kids having kids!

[jduster]

I guess it depends geographically, but kids are already educated.  I agree, though, if kids don't learn this from their teachers and parents, they are going to learn it [incorrectly] from other kids their age.  But lack of education isn't the problem.  If education stopped the kids from engaging in dangerous activities, then the drug issue would have been solved already.

[Thumpalumpacus]

No one's arguing that education is a panacea.  It has, however, been shown to reduce teen pregnancy rates. With America's rate being so outlandishly high, we cannot afford to let any strategy to lie dormant.

[karadan]

Actually, as far as I have heard, British kids far outscrew and outdope American ones...  

As ashamed as i am to admit it, you are correct. Many British teenage girls cotton on to the fact that if they start popping out sprogs at an early age, they'll get free housing and money from the government and won't have to go to school. So, it is a slightly different issue because some kids are actively trying to get pregnant whereas many teenage pregnancies in the US seem to stem from sub-standard education programmes. The damage religion causes doesn't help either.

I'm not saying that's the sole reason for the high instances of British teenage pregnancies, but it is certainly a very large factor. We're the European leader - by far.

I saw a kid with her baby in town the other day. The baby had an earring. It made me feel ill.

[DropLogic]

I saw a kid with her baby in town the other day. The baby had an earring. It made me feel ill.

This is an extremely common practice, at least in the US.  It's sort of a rite of passage from mother to daughter.  I think people feel its better to pierce a babies ears at an age where they won't remember any pain.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'm with Karadan.  It's lame.

[Davin]

I saw a kid with her baby in town the other day. The baby had an earring. It made me feel ill.

This is an extremely common practice, at least in the US.  It's sort of a rite of passage from mother to daughter.  I think people feel its better to pierce a babies ears at an age where they won't remember any pain.

But when they're older they'll forget the pain as well, the difference is that when they're older, they have the ability to choose to go through pain for something that's not necessary.

[legs laney]

In my experience with my family (my father's side in particular)  sex was a very embarrassing topic.  They never talked about the menstrual cycle and women were taught to take extreme action to cover up the evidence.  They made it sound like it was dirty, gross, and immoral.  Both of my siblings (a brother and a sister) get grossed out at the idea of having oral sex with their spouses.  I don't know how I have such free ideas of sex and sexualty.  This mentality also made it hard to discuss not only sex but other important topics between parent and child.

I now have four children, the oldest is 13.  I've been talking about sex with them as a normal thing whenever the topic arises.  Since they were able to sit up in the bathtub we've referred to their private parts with the correct names.  I tell them to make sure they wash under their arms good, behind their ears, and get their penis/vagina nice and clean.  They are not embarrassed to talk about their private parts with me.  My thirteen year old tells me what happens in his relationship with his girlfriend without being embarrassed.  Right now they are just holding hands and kissing.  Smoking and drugs are also topics we routinely talk about.  Because I don't forbid sex or make it seem immoral and dirty, they are able to come to me and ask questions freely.  I really think if more parents were like this; their children wouldn't feel like they'd have to go to their teenage friends for the answers.  This is why they are getting wrong information, and also because this is the age where you feel like a super-hero and don't think anything bad could ever happen.  The brain is not fully developed at this age and can not foresee the outcome of actions committed.

So the moral of my story is... parents:  it is never too young to talk about embarassing topics with your kids. the longer you're doing it, the better your answers will get and the more practice you'll have when your teenager comes up with the hard core questions.  

[Tank]

In my experience with my family (my father's side in particular)  sex was a very embarrassing topic.  They never talked about the menstrual cycle and women were taught to take extreme action to cover up the evidence.  They made it sound like it was dirty, gross, and immoral.  Both of my siblings (a brother and a sister) get grossed out at the idea of having oral sex with their spouses.  I don't know how I have such free ideas of sex and sexualty.  This mentality also made it hard to discuss not only sex but other important topics between parent and child.

I now have four children, the oldest is 13.  I've been talking about sex with them as a normal thing whenever the topic arises.  Since they were able to sit up in the bathtub we've referred to their private parts with the correct names.  I tell them to make sure they wash under their arms good, behind their ears, and get their penis/vagina nice and clean.  They are not embarrassed to talk about their private parts with me.  My thirteen year old tells me what happens in his relationship with his girlfriend without being embarrassed.  Right now they are just holding hands and kissing.  Smoking and drugs are also topics we routinely talk about.  Because I don't forbid sex or make it seem immoral and dirty, they are able to come to me and ask questions freely.  I really think if more parents were like this; their children wouldn't feel like they'd have to go to their teenage friends for the answers.  This is why they are getting wrong information, and also because this is the age where you feel like a super-hero and don't think anything bad could ever happen.  The brain is not fully developed at this age and can not foresee the outcome of actions committed.

So the moral of my story is... parents:  it is never too young to talk about embarassing topics with your kids. the longer you're doing it, the better your answers will get and the more practice you'll have when your teenager comes up with the hard core questions.  

I applaud your parenting 100%! Did the same with my kids. And of course the side effect of your openness with your children is that they become 'the ones to ask' in their circle of friends, thus your knowledge is spread through their cohort and as a result teenage pregnancies will be less rather than more!

[FarFromFrozen]

i think one awful thing about this subject is the MTV shows that exploit the young pregnancies

[Tank]

i think one awful thing about this subject is the MTV shows that exploit the young pregnancies

I'm in two minds about this. The programmes de-mystify the subject and create an opportunity for debate and discussion with parents and peers. MTV is a commercial organisation and is obliged to make money for its shareholders, that is a fact of life. So why should this preclude them from making programmes on any subject they feel would be enjoyed by their target market?

[legs laney]

i think one awful thing about this subject is the MTV shows that exploit the young pregnancies

i totally diagree.
i do not see one awful thing about any of the teen pregnancy shows.
kids need to know what happens when they have sex and the complications that follow.  these shows show them how scary their life can become, how much it would change, how scary the actual birth and delivery is, what happens to that guy that supposedly loved you when you first wanted to have sex,  etc.  i'm so sick of the mentality people have about their kids not seeing these types of show.  i really think they should be madatory-- kids need to know the consequences for adult decisions; actually see with their own eyes true and complete stories from their peers' perspectives.

i've watched a couple with my 13yr old son.  it gives him a chance to ask questions he normally wouldn't think of.

not only that, but i truly believe it gives the teen going through it a chance to tell her story, help others, accept responsiblity of motherhood and adult choices, and get closure on dramatic changes in her life.