TEEN PREGNANCY PACT
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Teen Pregnancy Pact in Gloucester High Massachusetts.
(Time magazine June 2008)
Whether or not a group of sophomores decided it would be fun to get pregnant at the same time, the reality of the situation is that 17 girls from Gloucester High School did get pregnant.
Once again everyone is pointing fingers at everyone else. One group blames the school for not giving enough information. However, how can they provide the proper education when they have no funds or backing to do so.
We then blame the media. The movie Juno, our young celebrity Jamie Lynn Spears giving birth and the latest trend in Hollywood to get pregnant and then, maybe if we’re in the mood, get married.
And finally, we blame the parents. Why aren’t they doing something about this situation?
What happened to the old adage, “first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage".
Not only are we seeing a 3% teen birth increase, but most of our teen high risk behaviors are on the rise! It is imperative that we stop pointing fingers and blaming each other and get down to business!
Denying the problem will not make it go away. No one wants their daughter or son to be faced with a situation that can radically change her or his life forever. Find out what you can do to ensure your daughter or son doesn’t become one of the growing statistics.
* Abstinence based sex education programs strongly encourage abstinence as the only 100% method to prevent high risk behaviors, and also supports educating teens about prevention of STD’s and pregnancy. The courses offered by the "Birds & Bees Connection" teach this method of prevention by building critical thinking skills.
Recommendations:
For more information on how the Birds & Bees Connection can help you with these issues and more, please view our scheduled courses, » click here.
If you do not see a course that fits your family's schedule or location, please call our offices at (949) 215-7809, or email us for assistance in arranging an alternate course.
PLEASE feel free to share this information with your family members and friends. Our children deserve a positive and nurturing environment in which to grow!
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Download This ArticleTeen Pregnancy Pact in Gloucester High Massachusetts.
(Time magazine June 2008)
Whether or not a group of sophomores decided it would be fun to get pregnant at the same time, the reality of the situation is that 17 girls from Gloucester High School did get pregnant.
Once again everyone is pointing fingers at everyone else. One group blames the school for not giving enough information. However, how can they provide the proper education when they have no funds or backing to do so.
We then blame the media. The movie Juno, our young celebrity Jamie Lynn Spears giving birth and the latest trend in Hollywood to get pregnant and then, maybe if we’re in the mood, get married.
And finally, we blame the parents. Why aren’t they doing something about this situation?
What happened to the old adage, “first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage".
Not only are we seeing a 3% teen birth increase, but most of our teen high risk behaviors are on the rise! It is imperative that we stop pointing fingers and blaming each other and get down to business!- Let’s get real and be willing to face the fact we have a problem and do something about it. The ‘head in the sand’ approach is no longer working.
- Early honest comprehensive sex education is a must; at home, in school and in religious organizations.
- We need to get beyond the fear of talking about the topic of sex, because teens are engaging in it whether we like it or not.
- Parents! It’s never too early to talk with your kids about high risk behaviors - but it may be too late!
- Find teachable moments. Discuss your morals and values and be firm in your convictions when discussing that early sexual involvement of any type can have long term negative effects.
- Make sure your school has a comprehensive abstinence based* sex education curriculum. If not, encourage the school to bring in outside sources, such as the "Birds & Bees Connection's" curriculum.
And - if they resist - you persist! - Get the facts about current teen issues; Center for Disease Control, Allan J Guttmacker, Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and Kaiser Foundation.
Denying the problem will not make it go away. No one wants their daughter or son to be faced with a situation that can radically change her or his life forever. Find out what you can do to ensure your daughter or son doesn’t become one of the growing statistics.* Abstinence based sex education programs strongly encourage abstinence as the only 100% method to prevent high risk behaviors, and also supports educating teens about prevention of STD’s and pregnancy. The courses offered by the "Birds & Bees Connection" teach this method of prevention by building critical thinking skills.
Recommendations:
- TV: Watch "The Baby Borrowers" on NBC.
- DOWNLOAD THIS GUIDE: a discussion guide developed by "The National Campaign" and "NBC" to help parents and teens talk about the important issues raised by the show.
- TV: Watch "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" on the "ABC Family Channel" starting July 1. Check you local listings.
- ARTICLE: Jamie Lynne Spears (updated June 28, 2008)
- LINK: L.A. Times article and video on teen pregnancy pact
(June 20, 2008)
For more information on how the Birds & Bees Connection can help you with these issues and more, please view our scheduled courses, » click here.
If you do not see a course that fits your family's schedule or location, please call our offices at (949) 215-7809, or email us for assistance in arranging an alternate course.
PLEASE feel free to share this information with your family members and friends. Our children deserve a positive and nurturing environment in which to grow!
Download FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader
