some things just shouldn't be glorified....or rewarded...

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cindy4mica
cindy4mica Posts: 777 Member
in Chit-Chat
i know the sad reality is that teen pregnancy is running rampant in the world today, but do they *really* need to glorify it by producing more tv shows?? ok, so i'm being a bit of hypocrite as well as an enabler since all of those reality shows are my guilty pleasure, but i like to think i'm intelligent enough to see how ruined these girls' lives are. yes, babies are a blessing and yes, babies are miracles, but let's not sugar-coat this. life as these girls know it will be no longer. it's painfully evident on these shows that lives filled with the mall and going out and dances and school and parties have been replaced with sleepless nights, diapers, making bottles and struggles to graduate. yet teen girls *still* don't practice safe sex. and worse & more stupidly, some get pregnant on purpose to "keep a boyfriend" or "have someone to love". i'll still never get that one. but again, i don't walk in anyone's shoes. however, i *do* know between right & wrong and there is nothing "right" about bringing a baby into this world for selfish reasons.

additionally, there are mature, adult, financially-stable women out there who struggle to get pregnant on a daily basis. i'm fairly certain they're not thrilled to have these girls shoved down their throats every day on tv, magazines & tabloids.

this is MY OPINION. i'm trying not to judge, but rather to make statements based on the information i'm given. we don't know what happens behind closed doors, but from what i can assess, these girls need more parental involvement and to be educated on safe sex. i'm not stupid - i have teenaged kids and i'm pretty sure they're not saints. but i made sure to sit them down and talk to them with the cold, hard facts. i'm not a proponent of teen sex, but i'm an advocate on educating our children on their options if they choose to go that route.

your views??
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Replies

  • beatlemom
    beatlemom Posts: 250 Member
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    I agree! It was always frustrating to me to hear about all kinds of teenage girls getting pregnant when I was struggling just to get my ovaries to work properly so I could get pregnant in the first place!
  • ashleyh3156
    ashleyh3156 Posts: 177 Member
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    #1 reason why I don't have cable...reality shows...I'm rather young, but still cannot believe what they show on tv these days. It actually scares me.
  • PattyTheUndefeated
    PattyTheUndefeated Posts: 302 Member
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    Wait... is this myfitnesspal or TMZ?
  • briblue72
    briblue72 Posts: 672 Member
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    I agree. I almost wish they would only "cast" the pregnant teenagers who don't have parents to pay for diapers, help make bottles, and pay for the roof over the kids' heads.
    I've only seen maybe 3 or 4 full episodes (how many seasons has it been?), but I did watch last night. This is mostly due to the fact that I'm 5 months pregnant myself and will watch just about any show on pregnancy and having babies!
  • Ash10Dent
    Ash10Dent Posts: 75
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    I agree that teen pregnancy shouldn't be glorified but 16 and pregnant is definitely not glorifying anything. If at all they're showing how hard life is when you end up getting pregnant at such a young age. You watch those young girls go through hell and back after having kids. I think it's a great show for people to learn from (and yes I'm addicted!). I took a sex health class and learned that the teen pregnancy rate has actually dropped since shows like 16 and pregnant and teen mom have aired.
  • Crystal817
    Crystal817 Posts: 2,021 Member
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    i'm fairly certain they're not thrilled to have these girls shoved down their throats every day on tv, magazines & tabloids.

    Hmmm I don't think anything is being shoved down anyone's throat. Either you choose to watch such programs and pay attention to tabloids or you don't! Regardless if there was a TV show about it or not, teen pregnancy is going to happen. Is it fair to those who can't have childen, maybe not. But life isn't fair. And there are plenty of grown adults who also have no business having children.
  • snkeller24
    snkeller24 Posts: 459
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    All I can say is I'm glad my parents instilled the fear of god in me if I ever got knocked up. I would've been homeless. All comes back to lack of parenting. TV raises a lot of peoples children ... and thats how they learn the morals and values.
  • JMJohnson1005
    JMJohnson1005 Posts: 222 Member
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    I too watch these shows, but I agree 100%. My son is only 1.5 now, but when he is of age he will definitely have the talk with his father and I.
  • cindy4mica
    cindy4mica Posts: 777 Member
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    Wait... is this myfitnesspal or TMZ?

    which is why i posted this on the "chit-chat, fun and games" board and not one related to fitness/nutrition.
  • cindy4mica
    cindy4mica Posts: 777 Member
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    I agree. I almost wish they would only "cast" the pregnant teenagers who don't have parents to pay for diapers, help make bottles, and pay for the roof over the kids' heads.
    I've only seen maybe 3 or 4 full episodes (how many seasons has it been?), but I did watch last night. This is mostly due to the fact that I'm 5 months pregnant myself and will watch just about any show on pregnancy and having babies!

    haha omg i did that, too! i seriously watched just about every episode of every show pertaining to people having babies when i was pregnant and the few months following the birth. i think i dvr'd "a baby story" and "brining home baby" for 3 months straight!

    and i agree. there was one girl on the last season whose father paid for rent in a *gorgeous* house and pretty much gave her money whenever she needed it. i could only *wish* i had it that nice or easy!
  • christy_frank
    christy_frank Posts: 680 Member
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    Agree! I am a foster parent & have 3 fosters (2 1/2 yrs now) beause their young mother is a POS! She was 13 when she got pregnant, I have 3 of her children, there is another in a different foster home (she got pregnant after she lost the 1st 3) and now she is pregnant AGAIN. She is 24, all of the children have different father's..... every child she has will just go straight into foster care on the tax payer dime. This is just ONE case. There are HUNDREDS of cases like this out there, yet I know several people who have tried for years w/o getting pregnant & this POS just looks at a man & is knocked up yet continues to drink, smoke & do drugs.
  • skttls1299
    skttls1299 Posts: 15 Member
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    [/quote]

    Hmmm I don't think anything is being shoved down anyone's throat. Either you choose to watch such programs and pay attention to tabloids or you don't! Regardless if there was a TV show about it or not, teen pregnancy is going to happen. Is it fair to those who can't have childen, maybe not. But life isn't fair. And there are plenty of grown adults who also have no business having children.
    [/quote]

    amen, sister!
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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  • cindy4mica
    cindy4mica Posts: 777 Member
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    I agree that teen pregnancy shouldn't be glorified but 16 and pregnant is definitely not glorifying anything. If at all they're showing how hard life is when you end up getting pregnant at such a young age. You watch those young girls go through hell and back after having kids. I think it's a great show for people to learn from (and yes I'm addicted!). I took a sex health class and learned that the teen pregnancy rate has actually dropped since shows like 16 and pregnant and teen mom have aired.

    part of your statement is my point. you'd think these girls would learn from these shows, but they don't. i haven't taken any polls, but i know just based on my kids' high school that the teen pregnancy rate has gone up (not necessarily because of these shows, but they have). but some of these girls have parents who take care of them financially and enable them to live pretty darn good lives. i'm not saying they have to throw the girl and her baby out on the streets, but they need to live realistically and sleep in the bed they made.
  • skttls1299
    skttls1299 Posts: 15 Member
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    i'm fairly certain they're not thrilled to have these girls shoved down their throats every day on tv, magazines & tabloids.

    Hmmm I don't think anything is being shoved down anyone's throat. Either you choose to watch such programs and pay attention to tabloids or you don't! Regardless if there was a TV show about it or not, teen pregnancy is going to happen. Is it fair to those who can't have childen, maybe not. But life isn't fair. And there are plenty of grown adults who also have no business having children.

    Amen, sister!
  • cindy4mica
    cindy4mica Posts: 777 Member
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    i'm fairly certain they're not thrilled to have these girls shoved down their throats every day on tv, magazines & tabloids.

    Hmmm I don't think anything is being shoved down anyone's throat. Either you choose to watch such programs and pay attention to tabloids or you don't! Regardless if there was a TV show about it or not, teen pregnancy is going to happen. Is it fair to those who can't have childen, maybe not. But life isn't fair. And there are plenty of grown adults who also have no business having children.

    you can't wait in line at the grocery store without 9 out of 10 magazines with these girls on the cover staring at you. and i totally agree on your last statement.
  • cindy4mica
    cindy4mica Posts: 777 Member
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    All I can say is I'm glad my parents instilled the fear of god in me if I ever got knocked up. I would've been homeless. All comes back to lack of parenting. TV raises a lot of peoples children ... and thats how they learn the morals and values.

    agreed!
  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
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    I was a teenage mom and watch those shows because they do show the pain, stigmas, immature emotions, attempts to make that decision into the best future they can, and fear that getting pregnant at a young age can bring. I see nothing glorified about it other than they are on TV, but that would be like saying they glorify hoarders or obese people. I was fortunate to defy most of the teen-mom stereotypes, finished high school, college, and got a great job and have done a good job of raising my son. But I appreciate that there is a show that shows the difficulties behind those teenage actions.
  • kms1981
    kms1981 Posts: 207 Member
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    I have been watching it with my daughter (whom is 10). At the end of the episode we talk about the struggles that girl hard, how it changed/strained her relationship with her mom, how the boyfriend often leaves and if he does stay he isn't helpful at all. I think it is good for her to see that teen pregnancy is NOT easy and NOT what she or I want for her life. I had her when I was 19 so I was a "teen" when I was pregnant (18) and it was not the smartest decision I made and I want her to see that she doesn't want it for herself.
  • velix
    velix Posts: 437 Member
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    I agree that teen pregnancy shouldn't be glorified but 16 and pregnant is definitely not glorifying anything. If at all they're showing how hard life is when you end up getting pregnant at such a young age. You watch those young girls go through hell and back after having kids. I think it's a great show for people to learn from (and yes I'm addicted!). I took a sex health class and learned that the teen pregnancy rate has actually dropped since shows like 16 and pregnant and teen mom have aired.

    Indeed - 16 and pregnant is not the same as MTV's "Teen Mom" - one aims to educate, the other aims to ... well,.... I am not quite sure .... aim a camera at a train wreck?

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