single mothers, are severally under-budgeted, information on finding them is lacking, and availability is practically nonexistent. Do we punish teen mothers by purposely making it harder for them because we think it will discourage having sex or more importantly discourage going through with the pregnancy? Rubbish.

Pro-choice, pro-life it doesn't matter. The point is each of these women made a choice, just as each of these men did, to have sex. Why then do we heckle, scorn, and make fun of the few women (and yes even the fewer men who stay by their side) when they actually have the courage to say "Up yours, America. I'm going to do the right thing."

Think about it.

WELL LETS SEE I HAD MY FIRST BABY AT 17 AND NOW MY 17 YEAR O,LD DAUGHTER HAS TWINS,I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT EVERY ONE ELSE IS DOING I TALKED WITH HER OVER AND OVER ABOUT SEX AND BIRTH CONTROL AND IT DIDNT DO ANY GOOD.SO I LEARNED FROM HER AND PUT MY 15 YR. OLD ON BIRTH CONTROL, MOST PEOPLE THINK IM CRAZY BUT HOW ELSE ARE WE GOING TO KEEP OUR TEENAGE KIDS FROM HAVING BABIES YOU CANT WATCH THEM EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY.I THINK PRESURE TO HAVE SEX IS A BIG FACTOR THEWSE DAYS ,THEY THINK EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT AND NOT GETTING PREGNANT.....

I think a lot of it has to do simply with the "it won't happen to me ..." attitude that naturally comes about a teen. That along with misinformation and lack of education is a recipe for disaster.

I had my first child at the age of 27. By then, both my husband and I had lucrative careers, a four bedroom house, and an supportive church family. In my college years, I even worked as a day care teacher to infants and toddlers. So I thought I was prepared. Having a child is the most difficult thing you can ever do in your life. My daughter is the most rewarding blessing that God has given me, but the hard work of it can be burdensome.

Some of my high school friends became teenage moms, most cases they dropped out of the social scene and became distant. Having a child is a forever change, and even though I understood it before my daughter's birth I really couldn't grasp the concept until after she was born. I pray that each and every mother, teen or not, has the strength and support to endure. My hopes for my daughter is to have a full youth, enjoy friendships, and have a happy life. Her choices are hers.

This is to Natalee:

I got pregnant at 16 years old! So yes a teen that was pregnant!!! Tenn Pregnancy is not a bad thing, a child is a blessing! There are married people who DON'T know who the babies father is because they may have cheated. Getting pregnant young doesn't mean you were sleeping with anyone and everyone!!!!!!!!!! I'm very proud of the woman who were teens and have raised there children! Its not easy but a blessing. My daughter doesnt go without anything, she has all she needs because of ME! I'm now twenty years old a full time college student and work full time! My daughters father is not around anymore after five years. My life is great and yes its hard at times, but just because I had her as a teen doesn't mean her life is not great!!!!! To all the woman who were teens or young mothers doing it alone...you are truly a woman of strength!!!

I'm 18 years old. So I guess i'm consider among the "babies having babies." It's so normal to see a 15-19 year old walking around in my small town pregnet with a babie. I'm also strongly proud of these mothers for going through with the pregnacy and not having an abortion or putting their children up for adoption. Theres mother's who are much or little older then us and are worse parents then us "babies having babies" For me having a babie young was just a dream of mine. I didn't plan on having my son until after I had graduated but things just happen I can't say why it happend for me because i'm not sure. But I love my son. But in most cases of teenagers becoming pregnet alot of them don't have that fatherly image in their life and look for it in their boyfriends. They believe that their loved and they have unprotected sex to show their boyfriends that they love them and end up pregnet. Alot of these mothers couldn't be any happier with their child though. I also believe that alot of teenagers come from what I like to call the "broken home" where theres complications of some sort so they act out. In some cases that is not at all the case. Some teenagers are educated, have the wonderful life style that we all dream about but had sex with their boyfriends and got pregnet. Most of the parents I know hear all agree that it was nice to have a babie young because where able to relate more to them. We have more energy to keep up with them and we all as a community can come together and support one another.

I was a teenage mom but I was already married when I conceived at 18. My parents never had the sex talk either and it was really up to my boyfriend/ husband who had two older brothers and new about condoms to take care of it. I am so thankful that I was with him and he had such a strong opion about protection. We have been married now for 12 years and are expecting our 3rd baby. I nshort I know we talk about the girls know about protection and stuff but we do need to keep our boys in mind some of them do th right thing and stick around for a long time if not forever.

I have a comment for some one who said that they believe boys have sex before their 18 because once they are 18 it's considerd rape. That in my oppinion is tottaly untrue. There are guys hear that are 19 having sex with 14 /15 year olds. It's not considerd rape unless it was unwanted. Alot of the mothers pregnet hear their boyfriends are much older then they are. My boyfriend is 6 years older then I am. I have friends whose boyfriends are 7 or 8 years older . It's just something that happens. And parents grit their teeth at the fact that their daughters are dating oler men. But you sometimes have to take a step back and put yourself in their shoes. Do they have a father image.? Are you bringing man after man into your life.? HOw much older is your boyfriend/ husband then you are? Have you seen a mature 13/16 year old boy.? not likely i'm not saying their not out their but it's hard to find them. Then again not all 20 year old guys are mature neither. You have to relize that it's just part of life and that you need to just face the facts and put up with it. Do you really want your daughter to be that 15 or 18 year old pregnet daughter, who is afraid to turn to you for help becuase your holding a grudge against her because she is pregnet. Know i'm sure you dont'. Be their for your daugther/ son love them they still are the same person with or without that child and you can't do nothing about it now. that child is their consider it a blessing from God. He wouldn't pu that child their without a reason. And just because your their for your grandchild doesn't mean your their for you daughter/son. Be involved in their life to tell them you'r upset with their choices but that you'll work with it, even if it's hard tell them that! explain it will take some tiem for you to cope with it but tell them that you love them and want to be involved and both their and your grandchilds life. It'll make a differance of a life time. Trust me my Mother had a really hard tiem coping with her " baby having a baby"

I do agree that it is too high of a number of teen pregnancies. But I also have to admit that I contributed to that number 6 years ago. When I was 17 I found out I was pregnant. I was in a committed(at the time) relationship and we took steps to be safe but it obviously failed that time. My pregnancy didn't have anything to do with my upbring, my parents were VERY involved in every aspect of my life. They were very open, they would talk to be about sex and the consequences that could take place. I didn't "do it" so he would like me. We cared a lot about each other and it was a decision we made together. I think abstinence is the way to go until you are truly prepared for what can happen but get real....we all know that teenagers are out there having sex. It is our job as parents to make sure they are being responsible with it. We wouldn't give our kid a car and say "hey just learn to drive it, you'll figure it out some day" No, we teach them all the right/safe things to do, to ensure they will be safe. Teenagers are afraid to talk to their parents about sex because they are being told not to do it...so instead they aren't being safe and a lot more teens are becoming parents. My parents put me on the pill when I was 16, they would rather be safe then sorry. They weren't endorsing me having sex...they just wanted to make sure if I did that I was being careful about it. Obviously it doesn't always work but at least I was being smart about it. I really do think a big part of it is the parents involvement, or lack there of. But that isn't always the case...sometimes being safe doesn't always work...there isn't anything we can do about that. When me and my husband got pregnant with our daughter, we were being safe but we still got pregnant. It happens. But it doesn't have to be the end of their life....I still went to college and have a great life with my son who is 6.5 but I do think being a teen mom brings obstacles in your life that you might not have had if you were older and preferably married. We just have to talk to our kids about sex and about their self confidence so they know that they should never feel like they have to do something for someone to like them. It starts at home!

I'm a teenage-soon-to-be- mother due Feb. 27th and although I do see an increase in pregnancy in teenagers that means nothing. Sometimes it just happens, as it did with me, and there is no way I would do an abortion. Being a teenage mom isn't my dream of a happy life, but I'm not going to say that my little boy is a mistake. Sometimes things just happen, but everything happens for a reason and God would not give me something I could not handle...