Should Young Girls, 18 and under, be forced to give up their parental rights?

Question

My friend and I were having a debate about this. Legally at 18 you are considered an adult. Before that you have parents or a legal guardian, who has authority over you. Therefore, if you give birth before the age of 18, should you be forced by law to give up your legal rights?

How is it that someone can legally be responsible for a baby/child when they legally still have parents and guardians themselves?

If you are under that age of 18 and do not have a high school degree, than should you not be allowed to have a child?

If you can't take care of yourself legally, how are you going to take care of a child? For example: If you are 16 and in a car accident, your parents have the right to determine your medical care. You have say, but legally your parents make the final decision. If you can't legal make these decisions, should you be caring for a baby?

I believe that baby born to children under the age of 18, should be placed in the care of someone that is over

18?

There are so many young girls not caring for their children. It's causing huge problems.

Should these baby be placed in the care of someone who can take care of them, like a family member?

Than at 18, the parent can legally ask for their rights back?

Also, should there be conditions for gaining back their rights. For example, they must have a stable job w/ health benefits, a stable home environment, a clean drug and criminal record, take into account if they have any other children, etc?

The parents would be able to visit the child, just not care for them. So many people have the intent of caring for these babies w/ the help of family, but than they fall through the cracks. They realize having a baby is not all fun and games.

Answer 1

I don't think that they should be forced to give up parental rights, but I could see having a guardian added to the child till the mother is the age of 18. Giving up parental rights means saying you are not the parent and have no rights to the child at all, which also means no visitation guidelines, nothing. I know if you go into the military you have to assign a guardian incase something does happen to you or you have to go off to war so that they have a place to send the children where they will be cared for. Honestly you have no rights in the military either...you are government property. There is also a such thing called emancipation (here you have to be at least 15) in which a person has proven to be legally responsible for themselves. Anyone at any age could be involved in an accident in which someone is going to determine your medical care whether it is your husband or your parents, or a medical provider.

I was 17 for my first child another month and I would have been 18...and I did what I had to do...I quit school to get a job and took care of my child. I lost my job because my child was a sickly child the first year...was I irresponsible...no, but I was at his bed side. I found another job. I have since went back to school and am currently in college, homeschooling my children, taking care of my home because God knows if I am working a full time job with four kids the house is a mess and more than likely they are picking up bad habit and manners from school. I could see taking criminals parental rights away. But maybe you are right we need to concentrate on everything but actually raising the child...that is the problem with many children now a days no one was there to actually raise them properly.

Should there be guidelines...not unless they are going to apply those guidelines to everyone and not just teen mothers. Look around not all jobs offer health care...many if they do don't offer decent health care...is this the parents fault...no. Should I not have my child because I choose to be a stay home mother. If there is anything to be required I think that should be it...mom has to stay home and actually raise the child. I could see them sterilizing a male till a certain age to keep pregnancy from happening, and dismembering them if they knocked up a girl under the age of 18. Perhaps they should become stricter on men so that fathers will quit tucking their tails and running from their obligations.

Answer 2

I so don't agree with you. Why is 18 such a magic number? Do you wake up on your 18th birthday with all the knowledge you'll ever need? Do you suddenly know exactly how to be a parent? If that is true then how did our parents and grandparents raise their children when they were getting married and having kids at 13 and 14 years old? As the saying goes age is just a number. And btw some places you aren't an adult till you're 21. Many teenagers are great parents(and yes I mean dads too, can't leave them out of the equation here), and learn how to do things just like parents who are in their 20's and 30's. Some even do a better job.

Also what kind of damage would be done to a child that is taken away from a parent if they happen to be 14 when the child is born? If the parent has had no experience raising the child , and boom they're 18 and suddenly have a 4 year old who doesn't know who they are? Where would you suggest they get the experience if you want to take their child from them? Do you think this would be healthy for anybody?

I was a little over 18 when I had my first child and now I'm 31, about to have my third, so I've been there in the trenches of teenage motherhood and I'm happy to say that myself and my children have survived and are doing well.

Answer 3

My son was born when I was 16 years old. Although I didn't have a clue what I was doing as a new mother, I learned because I loved my baby.

I believe that without this child I would have stayed a wild and crazy teenager much longer than I did. He forced me to grow up, calm down, and taught me that I could be responsible, and selfless.

He is 11 years old now. He makes straight A's, has lots of friends and a very normal life. He is an amazing person, and I think that though I made a mistake by getting pregnant so young, it would have only been another mistake for someone to take my baby away from me. Sometimes, though it doesn't seem that way at the time, wonderful things can happen despite their initial beginnings.

I understand that you are young, and you feel you have the perfect solution, but if the mother wants her child then no one has the right to take the child away from her. That would only destroy her.And, how does the child feel when he grows up and learns that though his mother loved and wanted him, but based solely on her age (hmmm, sounds a lot like discrimination...is this still America?) he was taken away from her?

Think it through. Everything isn't always black and white.

Answer 4

Your idea might work if you could get teenagers, Girls and Boys to not have unprotected sex.

I do not agree with your idea because if would hurt the child more. Being taken away from there parent and maybe givin back when that parent turns 18, what if the teen ager was 15 when they had that child, meaning that child would have different parents for 3 years and then givin a new parent, that would mess them up big time.

Should we not first start teaching our child to be safe and protected first and/or wait to have children until they are ready.?

I also know a lot of people under the age of 18 that take better care of themself then most adults.

Answer 5

No...

And the law about your parents making the decision of your care when you're under 18 only holds true if you're unconscious... if you are able to decide what you do and do not want done to you medically, you have the right to make that choice... whether you're 14 or 24... there are some exceptions though.

Why would you take a child away from their mother and then give it back when the mother is 18? The child won't know their mother and that would cause entirely too much stress on the child to be switched from one family which he/she grew up with and is used to and handed over to someone who might be a complete stranger.

Forcing a teenager to give up a child is a bunch of bull... you can't do it. If the teenager is unable to take care of the child with the help of family, then there is always adoption. But if the mother has help and support from her family, then she should be able to keep the baby. In the end, it is ultimately her decision.

Answer 6

Absolutely not. There are so many young moms and even dads that I've seen step up to the plate for their kids. It has nothing to do with age, and everything to do with you as a parent. My cousin's ex-wife lost custody of both of their children to him and her other child to her mother because she's a drug addicted tramp with mental illnesses that aren't treated. She was 18 years old when she had her first child and she's 25 now. By your logic she should have all her kids because she's an adult? I'm sorry but that's just wrong. I was 16 when my cousin was born and 17 when their next child was born and I've been more of a mother to those children than their real mother, and I'm 20 years old now. Those kids know their mother and they blame themselves because mommy doesn't come around and mommy doesn't love them or want them. Regardless of how old you are if you have a child it's your responsibility to love and care for that child and provide for that child, if you can't then that is the time you need to have your rights taken from you, not because you're not a legal adult, but because you're an unfit parent.

Answer 7

I don't think that can be determined just by age. There are several women OVER the age of 18 that can't take care of their children. I believe in most states that once you have a baby, it makes you a legal adult. I know of a few women who had babies under the age of 18 and have turned out to be excellent mothers. I also know of a few that turned out to be horrible mothers. It's more relative to the kind of person you are rather than your age.

Answer 8

In most cases they should not be having children, true. But in most cases, the mothers that decide to raise the children themselves end up being wonderful parents. The removal of their children must follow the same guidelines as Anyone else's. IF they are a bad parent, of course. IF They can not care for them, of course. But for their age? No, not anymore than you would want the state to remove a child from a home where a worker felt that the mother was too old to care for them. If the child is fed, cared for, clothed, LOVED, leave them alone. These in fact, with proper support many times end up being some of the STRONGEST young families you''ll ever find.

Answer 9

that is very archaic thinking. Your idea's are only going to screw the child up. They bond with one family only to be taken away from the only parent they know to go to one they don't really know just because she has hit the magic age? Not only that but whoever is put in charge of this baby will not show the effect ion needed to help a baby grow as they do not want to become too attached to a baby they will lose. You and for that fact no one else has the right to take a child from a parent. They have tried it in the past and it has failed dismally. No one has the right to take a child from a parent because they are not of the age that makes you unhappy. Many young parents care better for their children than ones of "legal " age

Answer 10

Actually in some states at 16 a girl is legally emancipated when they have their own baby. That means that their parents are not longer responsible for them and they do not have to help raise their grandchildren. As long as the parents are willing to help out girls younger than 16 they should not have to give up their rights.