Should more teenage girls be pressured into giving up their babies at birth?

Question

I mean, I realise that it's heart wrenching to do so, but, in most cases, it's far better for both the mother and the child to be given the chance to have the best possible life.

Too many young women are keeping their kids, and both (or 3 or 4 as they have more) are living on welfare or lower working class conditions...


I don't advocate a return to the stigma of 40 years ago, but don't you think we've swung too far the other way and given these kids too much credit for being good potential parents?

Answer 1

NO mother regardless of age should ever be ""PRESSURED"" into giving up their child.
do advise them of ALL the options/help available so that they can make an informed decision either way. younger women(& some not so young) probably need to be made more aware of just how much work goes into looking after a child & that the 'baby' doesn't stay cute for very long.
I have heard that here in Australia some high schools in various areas are running programs where young Mums go into the schools & talk to the teens about their situation; how it has effected their lives; the ""challenges "" they face
Teens are then hearing about this from their own peer group & more likely to take notice
a baby is NOT a doll - it is going to grow up ( maybe even turn into someone self - righteous ; as it appears you may be) & be a responsibilty for at least 18years
also as someone else said males also need to be made to take responsibility for their actions.
age is not necessarily an indicator of how good a parent a person is going to be. I knew some people who adopted a child when they were in their early 40's & were finding things difficult - in lots of ways expecting the child to think & act way beyound its years
some young people have the maturity to be excellent parents - whilst some older parents are hopeless
remember also these young woman do not get pregnant by themselves & a certain % have been taking precautions. the only thing that is 100% effective in preventing an unplanned pregnancy is abstinence & it is unrealistic to believe that that is going to happen.
in some cultures it is encouraged for young people to be sexually active; in others it is frowned upon

Answer 2

It is a simple question and the simple answer in "NO". However, it is not so simple, when one is dealing with human lives. There are a whole lot of pre and post conditions attached to this issue. I am from INDIA and my mother became a parent when she was probably 14 or 15 and SHE WAS MARRIED (and she did a great job even when she became a widow at 26 with four sons and not marrying again). However, that was 50 years ago. A lot of water has flown since then under the bridges accross the earth. Therefore, instead of forcing the little ones to give up their own little ones (they did not commit anything wrong - its the 'nature' and nothing immoral about it) we all must support them in whatever way its possible and educated them not to repeat. In the end, let there be more open education availabel to the children of all the earth (because it is a wide world phenomenon) on sex, pleasure and the responsibility of bringing up a baby and its far reaching impact on society and the world at large. Moreover, its the boys who need to be educated first to control their hormones and use it to build the world and not use it to degrade it ..."oh ! woman FRAILTY is thy name" but I say.........woman, you are the creator ........and you will conquer....... men.... be prepared.

Answer 3

I was adopted, and I can tell you that it's the best way. A 15 year old does NOT know how to handle a child, nonetheless life. I had a kid at 21, and that was tough enough. I had the support of my family and my fiance (at the time). I can't imagine doing it any younger.

I think that parents need to take an active role in their parents life. A teenager is going to want to keep the baby. Everyone who has been 15 knows that. It's hard to give up ANY baby, especially after attaching to it for 9 months.

Parents need to step in and open the eyes of thier child. THEY aren't going to care for their grandchild. I think that a 15 year old COULD be a good parent--just not at 15. No one is going to be a good parent at 15.

Yes, I know there are success stories. But how many couples are out there waiting for a child and are prepared for the expenses. There is no way a teenager could take in the emotion, physical, and mental requirements in raising a baby.

Answer 4

It really depends on the support (from family and others) that the girl can get.
Take away a baby from anyone and inevitably you take away part of their sole.
This could seriously haunt a woman (yearning to know where her child is and how he/she is being treated) for the rest of her life.
If the baby is in jeapardy staying with the young mother, then it's better for the baby to be fostered to a loving family.
I personally know some wonderful teenage mums, who luckilly have great support from their families.
But, sadly, there are others who are not so lucky or in a position to care properly (financially and otherwise) for their kids.
I believe all babies deserve the best treatment that they can be given. After all, they did not ask to be born.

Answer 5

All women have a choice to have babies or not. So they can't later complain of being a victim living on welfare. Should of thought of the consequences before choosing to have unprotected sex or without having any family planning. It is just plain pathetic. What should be done is government placing adds of teenage pregnancy with multiple children and showing the hardship this entails. Maybe visualization of the problem on a systematic and huge scale via TV or cable will start turning this problem around.

Answer 6

So basically your saying that if the parents don't have a lot of money, keeping the child is a bad idea. Why not force poor people to give up their kids as well? Or for that matter, everyone that can't afford $30,000 to send their kid off to college.

"Too many young women are keeping their kids, and both (or 3 or 4 as they have more) are living on welfare or lower working class conditions..."

Answer 7

What gives you the right to place your moral judgement of how things should be upon these individuals and families
Perhaps you have some sort of higher perception on what should or should not be.I don't think so though I would say you a re a narrow minded fool . who is self indulged with your own greatness . In case you don't realise and I'm sure you do you are exactly the type of self righteous git I was referring to in my last question

Answer 8

I think that if one is old enough to lay down and have a baby one is old enough to take care of their responsibility. Its not just young people on welfare. And being on welfare does not make or break a good parent. I think more people should wrap it up. quit making these babies all together till one feels their ready and can afford them.

Answer 9

No, but they should be pressured to not have sex until they are grown up. Fat chance eh? I had my first baby at 23 and thought it was too early after he got older. I have had 2 more children and KNOW how difficult it is to raise children (if you do it the right way) but teens have no idea. They are still too much into themselves

Answer 10

i think if the girl has a family that will help take care of the baby then to keep it, but its true if her parents would kick her out into the streets, she should give the baby a better life.. but a teenager shouldnt even have problems like this!!