Teen Moms: Aren’t Ready
Did you know that three out of ten teen girls in the U.S. will get pregnant at least once at the age of nineteen or younger, so if you totaled that up, it is about 750,000 pregnancies each year? Ninety-percent of teenagers won’t use some form of protection (Atwood). Wow, very disappointing! I strongly disagree with teenagers getting pregnant at a young age. There are many reasons teens shouldn’t become pregnant. Some of the reasons are they are too immature to handle the responsibility of raising a baby, they negatively affect their schooling, and family and friends starts disowning the teen.
One reason is immaturity. Most teens haven’t matured to become responsible parents, yet. One reason is the lack of ability to care for a child. Some girls don’t have jobs at their age and depend on their parents to help them provide for their child, but parents aren’t going to be there forever. Also, money is needed to provide for the child and the teen as well. One can’t go through life raising a child on thin air. A child shouldn’t have to grow up unstrong and unhealthy. That’s why you need money to help raise a child. About 460,000 young teens live in poverty due to not taking care of child properly (Connolly).
Schooling becomes the second reason for teenage girls not to become pregnant. For example, parenthood is a reason 70% teen girls drop out of school (Mangel). Many teens can’t handle work, classes, and a baby, they pick the baby to raise and ignore their education. In some schools and colleges, there is a daycare, so you can still get an education while someone else is watching your child. That’s not the point! You have a future ahead in your life, like graduating from high school with a diploma, and moving on to college, graduating with a degree. Then you can settle down, get married, and have children. You can’t balance taking care of a baby and studies because it’s stressful and you get mentally unstable to handle all that pressure. Lastly, young teens that are pregnant don’t have time for parties, dances, and basketball or other games. You are left at home taking care of your baby.
Teens will become lonely is the last reason for teens shouldn’t become pregnant. Many parents disown their children when they get pregnant. Most parents feel terrible and feel like you failed them as a teen. Your parents regret letting you have fun as a teen such as: throwing parties, going out with friends, being home alone. Also, your parents may feel embarrassed and feel like being around their pregnant daughter affects their status. They will think how could have my daughter done something like that. Lastly, if you don’t get pregnant, you won’t have to worry about losing family and friends. You will still be a young teen growing into a smart, young woman.
Lastly, you see these shows like Teen Mom, 16 & Pregnant, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. What is this showing to young women who watch these shows? It’s showing young women who are pregnant and what they have to go through in parenthood. Some of those girls go through problems with relationships, being alone, money issues, and school and work issues, meanwhile learning to take care of themselves and their baby. Also, teaches parents how to handle their teen’s pregnancy by having open conversation and being there for your daughter, even though it’s hard. Those shows were meant to prevent unplanned teen pregnancies. Pregnancy is not a field you should be heading towards in life. Plus, half of those teens on those shows probably regret and feels neglected by being pregnant.
To sum this up, I disagree with teen pregnancy as a young teen, myself. I look and see young girls carrying babies on their waist and that disappoints me. I say to myself, “What is the world coming to?” Don’t feel the need to be pregnant, because you friends are. I admit babies are cute, fun to be around, but they also want all your time and attention. Honestly, some teens have better things to do instead of changing diapers and raising a baby. Teen pregnancy is life-changing and serious; don’t mess up your life raising a baby at a young age.