OPINION

Teen Pregnancy
By: Jessica, St. Stephens High, St. Stephen, NB


"Hush little baby don't say a word, Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird..." Many of today's teenagers are already saying this over and over to their children. However, the sweetness of this lullaby cannot be fully appreciated by teenage mothers simply because they are still children themselves.

Teen pregnancy has profound impacts on the lives of teen parents and their families. Teenage parents often face a lifetime of extraordinary challenges. They are forced to mature several years early. In consequence, they miss out on their teenage years. This crucial period usually provides a learning and growing experience where the teen is able to discover herself, capturing her thoughts on life. Children with children have limited future options and opportunites. They are forced to settle down and sometimes feel forced to stay with the father of the child even if the relationship did not consist of true love and happiness. If this is the situation, the child could have been prevented by one of the many options available for reproductive health.

The preciousness and sweetness of a baby is greatly under appreciated. Bringing a child into the world should be the most powerful feeling a woman could ever receive. However, it is necessary to take into consideration your responsibility for this new existence. The significance of labor is much stronger when the child results from a plan or desire. A child should not be considered until both parents feel emotionally and financially stable. A child should be brought into the world at a time in a person's life that will bring lifelong fulfilment.

A baby is the most precious gift in the world as most parents, young or old, have probably already discovered. However, the same beautiful and precious baby would have resulted had the teen mother waited until she was fully matured.

Back to Front Page


Back to Opinion Headlines