by Katie Garcia-Alcala
There are certain things that parents do not want to hear. One of those things is “Mom, I’m pregnant.” The reality of the situation is that not all teens keep their children “OF the 1.1 million American teen-age girls who get pregnant each year, less than 2 percent put their babies up for adoption. About half of the teens have abortions. Most of the rest – 58 percent single parents – struggle to raise their babies while trying to finish school and hold down jobs.” says the Christian Science Monitor.
But how do parents who still have babies of their own stand by and watch their children raise children of their own? The question of whether or not a teen mother should be able to raise her own child without intervention from others is up in the air.
Family Life teacher Joan Hammond said, “teen moms are very hard working ladies who are in a very difficult situation, and some handle situations better than others.” Senior Jessica Deiter’s opinion agrees. “Some teenagers have a good mindset and the right support it can work out. But if she doesn’t, I don’t think it can,” she said.
Hammond also said, “It’s a very philosophical approach because some girls choose to get pregnant because they think they will have someone who love them and that’s going to be the answer to their problems but then others truly want to be a mother for very different reasons.”
Senior Arthur Arbetman said, “I think it is unfortunate that some people have to take on that sort of responsibility.” Arbetman also said, “I feel like they need guidance for sure and should be showed the responsibilities of being a mother.”
Senior Thomas Hoover believes that if he were to have a child now, he would need some form of financial support from his parents.
Students believe that what they most want from their parents would be their love and support. It might not have happened the way they wished. Parents having pregnant children, preparing to have children of their own is difficult, but at they end of the day, those babies are part of their families.