i think its pretty much a mix of what everyone has said.
boredom = need something to do = drugs & alcohol = kissing = "fondling" = .... = baby/sti
i think its the attitudes of a lot of younger kids too... the "it won't happen to me" attitude, or the "it will sort itself out" attitude. lack of responsibility. embarrassment and awkwardness at asking about contraception. knowledge that there is always an abortion if anything should happen. increase in promiscuous sex - due to media/ alcohol/ weaker morals/ more openminded about sex etc.
also lack of education always seems a bit of a stupid argument to me - previous generations had a poorer education about sex than we did, they certainly didn't get the videos and worksheets etc. they just had a sense of morality and responsibility.
ALSO, has anyone noticed the sort of 'pride' that kids get these days... like about being caught with a weapon/beating kids up/having promiscuous sex/taking drugs/getting in trouble with police or school. kids think its funny. wtf.
i think some are lacking in common sense, morals, responsibility and decency.
In this debate, i do think it's important to recognise that 'teenage pregnancies' encompasses an age range from 13 to 19: a teenage parent may be a minor still in the care of their own parents, or they may be an adult living independently, working, married etc. That's a big spectrum to answer quite simply 'alcohol' etc.
Quote for truth!
It's not just alcohol on the younger end of the spectrum either. I've been utterly wasted and still managed to slur "You've got a condom, right?" I think it is probably just society and education. Sex ed needs to start really early on, not even as sex ed, just relationship education then that will eventually progress to the physical side of things.
I received absolutely no sex education at school. Well no that I wouold class as sex e. I had one period where a woman came in and talked to us briefly about emotions in relationships (This was lost on a bunch of bored 14 year olds) and another period where 2 men came in and just told us about STI's. That's all, nothing else, it's appalling. I think my little sisters is getting more than that, thankfully.
Anyway. I don't know. It's not boredom either, boredom could result in sex but it doesn't have ot be unprotected.
A lot of it is common sense really, and perhaps there is an attitude of "It'll never happen to me" that a lot of people have, y'know?
I understand where this opinion comes from but I don't think most teenages intentionally become pregnant - I know some do but the majority are just irresponsible. Besides getting a flat isn't as easy as people think it is. I had to go on the council list and it still took two and a half years for me to get a place
I should have explained better and that i wasn't being really prejudiced! In my area it really is, i know a lot of people that have done it, the people at the job centre told me (they even basically suggested i get pregnant to make things easier for myself) etc...
With demons dancing off mirror images reflecting all that you wanted.
So far from perfect, onward we will strive.
Take it for what it's worth, this truth that you've realized.
You're not who you thought you were, it's time to see the other side of what you have become.
I know people who haved 'joked' about getting themselves pregnant when they can't find a place to live/are broke/can't get a job etc etc. I suppose because a teenage parent gets handed a place to live and a means of supporting themselves it seems like the easy option...but it certainly shouldn't be encouraged because it is not easy AT ALL!
don't worry i didn't think you were being predjudiced or anything...I know its a really common view based on what a person has seen for themselves. I guess its just totally different once you;ve actually been in that situation.
More fool them if they think becoming a parent is a free pass to an easy life
The amount of people I know that use the "pull out method" to avoid using a condom, many a people I know who use that have been or are pregnant.
They don't like using condom's because they take the feel away. Well if teenagers want to feel 10 minutes of sex then go on another contraceptive? It's easy to ask for and free!
I haven't use something before, but only because I was forced to, otherwise I would have and I was lucky that I didn't fall pregnant.
But I'm not a fan of how many teenagers get pregnant.
People just can't be bothered and think 'it won't happen to me'. It doesn't matter if you're educated or not. You know that if you have sex then there's a chance of getting pregnant. It doesn't take sex education to know that.
I know Sex - condom = possible pregnancy without having sex education.
I went to a catholic school so all I got told was that sex is something that happens in a stable relationship and that's it.
Oh god Nat, you make me laugh with your naivety, you really do.
There is SUCH a big difference between someone planning to have a child at 19, than making a mistake and having a kid at 14. A lot of teenage mums make GREAT parents - there are a few on RYL that are BRILLIANT mums.
I know a few teen mums and they are GREAT with their kids. And one girl I know, purposefully got pregnant at the age of 15. She's now pregnant again at 17 and she's happy and a great mum.
The teen mums I know, are a lot more mature than most people their age. Probably having a baby has made them grow up, but that's not nececerily a bad thing.
Personally, I know a few teenage parents, my cousins 15 and a parent and my other halfs sister is...17 i think and she has a baby and they both planned their babies....Some people just want kids as soon as possible, theres a lot of people who just want someone to love them, so they have children.
There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you.
But there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.
I aint no abacus but you can count on me.
To be fair, in this day and age teenage pregnancy is being discussed so much, it's merely impossible to ignore the contraception side of things. Radio advertisements, tv advertisements, posters in schools, doctors surgerys.
I think once upon a time it was definatly down to lack of education. I was told about sex/periods/"where babies come from" at the age of 10. Learnt properly about contraception when i was 14 in my Child Development Class, i remember it because we were all laughing hysterically at the "femidom" and the way the teacher was "squatting" (quite litrali!) in showing how it's "put in"!
It takes one teenage girl to get pregnant, for the rest to become inquisative/broody/curious.
I remember many years ago i watched a program on TV, about several teenagers who were considering getting pregnant on purpose. Obviously despite being spoken to from parents/doctors about contraception, they were still hell bent on wanting "babies".
Under strict supervision they were placed in the care of a family with newborns, and took parental control for a week. Many gave up within 24 hours, crying about how hard it is.
It was really interesting to watch. That's why i've always been really "for" the baby dolls that are available in some schools worldwide, where you take them home/look after them.
Teenagers are curious, it's a fact of life. We've all been there, wanting to experiment with drink/drugs/sex. It's NATURAL to be curious. But i think despite the goverment trying to cut back on teenage pregnancies/binge drinking/drug taking, with all the advertisements they're plastering everywhere it is just having the opposite effect, and making teenagers want to "join in", wanting to experiment.
I think it also comes down to parents to a certain degree. Of course a parent can't keep there child locked up, that would be unnatural and completely unrealistic.
I do however believe if parents are open with there children from a young age, about where "babies" come from, about periods, about love, sexual relationships, marriage, we wouldn't be where we are today.
Many of my friends never learnt much from there parents. I certainly didn't. It took me 4 days to announce to my mother i'd started my period because we really aren't at all open with one another.
If people were more informed from parents, it's very possible they wouldn't want to go and experiment.
I can't remember where i saw it on TV but i remember this mother who had a job going around schools informing teenagers of STI's/STD's, she was showing really..not so nice pictures of what STI's can do to body parts, and so many teenagers shrieked in pure horror.
I think if something like that was done in schools it would definatly make teenagers think twice.
Everything is either "hush hush" (people not being educated properly - everything being kept under wraps) or it's at the other end of the spectrum and it's being spoken about too much, but people not being properly informed when the information is being given, which, as i said above, just leads to more curiosity.
Back to the parent topic, i can't help but feel parents in this day and age really don't spend quality family time with one another. Weekends away, nights out, film nights, trips out in the summer..
But then, that comes down to our goverment and down the fact everything is so expensive these days that parents have no choice but to have fulltime jobs to bring up there children.
"Back in the day" it was somewhat unheard of for a mother to work fulltime, they were a stay at home mother, it came with having children.
Times have sadly changed.
In regards to younger parents being fantastic - i've had many friends over the years online who have been teenage parents.
One of my old friends (whom i'm no longer in contact with) always sticks out in my mind when teenage pregnancy is mentioned. She had her daughter at 15, breastfed for nearly 2 years, had a second daughter at 18, worked hard at finishing school, and is now studying to become a midwife. She is probably the best example of a teenage mother.
On the other hand i've seen older parents who have been..absolutely disgusting and should not be allowed to have had them in the first place.
This is completely all over the place.
But i do believe teenage pregnancy in the UK is down to many many factors, and it's merely impossible to sit and stick to one (i.e. lack of condom, or, drink) - it's always so much deeper than that and much more complex.
