Why is teenage pregnancy cool?
By: Dadu2004
April 19th, 2011
3:27 pm
Seriously...I'm sick and tired of these TV shows like Teen Mom and 16 & Pregnant. They're (either directly or indirectly) celebrating teenage pregnancy, and (in my mind at least) encouraging it. I finally hit my anger wall the other day when I saw an ad for an upcoming ABC Family special where the girl gets knocked up, guy leaves her, then they get back together and are a big happy family at the end. REALLY??? ON ABC FAMILY!?!?!?!
These shows are portraying teenage family as "cool"....it's now hip to get yourself knocked up at 15, 16 years old.
What kind of society is my daughter walking into?
---END OF RANT. OFF MY SOAP BOX---
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63 comments on "Why is teenage pregnancy cool?"
April 19, 2011 at 4:05 pm
I hear you, I have mixed feeling about these types of things. What bothers me more are girls that want to be pregnant, not girls where it was an accident.
April 19, 2011 at 4:12 pm
i don't think it is anything cool in that, just it isn't such a tragedy and shame as 60 years ago.
teenage pregnancy id a big problem, however, such young parents need support and encouragement. condemning the wouldn't solve anything.
April 19, 2011 at 5:05 pm
I would never suggest condemning young parents....however, it seems much more logical to spend money on education and prevention rather than encouraging 15 year old girls to go get knocked up.
How am I supposed to tell my daughter to wait until she's responsible before starting to have children rather than follow what she is being bombarded with on television? It's sickening.
April 19, 2011 at 11:01 pm
I would never suggest condemning young parents....however, it seems much more logical to spend money on education and prevention rather than encouraging 15 year old girls to go get knocked up.
How am I supposed to tell my daughter to wait until she's responsible before starting to have children rather than follow what she is being bombarded with on television? It's sickening.
without condemning young parents? There's a fine line somewhere in there, and I have a feeling it won't be easy to find...
April 20, 2011 at 2:55 am
why we speak only of GIRLS? what about BOYS?
April 20, 2011 at 3:10 am
why we speak only of GIRLS? what about BOYS?
I'm guess just not that into the whole PC thing.
April 20, 2011 at 4:19 am
This situation stems from two issues as far as I can see.
1. The companies like ABC wouldn't make shows like this if they weren't profitable. Since they obviously are, and teenagers and others are watching, they are making money and will continue to do so, regardless of any potential moral/social/ethical issues that come from promoting or supporting teenage pregnancy.
On the other hand, these shows can be viewed as form of support and comfort to those teens who are pregnant. I haven't personally watched any of these shows, but I do occasionally watch the Baby Story, Bringing home Baby, etc shows on TLC or the health channel. Even these shows have their own problems in representing a true average pregnancy in America (regardless of the age of the couple), but they at least give a better idea of what to expect during pregnancy and might do a better job at informing teens.
2. Knowing that shows like this exist, it would seem that parents need to be taking a better role at moderating what their children watch on TV, or at least have a discussion with their teens in regards to what they are watching, so that they know it is not supported or approved of.
April 20, 2011 at 5:33 am
I completely understand where you're coming from. I wish I could tell my daughter she's not allowed to have sex until she's like...35
without condemning young parents? There's a fine line somewhere in there, and I have a feeling it won't be easy to find...
April 20, 2011 at 5:35 am
2. Knowing that shows like this exist, it would seem that parents need to be taking a better role at moderating what their children watch on TV, or at least have a discussion with their teens in regards to what they are watching, so that they know it is not supported or approved of.
April 20, 2011 at 6:37 am
I would feel differently about those particular shows (16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom) if the mothers and fathers didn't get paid BIG money to be on the show.
I read somewhere that between the shows, interviews, and magazine covers, one of the girls is making up to 250,000 a year.
While I don't know if these shows are encouraging, promoting, or DIScouraging teen pregnancy...I still don't think they should pay the mothers and fathers. If anything I think it would be best if they put some money into a trust or something for the babies.
April 20, 2011 at 7:26 am
I like your idea F07.
April 20, 2011 at 8:17 am
Ok, So perhaps it wasn't completely PC for me to refer to "young girls" in my post. Please forgive me that I was so focussed on my only child, who happens to be a GIRL, and how this issue will affect her, that I wrote "girls" instead of "children" or "kids".
I'm guess just not that into the whole PC thing.
---
as for TV, well, TV isn't there for education. it is for entertainment and business. even though there are some educational shows, but in general -- just don't expect that.
drawing the line -- the line is there quite clear. having children while yourself is a child -- means big trouble. and the majority of people realize that. but there always will be some who slip.
it is like smoking -- everybody knows smoking is unhealthy, but still choose to smoke.
April 20, 2011 at 8:34 am
I like F07's idea of putting money in trust.
I'd also consider boycotting ABC (which means also boycotting Disney and ESPN...tough line to draw)
N, it's one thing about slips, but there are girls (and I don't think it's true of boys, I could be wrong) who are bound and determined to have babies.
I have a friend of the family, whose goal was to get pregnant as soon as possible after high school (I'm not sure why she waited til after high school, maybe there was one small kernel of common sense in her) Needless to say she was successful in her endeavor, and when DW went to her baby shower she was talking with pride about all the cool stuff "the state" was going to give her...I asked DW if she told her "you're welcome" and took back the baby gift, since we've obviously given her more than enough as taxpayers.
I'm so sick of people talking about safety nets, when we have people using them as lifestyle goals.
April 20, 2011 at 9:32 am
I like F07's idea of putting money in trust.
I'd also consider boycotting ABC (which means also boycotting Disney and ESPN...tough line to draw)
N, it's one thing about slips, but there are girls (and I don't think it's true of boys, I could be wrong) who are bound and determined to have babies.
I have a friend of the family, whose goal was to get pregnant as soon as possible after high school (I'm not sure why she waited til after high school, maybe there was one small kernel of common sense in her) Needless to say she was successful in her endeavor, and when DW went to her baby shower she was talking with pride about all the cool stuff "the state" was going to give her...I asked DW if she told her "you're welcome" and took back the baby gift, since we've obviously given her more than enough as taxpayers.
I'm so sick of people talking about safety nets, when we have people using them as lifestyle goals.
I couldn't boycott them unfortunately as ESPN is in my daily routine, and my daughter would kill me if I nixed Disney. I did however send them an email with my frustration...I haven't heard back.
April 20, 2011 at 9:37 am
I like F07's idea of putting money in trust.
I'd also consider boycotting ABC (which means also boycotting Disney and ESPN...tough line to draw)
N, it's one thing about slips, but there are girls (and I don't think it's true of boys, I could be wrong) who are bound and determined to have babies.
I have a friend of the family, whose goal was to get pregnant as soon as possible after high school (I'm not sure why she waited til after high school, maybe there was one small kernel of common sense in her) Needless to say she was successful in her endeavor, and when DW went to her baby shower she was talking with pride about all the cool stuff "the state" was going to give her...I asked DW if she told her "you're welcome" and took back the baby gift, since we've obviously given her more than enough as taxpayers.
I'm so sick of people talking about safety nets, when we have people using them as lifestyle goals.
April 20, 2011 at 10:20 am
For every girl trying to get pregnant there is at least one guy trying to get her pregnant.
There are many girls trying to get pregnant and a line of guys willing to have sex with her, but I doubt very much many if any of them are hoping she'll get pregnant...very much to the contrary, while they may not be particularly adept at doing anything to reduce the likelyhood it isn't something they want.
April 20, 2011 at 11:29 am
For every girl trying to get pregnant there is at least one guy trying to get her pregnant.
I don't remember thinking "Wow, I wish I could get her pregnant, have an illegitimate child that I'm not ready for, and pay child support for the next 18 years".
April 20, 2011 at 12:14 pm
For every girl trying to get pregnant there is at least one guy trying to get her pregnant.
I also tend to really dislike these shows. They really go out of their way to glorify having kids as a teenager, or they at least draw a lot of attention/interest to the situations in a mostly positive way. I think the shows are annoying. I don't watch them and I wouldn't encourage my kids to watch them, but its just another one of the many things I disapprove of on TV. :/
As far as the money they are making, it is kind of outrageous, and I also think SOME of it should be put away in a fund for the kids involved. Only a portion though, because they are obviously using some of that money to take care of these kids properly.
April 20, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Yes, it's a tough world to raise a child. I don't let my kid watch any TV except a few PBS shows I approve of. When she goes to school, however, she has to get along with others who do watch TV and subscribe to ideas presented on TV. Then, there is no point me keeping the TV off at home. The only difference is that she learns all those ideas through her friends rather than directly from TV.
April 20, 2011 at 4:04 pm
These shows are shameless, but even more disturbing to me are shows like Jersey Shore and Bad Girls, any of those type of reality TV. I've never actually watched them, but I hear kids talking about them and other shows like them.
Watch the movie, Idiocracy, if you haven't seen it. Hilarious, but a little depressing because you can almost see us heading down that path.