14 yr old having second baby

[melons]

Yesterday in the local hospital here, a 14 year old unmarried girl had her second baby. With the assistance of government for her health care and that baby's healthcare. Not even old enough to hold down a job. Young enough to fall under rules to for mandatory school attendance.

It seems to me that we should do more for young girls like this, than to just cover their physical needs financially. Something is wrong when a girl that age is having her second baby. Somewhere, someone has failed her and that person should be to blame, in my opinion. She is most likely destined to be on government assistance her entire life. Maybe not, I know that some are able to rise above situations. But to me, she needs more than someone to just pay her medical bills.

Maybe it is just the state I live in, and other states have programs and such geared toward helping young girls like this. Or do we all just ignore one of the very things that can cause this lifetime dependency on the government.

Just wondered your thoughts, as the whole situation surrounding the child makes me wonder what could be done to help her.

 

[Muddy Creek]

Yesterday in the local hospital here, a 14 year old unmarried girl had her second baby. With the assistance of government for her health care and that baby's healthcare. Not even old enough to hold down a job. Young enough to fall under rules to for mandatory school attendance.

It seems to me that we should do more for young girls like this, than to just cover their physical needs financially. Something is wrong when a girl that age is having her second baby. Somewhere, someone has failed her and that person should be to blame, in my opinion. She is most likely destined to be on government assistance her entire life. Maybe not, I know that some are able to rise above situations. But to me, she needs more than someone to just pay her medical bills.

Maybe it is just the state I live in, and other states have programs and such geared toward helping young girls like this. Or do we all just ignore one of the very things that can cause this lifetime dependency on the government.

Just wondered your thoughts, as the whole situation surrounding the child makes me wonder what could be done to help her.

"abstinence only" sex education, no birth control pills, religious downgrading on the value of girls and the rule of men, blocking access to abortions. This society is so morally degenerate, that you'd need to ship most republican religious wing nuts out of here before we can have a moral nation again, IMHO.

 

[AliHajiSheik]

Presumably there is at least one father. Go after his parents for support if her own parents can't help her.

Could be an alternative to a rape charge and prison for little Johnny.

But of course that would make it their problem when you seem to want to make it everyone else's problem.

 

[melons]

"abstinence only" sex education, no birth control pills, religious downgrading on the value of girls and the rule of men, blocking access to abortions. This society is so morally degenerate, that you'd need to ship most republican religious wing nuts out of here before we can have a moral nation again, IMHO.

She is able to get birth control here and safe sex is also taught here in schools around 7th grade. She more than likely could not have afforded an abortion out of pocket at that age.

 

[Helix]

from a scientific aspect, here's my take :

for many thousands of years, the average human lifespan was around forty, and infant mortality was high. these selective pressures led to full sexual maturity in early teenage years, and the onset of urges at the same time. teenagers were adults.

with the advent of society and medicine, however, the needle has shifted. teenagers are still kids, and it has become a negative thing for them to procreate. however, the urges are still there, and everything going on biochemically is telling them to reproduce.

society can have some impact; many choose to be safe or abstain. however, I think that the best option would be to put pretty much everyone on birth control early until they finish school. I understand the level of uproar that this will cause, and I accept that it will probably never happen. however, that's the solution. when you're fighting the instinct that has led to the proliferation of the species and your only weapon is society, you're probably going to lose as many battles as you win. a biochemical issue is more efficiently treated biochemically.

 

[Muddy Creek]

She is able to get birth control here and safe sex is also taught here in schools around 7th grade. She more than likely could not have afforded an abortion out of pocket at that age.

"Able to get" and "Allowed to get" are two different circumstances. Teen pregnancies are high in the born again movement.

Reproductive Health | Full text | Religiosity and teen birth rate in the United States

. . .

With data aggregated at the state level, conservative religious beliefs strongly predict U.S. teen birth rates, in a relationship that does not appear to be the result of confounding by income or abortion rates. One possible explanation for this relationship is that teens in more religious communities may be less likely to use contraception.

. . .

 

[Medusa]

if a pedophilic abuses her ,he is put into prison. she is a child and she must not have such a freedom as having a baby.. the society and goverment must take some precautions to keep these children and teach these children how to protect themselves.educate them or dont let them have sex as long as they are regarded as a child..

 

[melons]

Presumably there is at least one father. Go after his parents for support if her own parents can't help her.

Could be an alternative to a rape charge and prison for little Johnny.

But of course that would make it their problem when you seem to want to make it everyone else's problem.

I don't want to make it everyone else's problem. I am just assuming ( and could be wrong) that she comes from a family who can't financially support her choice.

I agree that at 14 years old, it is a parental issue when a child ends up pregnant. I also a agree that the person who fathered the child , and if he is a minor, his parents are responsible too.

I was just looking at if from a standpoint that what if the child has no one to willing or able to help her? Then unfortunately it is our problem, because what is going to stop her from having one at 15, 16, 17, 18.....and so on.

I know we can't fix everything in society. I just find cases like this extremely sad and upsetting. Guess I am a softie.

 

[Tigger]

The first thing we need to do is to take the children away from the child (mother). Then we need to take the child (mother) away from her parents and place her in foster care. Then we need to beat the piss out of her parents for being such worthless sacks of crap as parents. THAT would be a good start.

Then, for the long-term we need to stop providing ANY form of care or support for children who have children. Take the babies away from them at birth, and remove all parental rights.

 

[Medusa]

The first thing we need to do is to take the children away from the child (mother). Then we need to take the child (mother) away from her parents and place her in foster care. Then we need to beat the piss out of her parents for being such worthless sacks of crap as parents. THAT would be a good start.

Then, for the long-term we need to stop providing ANY form of care or support for children who have children. Take the babies away from them at birth, and remove all parental rights.

tigger ,it is a little cruelty ,but i agree the parents are unconcerned

 

[Muddy Creek]

The first thing we need to do is to take the children away from the child (mother). Then we need to take the child (mother) away from her parents and place her in foster care. Then we need to beat the piss out of her parents for being such worthless sacks of crap as parents. THAT would be a good start.

Then, for the long-term we need to stop providing ANY form of care or support for children who have children. Take the babies away from them at birth, and remove all parental rights.

Why?

Why remove the children from their mother?

 

[Tigger]

tigger, it is a little cruelty, but i agree the parents are unconcerned

Exactly. NEITHER of the sets of generational parents can be spared a large serving of blame here.

Why? Why remove the children from their mother?

NEITHER mother has proven any ability to do the right thing, live properly, raise their children properly, or to support their child(ren).

 

[Chelsea]

Tigger, my husband.and I had our first child at 17. We have him in school and fed, clothed, bathed... content with life. We also now have 2 more children. You would've taken them away from us because of our age?

 

[Tigger]

Tigger, my husband.and I had our first child at 17. We have him in school and fed, clothed, bathed... content with life. We also now have 2 more children. You would've taken them away from us because of our age?

Were you married? Were you still living at home with your parents? Were you capable of paying your own bills (without government assistance)?

If not, then I most definitely would have taken the child away from the two of you.

 

[MaggieD]

Yesterday in the local hospital here, a 14 year old unmarried girl had her second baby. With the assistance of government for her health care and that baby's healthcare. Not even old enough to hold down a job. Young enough to fall under rules to for mandatory school attendance.

It seems to me that we should do more for young girls like this, than to just cover their physical needs financially. Something is wrong when a girl that age is having her second baby. Somewhere, someone has failed her and that person should be to blame, in my opinion. She is most likely destined to be on government assistance her entire life. Maybe not, I know that some are able to rise above situations. But to me, she needs more than someone to just pay her medical bills.

Maybe it is just the state I live in, and other states have programs and such geared toward helping young girls like this. Or do we all just ignore one of the very things that can cause this lifetime dependency on the government.

Just wondered your thoughts, as the whole situation surrounding the child makes me wonder what could be done to help her.

Somewhere lives a parent (or maybe two) who completely failed their little girl.

Somewhere else may be a pedophile or two who took advantage of her.

And somewhere else there are thousands of couples waiting and praying they can adopt a little American baby instead of going to China to make a family.

It's a shame they can't all get what's coming to them.

Someday we may tackle the issue of women/girls who have babies they can't support and then go on to have more. Babies that are probably condemned to a life of poverty and a likelihood that the cycle will rinse and repeat.

 

[Muddy Creek]

Exactly. NEITHER of the sets of generational parents can be spared a large serving of blame here.



NEITHER mother has proven any ability to do the right thing, live properly, raise their children properly, or to support their child(ren).

That's every new mother who's ever given birth.

 

[Chelsea]

Were you married? Were you still living at home with your parents? Were you capable of paying your own bills (without government assistance)? We were not married, we were living with his parents because I was in foster care, his family supported everything except medical which we still.receive due to low paying jobs. Just to let you know I finished high school at 16 because I had been skipped up a grade in elementary, I have since finished collge with a 4.0 and he has never been without a job since before our son was born. So you would've subjected my infant to the same system that abused me for 6 years because of my age and marital status?

 

[Tigger]

We were not married, we were living with his parents because I was in foster care, his family supported everything except medical which we still receive due to low paying jobs. Just to let you know I finished high school at 16 because I had been skipped up a grade in elementary, I have since finished collge with a 4.0 and he has never been without a job since before our son was born. So you would've subjected my infant to the same system that abused me for 6 years because of my age and marital status?

Yes, I would have. I was raised to believe that having a child is something you do AFTER you are married and settled into a situation where you are capable of taking care of the child yourself. It's nothing personal. I would take children away from tens, if not hundreds of thousands of parents every year if it were up to me.

 

[VanceMack]

Yesterday in the local hospital here, a 14 year old unmarried girl had her second baby. With the assistance of government for her health care and that baby's healthcare. Not even old enough to hold down a job. Young enough to fall under rules to for mandatory school attendance.

It seems to me that we should do more for young girls like this, than to just cover their physical needs financially. Something is wrong when a girl that age is having her second baby. Somewhere, someone has failed her and that person should be to blame, in my opinion. She is most likely destined to be on government assistance her entire life. Maybe not, I know that some are able to rise above situations. But to me, she needs more than someone to just pay her medical bills.

Maybe it is just the state I live in, and other states have programs and such geared toward helping young girls like this. Or do we all just ignore one of the very things that can cause this lifetime dependency on the government.

Just wondered your thoughts, as the whole situation surrounding the child makes me wonder what could be done to help her.

Do you presume to know if in fact she WANTS some other way of life? Its not overly uncommon for some young women to be so dissatisfied with their own life that they see having babies LOTS of babies as a way of healing their own deficit families. Some are breeders for gangs. you might need to give us a little more to go on than "this happened and what should society do". Without specifics it is entirely likely some bitter angry hate filled person might use your 'example' as a vehicle to attack their favorite hate topics...religion and 'right wingers'...without so much as a single thought as to what might ACTUALLY be that girls problem...ASSUMING that girl believes she actually HAS a problem.

Would you advocate forced sterilization? Mandatory abortions? Are we assuming this 14 year old DOESNT understand about birth control? Are we assuming she WANTS birth control...but the poor thing cant GET birth control? (because...without knowing where you live, Im betting if you consult your local 211.org website you will find a state funded county healthcare provider that would give her all the free contraception she could possibly need.

 

[Chelsea]

Yes, I would have. I was raised to believe that having a child is something you do AFTER you are married and settled into a situation where you are capable of taking care of the child yourself. It's nothing personal. I would take children away from tens, if not hundreds of thousands of parents every year if it were up to me.

to what justifiable means? So the government can put the child in an institution or a foster home with people who care nothing about him/her just to satisfy your marriage requirement? These kids would be on medicaid until 18 and the foster parents, who more than likely give a rats ass about the kid, would get a check of about $24,000 a year from our taxes to pay for the child. Ive been through 9 different foster homes and one was decent. Why not give the.kids a fighting chance even at the hands of a teen mother or an unwed mother (and/or father).

 

[spanky]

There was a time when a girl at 14 being married and possibly having a child was the norm.

What happened?

 

[Medusa]

There was a time when a girl at 14 being married and possibly having a child was the norm.

What happened?

it was wrong norm..

 

[spanky]

Why is that?

 

[Chelsea]

There was a time when a girl at 14 being married and possibly having a child was the norm.

What happened?

We advanced medically. Weve lengthened.our lifespan, helped curb infant mortality rates, and you should see what they can do for mom and baby.when mom has preeclampsia and a 31 week 3.5lbs infant. In short things that helped keep the population containable naturally, have been all but d)ne away.with and it is no longer neccessary to exploit young.girls to reproduce as many healthy infants a possible. Its also a bad economic idea whereas back when larger families meant more helping hands and more income or product. We live in a different age now.

 

[melons]

Do you presume to know if in fact she WANTS some other way of life? Its not overly uncommon for some young women to be so dissatisfied with their own life that they see having babies LOTS of babies as a way of healing their own deficit families. Some are breeders for gangs. you might need to give us a little more to go on than "this happened and what should society do". Without specifics it is entirely likely some bitter angry hate filled person might use your 'example' as a vehicle to attack their favorite hate topics...religion and 'right wingers'...without so much as a single thought as to what might ACTUALLY be that girls problem...ASSUMING that girl believes she actually HAS a problem.

Would you advocate forced sterilization? Mandatory abortions? Are we assuming this 14 year old DOESNT understand about birth control? Are we assuming she WANTS birth control...but the poor thing cant GET birth control? (because...without knowing where you live, Im betting if you consult your local 211.org website you will find a state funded county healthcare provider that would give her all the free contraception she could possibly need.

She should be able to get birth control, I know plenty of teenage girls who get birth control. I didn't say that she couldn't get birth control.

I personally find the situation sad. I never interjected any hate into what I had to say on the subject, you just made your own assumption. I too became a mother too young. I wasn't a teenager, but I was unmarried, unemployed and unprepared. So I am not speaking from the view of someone who believes that I am perfect. But I had a solid support system that helped me figure out what I had to do to support my child and I did it.

We all know that being a single mother of several children is a hard life to live in our economic times. She may WANT to be a mother, sure, but does she understand the possibilities of what wanting to be a mother at that young of age can lead to? That is my question for this little girl, she may think that she knows what she wants but she is a child. Does she know what else the world has to offer at the age of 14? Somehow I doubt it. If 14 year olds were ready to make big choices for their lives then we would let them vote, join the military, have jobs, buy alcohol... As a society, we agree that 14 year old are not ready to make big decisions because they are not mature enough.