I meant to post this article yesterday but had some important stuff to attend to and therefore had to delay posting.
While surfing through the internet, I dropped by a forum where teenagers, primarily in the United States, discussed issues they were interested in. One of the topics involved the pregnancy pact between several young girls at Glouster High, Massachusetts, US. Click here and here to read about it.
Apparently, I was intrigued, but at the same time, disturbed at the prospect of having several young women throw away their lives in favor of early motherhood. Not that motherhood is a waste of time, mind you, it just means the disappearance of several flighty activities in exchange for a number of new and permanent responsibilities. I do not deny that I occasionally do have thoughts of having children at an early age, for fear of being too old and irritable to care for them. I imagine marrying and having a child by the age of 30 and, should my son or daughter follow in my footsteps (given I taught them well enough not to engage in pre-marital intercourse), I'd be 60 by the time I see my grandchild. Old enough, counting years until I'll get buried 6 feet underground.
Although it is gravely their fault that they are pregnant, it was their decision and I would have to respect that. On the other hand, if it really was just a stunt for popularity and general acceptance, then I believe it would be a hard pill to swallow knowing that much of their lives, from this point on, has already been compromised. Being part of the group, at least, their pains and worries are somehow blunted for knowledge that someone else is in the same ship as they are.
I wonder if there really is someone to blame. Is it society? Is it their parents? Is it their school? Will there be more like them to come, and if so, why? Is there really a resurgence of women inclined to be mothers at such a young age? Or is the pressure of fitting in, the "coolness" of being involved in a sexual relationship, the feeling of being "loved" entailed by being a mother, all boiling down to half-baked and poorly discerned decisions of today's youth?
2 comments:
Mars speaking from her own experience:
Yeah, admittedly it is also the girl's fault why she got pregnant... It is sad that I was one of them, but I guess I was lucky enough to finish college first before becoming a mom.
It is true that I basically gave up my hobbies (including games - WOAH?!), but I'm still happy that I'm blessed with baby Julie Rayne. =)
Of course, becoming a mom doesn't stop me from being a gamer *oh did I just mention that I gave that up?* Scratch that. I WOULD NEVER GIVE UP GAMING IF THAT'S THE LAST THING I WOULD DO!!! Or maybe not. LOL!
Anyways, there are a lot of young moms nowadays, but I think we should not judge them... unless they got pregnant while they're still students! (hahaha! BIASED???) - kidding.
True, finishing college opens many doors of opportunity to an individual.
I am actually happy for you that you now have a daughter but also have completed your tertiary degree to be equipped to support her.
It is difficult to rush into things, especially ones which are irreversible, without seriously contemplating the consequences. I hope I do not sound like I am judging the girls, I respect that they do want to have their babies together, believing that this is best for their offspring. I am afraid though that this decision was made with a blind intention to be part of the growing trend of teenage moms (and to add that Jamie Lynn Spears just gave birth to her little bundle of joy recently), as somehow suggested in the articles I read.
I simply pray that they are mature enough to be held accountable for all that is going to happen to both them and their children.
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Speaking of gaming, when are we getting together for some CS? :D haha
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