(*teen pregnancy video; may not be suitable for young children or in the workplace*)
Will extreme scare tactics help reduce teen pregnancies? The public health specialists in Leicester, England must think so based on this startling public service video, which depicts a scared, screaming teenage girl giving birth on a sporting green beneath a huddle of nuns and hysterical classmates.
The message: "Not what you expected? Being a teenage parent might not be either."
As parents, we all have a different approach to teaching and guiding our children. Some of you surely believe that instilling a little fear is key. Others of you probably like to take a lighter approach. Or maybe Bristol Palin's message and other real stories from teen mothers is the best reminder for teen girls and boys to practice safe sex.
How will you approach critical topics like unwanted pregnancy with your teen? Or if you've "been there, done that," what worked (or didn't work for you)?
- Read more about the motivation behind the teen pregnancy video on Strollerderby.
- Then read what the editors at Bitch find problematic about this video's approach.
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Comments 10
...I just don't see this particular angle helping educate teens on why they wouldn't want to be a teen parent.
ANY PREGNANT WOMAN could end up delivering outside. It's all a matter of "wrong place, wrong time" and has nothing to do with age. Scary, yes. Effective, not so much.
I don't see how this is remotely relevant to teen pregnancy, other than the fact that the woman in question appears to be a high school student. If anything, I think this is simply perpetuating the idea that giving birth is a negative, scary, embarassing event. I wish we would stop making birth itself out to be a deterrent, and instead stick with the message that birth and parenthood are wonderful, natural, joyful life transitions- WHEN you are ready for them.
this is dumb lol
I don't see how this is remotely relevant to teen pregnancy, other than the fact that the woman in question appears to be a high school student. If anything, I think this is simply perpetuating the idea that giving birth is a negative, scary, embarassing event. I wish we would stop making birth itself out to be a deterrent, and instead stick with the message that birth and parenthood are wonderful, natural, joyful life transitions- WHEN you are ready for them.
Freela May. 21, 2009 at 9:27 PM
^^^^I agree w/ this mom.
how about we stop the Bullshit and Start Really educating our kids about sex. Moms how many of you remember your sex ed class? I was in 7th grade it was a 1 month thing during our normal health class.not really more then a scare tactic full of STDs and The worst labor i have ever seen. It scares you yes but i was taught very little on proper birth control and was given condoms. Sex ed and Teen pregnancy go hand in hand. I knew a girl in HS who was pregnant @ 14. It was Horrible for her, Not the pregnancy itself it was the Stigma Of being pregnant,the thought of abortion was just non exsit. then being a 15 yr old mom. Modern Society likes to act like teen pregnancy is all the girls fault and responsibility.We not only need to encourage our young girls to not only treat themselves with respect by not sleeping around, But our young men too.Our young men need to be taught to respect themselves and the girls they're with. The abortion stigma, the fact that guys think its cool to sleep around, and the whole way sex is treated for young adults are all reasons for teen pregnancy. Proper Education is the best way we need to explain not only the negative outcomes of sex, but the fact that sex can be and is an amazing beautiful experience between two people who care for each other.
That's not going to do anything, but scare them that they'll deliver outside. It's not going to stop teens from having sex. They'll forget about it soon enough. TALKING to your teens is what will help. My first pregnancy was when I was a teenager. If I had felt comfortable talking to my parents about birth control and getting on it or where to get it... it probably wouldn't have happened.
TALK TO YOUR KIDS!
SEX HAPPENS!