Teen Pregnancy

I am watching this movie  on Hallmark called, Stalked at 17. It is a good movie; but then again most of this station’s movies are.

It brings a lot of thoughts to  my mind. A college age guy has a relationship that is fairly new when he impregnates her. Of course she is only 17. I think back to those days when I was that age and even earlier when I had feelings for boys.

It didn’t matter what family said, if I was in love, I was in love. I didn’t get pregnant at that early of an age, but in ways I understand how this happened between the two. A young lady wants to believe all the love-sick words that are whispered in her ear.

Of course there are those rare instances where life does work out between young people, but most of the time it doesn’t. I believe that a male and a female at this age want to prove they are worthy of love, and being loved and want to belong. They want something or someone that belongs totally to them.

Now that I am older, I can see clear the hardship that can be placed on the parents, the child and the grandparents. Many times today parents are bringing up their children’s children.

To make this movie more intense, the adult male is also messed up emotionally. He wants to belong so bad to someone. His mother is an alcoholic and is serving a number of years in prison for drug abuse. He has missed out on the love only a parent can provide.

It doesn’t really say how he has raised himself the past several years but it makes it seem like he raised himself from a teen forward. Once she tells her boyfriend she is pregnant, you can instantly for a short moment see the anger in his face. He changes quick to the happiest to-be dad and the two plan their lives together. I won’t go any further, in case you want to see this movie.

My thoughts are what would you do in this situation? Would you forbid your teen to see the father to be? Would you go so far as to get a restraining order? Would you threaten your teen to have an abortion? Would you consider booting her out of the family home?

What if you were the parents of the father to be? Would you force him to stand up and take it like a man? Would you consider driving the two teens as far apart as possible? Would you kick him out of the house?

Today, compared to when I was a teen, there have been many changes in how we look at teen pregnancy and how our teens act towards each other. When I was a teen, there was a certain fear of God that my parents placed in my head, that having sex was wrong unless you were married.

I am not saying I always obeyed their rules, I had boyfriends; but that fear of what my parents would do to me stood stronger than my so-called love for a guy when it came to undressing and laying with him.

There was no way I would even consider having relations with a guy when first meeting him. I got more excited about holding hands, love letters, or sitting close to each other, and of course that special kiss.

Today from what I have been asked by dating sites, it must be a common thing to have sexual relations on a first date. I still can not do this. I must have feelings for the guy and they don’t appear after a few dates. I guess I am old-fashioned?

The good thing today is there is no more hiding about ways to prevent pregnancy. Condoms are passed out freely. Classes are taught on what it details of being a young mommy or daddy.

The bad things that haven’t  changed is that we we are humans. We are still feeling the urges. We still have needs. Sad to say, the heat of the moment can block the brain of putting a condom on. Birth control pills have to be taken regularly and not only when it is thought of.

Like I said earlier, there is much to think about when parents find out their children are becoming parents.  I asked you earlier, what would you do if your kids came and told you they were going to have a baby?