Have you seen "16 & Pregnant"?

[happygirl]

I watched the cheerleader one was well. I think her name was Farrah?? I think shows like that teach kids how hard it to have and take care of a baby.

I did think that girl mom was a crazy loon though smacking her in the car and fighting with her like she did that wasn't needed in my opinion

 

[powellrj]

I guess the one with the local girl is on next week. Here is a link to the article.

http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/archivesearch/local_story_159000541.html

 

[shellybaxter]

Amen, sister.

Unfortunately, the first episode (the one where they named the kid Bentley Cadence) showed the Grandmother provided free daycare for the child all day, five days a week so that the new mom could go to school, be on a dance team, etc.

Why is that unfortunate? Different families will handle teen pregnancy differently. If thats not what would happen in your house - say so while watching with your teens, but don't discount that SOME families will give more support. Neither way is anymore "right" or "wrong" - they are just different ways that families choose to handle a very difficult situaton.

I was actually happy to hear the show would have a balance and by more realistic

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks for the heads up. Will try to watch it.

 

[PatsGirl]

DD has been watching The Birth Story on cable since she was about 6 years old ~ at one point, she was obsessed with it I'd say she's seen every possible labor story there is at this point. I've never seen the shows that you are all talking about here though, I'll have to check the guide for them.

We did watch an American Teenager last summer and DD is so excited that it is starting again tonight. I didn't care about it one way or the other but I don't censure her television so much anymore, hopefully at this age she can tell the difference between fact and fiction.

 

[mariolatry]

Why is that unfortunate? Different families will handle teen pregnancy differently. If thats not what would happen in your house - say so while watching with your teens, but don't discount that SOME families will give more support. Neither way is anymore "right" or "wrong" - they are just different ways that families choose to handle a very difficult situaton.

I was actually happy to hear the show would have a balance and by more realistic

It's probable that their are families out there that will provide that support. My thought was that it was unfortunate that there might be young girls watching that and assuming their mother or grandmother will provide 60+ hours per week of free daycare when it is not the case. Finding affordable, trustworthy childcare is a major hurdle for many mothers (working or not) and it's nice to see when that reality is represented. I went to school with a 40% teen pregnancy rate and it made a big impression on me when the girls' assumptions did not equal reality!

 

[shellybaxter]

It's probable that their are families out there that will provide that support. My thought was that it was unfortunate that there might be young girls watching that and assuming their mother or grandmother will provide 60+ hours per week of free daycare when it is not the case. Finding affordable, trustworthy childcare is a major hurdle for many mothers (working or not) and it's nice to see when that reality is represented. I went to school with a 40% teen pregnancy rate and it made a big impression on me when the girls' assumptions did not equal reality!

I agree with you that child care is a huge issue - and I should know I direct a child care center that charges $65 per day for infants and has a waiting list of over25 babies. However, wouldn't it be just as unfortunate to show girls that familes won't ever help when that is not the truth either? I know many many familes that help (provide free child care) to teen mothers so they can go to school. Many of those families continue their support while the young mother goes to college. I know this because my center in on a college campus. We have served both teen mothers in high school and those who were teen mothers in high school and are now in college. At least half of our clients in these situations receive tremendous support from their families.

 

[HelenePA]

40% teen pregnancy? holy cow! There was one person in my class who had a baby.

 

[Kath2003]

I haven't seen it, but I do know that the UK is one of the worst countries in Western Europe for teen pregnancy. So I googled it worldwide. Now I know that it's wikipedia, but the figures are from a reputable source: this is the global teen motherhood rate from 2002

What got me was that the US teen birth rate was higher than the rest of the developed world. It's comparable to countries in South America, India and a large portion of Asian countries.

Coincidently, although I would say that getting an abortion in the UK is 'easier' for pregnant teens in that you can get an abortion as a teen aged under 16 without your parents consent or even informing your parents, whereas in the US you must either get parental consent or inform a guardian in a number of states if you are beneath 16 (e.g. Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming). Could this be the reason for the increased teen birth rate? Perhaps it's not that more US young women get pregnant, just perhaps that more of them are forced to carry the baby to term?

 

[monkey68]

I don't think it's unfortunate to show that some mom's will provide free childcare. I don't think providing childcare is something that they would offer only if there daughters got pregnant as teens or not, my parents were in their late 20's when I was born, but my grandparents still watched me for free while my parents were working or my mom was in school and my dad was working.

I did watch both shows, and I was getting angry at the cheerleader. She just didn't seem like she knew what she was getting into, seemed like she kept the baby just to spite her parents who thought the most loving thing would be to put it up for adoption. The first girl, I felt for her, and I thought she was really mature for her 16 years. I had no problem with her mom helping her out. And she did quit the dance team because she decided that it wasn't fair having her mom watch the baby while she did that, and she realized the money could be better spent on the baby.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I have watched a couple of the episodes but the one thing I didn't get was in the episode with the cheerleader, Farrah. Can you just not tell a guy that he has a baby?! Is that even legal? Doesn't he have rights to the child just as much as she does? And why, if she didn't want the guy to know she was pregnant, would she go on the show and do this? That part made no sense to me.

I do think the show makes girls see that having a baby as a teenager isn't like what Bristol Palin or Jamie Lynn Spears has to go through (considering they have money and money certainly helps and isn't available to most teenagers). When I was in high school it was becoming more and more popular for girls to get pregnant. Most weren't mistakes.

 

[hereyago]

I am 41 and when I was in high school: 1 girl had 3 kids by graduation, the second pregancy were the twins. So she knew what caused pregnancy.
I recall one high school year there were 3 girls pregnant at the same time.
My friend was 18 a senior in school, became pregnant, had an abortion. My other friend was 18 senior her parents to this day never knew she was pregnant and had an abortion.
On the show it didn't show that Farrah's ex eventually found out, but it would be hard for him not to eventually especially when she went on tv.
The first episode, Maci needed to get rid of the other baby-her boyfriend.

 

[PaulaSue]

I will have to watch it sometime. THanks for the idea.

 

[minkydog]

I have watched a couple of the episodes but the one thing I didn't get was in the episode with the cheerleader, Farrah. Can you just not tell a guy that he has a baby?! Is that even legal? Doesn't he have rights to the child just as much as she does? And why, if she didn't want the guy to know she was pregnant, would she go on the show and do this? That part made no sense to me.

Yeah, I noticed the same thing. I have one friend who got her ex to legally refuse all parental rights just so she could be rid of him. Her BF left her when he found out that her baby would have a serious disability and she wasn't going to have an abortion (jerk) She says she would happily give up child support tto have him permenantly out of her life.


Maybe the girls parents prevailed upon the boy to rethink his involvement with the baby. It sounded like he was kind of controlling with the girl. 'Course her mother was pretty controlling, too.

I hope my DD16 never in this position.

 

[MizTink]

Amen, sister.

Unfortunately, the first episode (the one where they named the kid Bentley Cadence) showed the Grandmother provided free daycare for the child all day, five days a week so that the new mom could go to school, be on a dance team, etc.

i don't think it's horrible for the grandmother to watch the baby so the mother could finish high school. wouldn't it be worse for her NOT to graduate from high school???? every parent wants the best for their children, no matter what the age, or what mistakes they may have made.

 

[MizTink]

ok, my ds16 and his gf17 are having a baby. they didn't plan it. they made a stupid mistake. they will BOTH be going to a school (http://www.srqk12.net/Cyesis/Home.aspx) for teen parents next year. they will have the baby at school with them. after they graduate they WILL go to college or technical school. i told them i will do anything within my power to help them and make sure that they get some form of training after school. if not, how would they ever survive in this expensive world? i struggle everyday and want better for them.

 

[pearlieq]

ok, my ds16 and his gf17 are having a baby. they didn't plan it. they made a stupid mistake. they will BOTH be going to a school (http://www.srqk12.net/Cyesis/Home.aspx) for teen parents next year. they will have the baby at school with them.

What a cool program! I hope all goes well for them.

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

ok, my ds16 and his gf17 are having a baby. they didn't plan it. they made a stupid mistake. they will BOTH be going to a school (http://www.srqk12.net/Cyesis/Home.aspx) for teen parents next year. they will have the baby at school with them. after they graduate they WILL go to college or technical school. i told them i will do anything within my power to help them and make sure that they get some form of training after school. if not, how would they ever survive in this expensive world? i struggle everyday and want better for them.

That's wonderful that you are so supportive. Stupid mistake or not, at least they both know that they have you on their side. What a neat idea for a school!

Best wishes to you and your DS.

 

[FarAway<3]

I have watched a couple of the episodes but the one thing I didn't get was in the episode with the cheerleader, Farrah. Can you just not tell a guy that he has a baby?! Is that even legal? Doesn't he have rights to the child just as much as she does? And why, if she didn't want the guy to know she was pregnant, would she go on the show and do this? That part made no sense to me.

It was crazy that she wouldn't tell him. I read on the MTV website that the father died in a car crash recently. I wonder if his parents are going to try and get involved now?

 

[luckymom4]

I had my oldest daughter when I was 14. Another girl in our class had a daughter when she was only 13. I thought that after seeing what I went through and hearing my story that no one else in my class would get pregnant. I was like the girl in that movie, I had never even held a baby until the nurse put my daughter in my arms. But several more girls had children while we were in high school. I was lucky enough to have a family who supported me and helped raise my daughter. I don't think anyone ever regrets having their children, but it saddens me to think of the pain I put my family through at that time. My life has been an uphill battle since, but I know that I made my decisions and I'm the one who has to answer for them. I have four children now and know how blessed I am to be able to take care of them and love them. I'm thankful for them every day. But I strongly advise everyone who has ever asked to wait, for the child's sake and their own. I know most people who have children at a young age have it much harder than I did. I've been blessed and I'm thankful every day for my family.