The Importance of Teens Waiting for Pregnancy
Posted: Thursday, April 08, 2010
by Laura McKeever
Maternity Bliss
Today when reading through Google news I found an article about Bristol Palin, one of America's most controversial teen mums. Bristol is appearing in a new charity funded advert aiming to promote the pit-falls of teen pregnancy, in this ad Bristol illustrates how her life may be easy due to her privaleged background and then shows what life is like for those teens who weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouth.
The likelihood is if you are considering becoming a teen mother, the father in question will not want to know. Sex to teens holds no importance, it is just sex and does not have love as a basis, just lust. Can a relationship be formed on lust? Does lust make a boy want to stick around after the act is done? Very few teen dads hold the title and take on the role, so many teen mothers are left to 'support themselves'.
When it comes to support, if the mother is over 16 she will be entitled to 'benefits'. Each UK parent is entitled to £20 per week child benefit regardless of their income, then there are means tested benefits such as income support and child tax credits. At the most a teen mother can expect to receive £150 a week to live off, which may sound like 'a lot' to a teen who has no sense of financial responsibility, but once you calculate food, bills, nappies, clothing and the many one off expenses that life throws at you, £150 well and truly is a pitance. Many teen mothers do have to make the choice between heating their homes and feeding themselves, that is not a healthy environment to bring your child up in. At least with two solid incomes you can provide for your child consistently.
Being unable to provide for your own child can be demoralising and does not set a good example for your little one. It is important for a child to grow up understanding the value of having an education and career and they will look to their parents to set the bar. Not having a career or good education behind you before becoming a parent will lead to constant financial difficulties and will make getting an education difficult.
Of course money is not everything, children thrive on love as much as they do on a good living standard, but once you have to work long hours and take care of a child immediately after, displaying the levels of love and affection a child needs to thrive will be difficult. Children are intuitive, they will sense if your display of love is forced and they will know if they are a 'burden'. Children deserve to have parents that are genuinely glad to see them at the end of the day.
Like in Bristol Palins advert, the reality of being a teen mother is quite scary. With little money coming in and little support, the likelihood of the mother and baby having a good quality of life is quite slim indeed. I am pleased that Bristol is choosing to take part in such a campaign, and if it at least hits home for just a few teens it will have been a succesful one. Lets hope our government chooses to enact similar campaigns in PSE lessons nationwide.
Author Credit:
L J McKeever has created a website, Maternity Bliss, that promotes pregnancy beauty, pregnancy relaxation and natural childbirth
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