Essay Example on Teenage Pregnancy and Early Parenthood

Classmate response 1

Teenage pregnancy has been associated with great burden more so to the female victims. It has negatively affected the education of adolescents with the impact being felt through time consumed and resources spent by adolescent pregnancy and parenting. The transition from adolescence to taking up of adult roles and responsibilities is always a challenge due to lack of psychological maturity. The most significant problem for both male and female teenage parents is that of striking a balance between baby care and focusing on their academic studies. Furthermore, unlike in the traditional society where young girls were forced into early marriage after pregnancy to prevent bastard children, the society today has legal mechanisms of remedying the economic hardships and social deprivation of lone parents by ensuring legal status to property rights and financial support entitlement for children born out of marriage.

Classmate response 2

While teenage parents would wish to do what is right for their children and themselves, they are often faced with financial difficulties. There is always the need for a secure support network of friends and family to offer support to help the teenager's parent effectively while the work towards becoming responsible and self-sufficient adults. In the past teenage female parents received little support from the society. With no one to turn to, they ended up into early marriages as a means of finding comfort. Contrary to this, there is a rising trend challenging early marriages. Marriage-preparation paradoxes between men and women are gradually being embraced widely across the world. The emergence of class societies has dramatically influenced childbearing. For instance, education is strongly linked to wealth success. As a result, many teenagers abstain from premarital sex or use contraceptives to avoid teenage pregnancy that could sabotage their future ambitions.

Classmate response 3

Even though the support Max and Jill are receiving from the WIC could be of great help, it is short term. Given their respective ages, they still have a long way to cope with the challenges that come with early parenthood. Judging from their ages, the two could be high school dropouts. What this means is that their future ambitions are cut short. While providing post-natal care services to Max and Jill's baby most important to consider would be how these two manage to finish their education and later stabilize financially. To address such issues the most appropriate action is to recommend both parents into various local government and private organizations with well-established frameworks that go beyond just providing shelter and housing programs but also complementary resources and services. For instance, Jill and Max could be put under child protective services by the federal and state laws.

Classmate response 4

The argument that Max and Jill should be supported in every decision could be valid. Despite their age, they have every right to make their decisions on what they should do with their baby. This excludes any irrational or reckless move that would endanger the life of the young one. Understanding the challenges that the two might be going through, perhaps they should consider putting their child under foster care while working towards accomplishing their future goals. Rethinking that teenage parenting drives one into poverty it is better they find help other than letting things weigh both of them down. It is important also to note that during such unprecedented situations of early parenthood, not every single member of the society including friends and family can bear the burden. Therefore, Max and Jill should not be criticized for making informed decisions pertaining the well-being of their child.