Getting through to teenagers is easier said than done. If you have one or more of your own, then I'm sure you know what I mean by that. It's like they start to speak a different language by the time they hit high school. Suddenly what you think is not exactly relevant. You couldn't possibly begin to fathom what they're going through. After all, you were never a teenager yourself, right? Well, maybe not a teenager in the exact same era, but definitely a kid once. We all go through that phase of confusion, angst and peer pressure. Now, herein lies the problem. How do we convince our teenagers not to have sexual relations at such a tender age? Simply ordering them not to doesn't generally do the trick. You can always pull out the "I never did it" card. Not that they compare themselves to you or anything. Doubtfully it will work like you want it to. In the end we have to do something, because there are far too many teenage pregnancies in this new millennium.
There I was, strolling through the shopping mall in Salem Oregon. It's like many malls, filled with females, browsing for the latest attire. Then I spotted them. It was a couple, walking next to one another, pushing a stroller. Now while this may sound pretty common in a shopping mall setting, what set this couple apart was their age. They looked all of 16 years old. i suppose they were. The guy looked angry and annoyed and the girl just tired and somber. You can get so much out of their demeanor. My guess is they jumped into a serious relationship without giving it much thought. Not a good plan at all. Now there they were with an infant and an entirely new responsibility. There lives would never be the same. And you could see in their faces that they new it. Becoming parents is a pretty big step for teenagers. This couple is a primary example of why teenage pregnancies are wrong.
It's best to ponder your future. Imagine all the things you hope and plan to do. Then think about a serious relationship. Is this something you're really looking for in high school? I doubt it! Don't become another statistic on some national teenage pregnancies chart. You'll have plenty of time in the future for such permanent plans.
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