Teenage pregnancy is an issue of great concern today. A number of statistical studies bring to light the fact that approximately 34 percent of girls become pregnant in their teens. In some cultures across the globe, it is perfectly acceptable for a teenager to get married and bear children at such a young age. In many nations however, teenage pregnancy is a social issue that commands major concern.
Teenage pregnancy is rising at an alarming rate around the world. Teenage pregnancy could ruin the lives of both the mother and the child. A pregnant teenager's life remarkably changes, most teenage mothers stuggle to handle a situation for which they are neither financially nor emotionally prepared. The mother will be subjected to a multitude of economic, emotional, social and various medical problems.
Teenagers are vital cogs of our society as they will subsequently steer the succeeding generation and shape them. They are undoubtedly the future of any modern society. If the valuable teenage years will only be wasted in child rearing, then we can’t help but wonder what the future will hold for them. What ought to be a formative period in the teenager’s life could turn out to be a very stressful stage and the consequence of which could be grim and long lasting.
There are various reasons that could lead to teenage pregnancy. Social scientists suggest that teenage pregnancy is the consequence of the lack of an effective sex education program. They claim that most teenage girls know nothing about the availability of birth control methods. Yet others blame the problem on the negative effects of media, particularly pornography.
The most likely solution to address the problem boils down to good parenting. Be your teen’s best friend, it may sound difficult but it would definitely pay dividends later on. First and foremost, learn to communicate and earn the trust and respect of your teen. This takes time and does not happen over night. Get close to your teenage daughter by providing answers to all her questions, you can’t afford those questions to be thrown to an outsider who may and most probably will deceive her when being asked. In most cases your teenager will find it difficult to ask, so parents should take the initiative and force the questions out by asking some questions themelves.
We can therefore resolve teenage pregnancy by fostering awareness among them. It becomes the responsibility of every teenage parent to educate their children on sex related issues. Imparting the right set of values, guiding them to judge what is moral and immoral, and how to overcome peer pressure is what can solve the problem. Brushing aside the problem will produce a generation of irresponsible adults who could ruin their lives and those of future generations.
In the event that your precious teenager accidentally gets pregnant, make her realize that she is not in a helpless condition. At this point, parents can reserve their thunder for other issues because their teen needs thair support and guidance more than ever. Teenage moms should realize that having a baby earler than expected does not mean that life is over. They should just have to find ways to live it.
