750K Teenage Pregnancies in 2006. Did I Read That Right???!!!

As I was flipping through the channels tonight I came across a show that had several "experts" talking about teenage abstenance and how the kids today need to be taught to just withold from sex until they were married. I was intrigued, as I always am with the subject of teenage pregnancy because I was one of those statistics way back when, so I started to watch the program. As I was watching I read a blurb on the screen that said 750K TEENAGE PREGNANCIES IN 2006. Wow! That is a lot of pregnancies. I mean, a lot of pregnancies. Sure, some will argue that when you figure in the population and blah blah blah. Then they put up the blurb that President Obama is pouring 100 million into programs to promote abstinence. That's good, right? There needs to be that much money put into a program that will no doubt be whiped from our children's minds as soon as they pick up a magazine, watch a television program or turn on the computer. 100 million dollars to teach kids to say no to sex. What a waste of money.

I think a much better idea is to hire someone who has the balls to stand up to the FCC about the crap that is on television, and let's not forget about the radio, and regulate what shows are scheduled at what times. I remember during the holidays that I saw "Knocked Up" on some cable station at 1:00 in the afternoon on a Saturday. Really? Can we wait until after 9 or 10 to put that on? VH1, which used to be one of my favortie channels because of all the hilarious retro shows that used to be on (Anyone love I LOVE the 70's as much as me?) is now riddled with shows about superficial people using their sexuality and lack of self respect to get their fifteen minutes of fame. MTV has Teen Mom which I see the point to, but the situations on that show (with the exception of Caitlyn) are horrible examples for teenagers to be watching these days. Find a video on and you will think it is soft core porn. Pick up a magazine and you will see more skin on the pages than interview. Even worse, I found a dirt bike video on the computer the other day, you know the ones that are kiddie and cute? After it loaded and I set him up with his game, I scrolled down to bring the whole picture into view and right there at the bottom of that page was this busty brunette asking if my 6 year old wanted to play. Are you kidding me? What in the world  happened to values? What happened to the morals of the government that runs our country? Why is everyone so afraid to stand up and remind people that this programing, print and media is so influential on our kids today?

Look at that number in the begining of this post. 750K girls were pregnant in 2006. I am sure that the number has gone up in the last 3 years and I want to know what was done to counsel those 750K girls back in 2006. Obviously the NO SEX campaign did not work then and I don't think it will make a huge dent now. Oh...did I mention that Former President George W Bush doubled the amount of money thrown at this abstinence campaign while he was in office? These statistics were form his tenure in office, so I think I can make the statement that President Obama is going to waste our money. I have an alternative place that the 100 million can go. First, put it towards eductaion and get Health Classes back in our schools. These kids need to know how their bodies work, especially in the teen years. The rest of that money can go to the after care of birth mothers to ensure that they have a good start to life after loosing a child. Sounds crazy huh? But it seems to me that money spent on helping those that can help make families, that just might be money well spent. Our society always focuses on the negatives of adoption, how it affects everyone in a negative way. Well, that is not true. There are a number of women who have somehow, by the grace of God and their own inner strength, been able to heal and live life happily as a birth mother. Good for us. But there are also SO MANY out there who are not having a good time adjusting, are not able to heal from their pain, and cannot see a feisable way to live life happily knowing their child is out there without them. It is a bigger problem than you think. When you hear of a parent that has lost a child, you know that they are in for a long road of sadness and pain. Birth parents loose their children as well, but no one thinks of it that way. Birth parents loose a part of themselves but are expected to just move on, just forget about it and the feeling will go away. We are often hit with the old "you made your bed, now you lie in it" mentality and this is why you do not see the proper support for these parents after the birth.

There are rehab centers for alcoholics to recover and learn to be sober. There are rehab centers for drug addicts to kick their adictions. There are rehabs for gambling, sex addiction, food addiction. These are all things that we accept that people need life long help with, no lack of centers for these problems. Why are there not more centers or rehabs for birth mothers? Although we relinquish our rights to our children, we cannot relinquish the right to love and be forever curious about them. Being a birth parent is a life long process and if we want the system to change we need to start helping those that are brave enough to make it all happen. Because when you think about it, there is no adoption without the birth parents. So let's start supporting them more and see what happens. I think it is worth a shot.