by Linda Sunkle-Pierucki

Created on: June 26, 2008

I don't know if I believe the news reports of a pact among teen-age girls to get pregnant. For one thing, the news media is always looking to overplay stories in the interest of sensationalism. But, I do know there is a swing towards popular acceptance for teen-age motherhood among many circles of teen girls. Sexual behavior among teen-agers is nothing new. It is endemic of the way in which our culture has dramatized and de-sensitized sexuality. It permeates our movies, our television and now our news media.

The public schools have fallen into this trap. Popular culture says all teens engage in sex; school gives out pregnancy tests and birth control. A girl or two gets pregnant; the school installs a day-care center. Popular culture exposes teen idol sexual peccadilloes and early, unprepared pregnancy; teens get the idea this is acceptable, even desired behavior. Society removes the stigma and teens with little parental direction find this a fine method of getting attention.

I believe the teen pregnancy epidemic can be partly laid at the feet of the breakdown of the traditional family. Many of these girls no doubt are being raised by single parents. Many lack the experience of an on-site father with whom to relate. The fact that some girls say they feel their parents will be "ok with it" speaks volumes for the fact that values are not being imparted to our children. Parents need to be strong enougb to set limits and institute rules even when much popular parenting culture says otherwise-children treated as adults before they are ready to assume the role often make unwise choices.When society says it is no longer necessary for babies to show up after the wedding to an intact family unit, it is not a far stretch to decide having a baby makes you grown-up.

Children no longer grow up in the family of fifty years ago, where there were younger siblings to care for. Having a squalling, un-toilet-trained younger child in the house, for which you may bear some care-giving responsibility, has a tendency to add realism to the picture of yourself as mother. Many teen girls have little baby-sitting experience, little contact with the uglier facets of child-rearing and little realistic sense of what motherhood will mean. If one adds that to the wealth of social support mechanisms now being instituted for these young mothers, such as school day-care, it is no wonder young girls fail to see this as a lonely difficult job. The belief is, get pregnant, get welfare. For teens with

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