Clothes Don't Cause Pregnancy, People Do

In the news this week is a story about a company, Forever 21, that is launching a clothing line for pregnant teens and young women. This is stirring up an intense controversy. In my mind it is much like the idea that toys in Happy Meals cause fat kids.

The "Love 21 Maternity" line, according to Larry Meyer, executive vice president of Forever 21, is focused on their customers who are eighteen and older. They have opened the line in five states, three of which (Texas, Arizona, and California) have the highest teen pregnancy rates. Because of those states, the accusation, according to the story on www.foxnews.com, is that Forever 21 approves of teen pregnancy. Meyer states that it is just coincidental about the three states.

Now I will admit to being a devout capitalist. I support people who develop a product and find a way to market it successfully. In my thinking, if they saw those rates of pregnancy and said, "hey, there is a market for our designs," there is nothing wrong in that. It is a long way from saying, "let's design some great clothes so more kids will get pregnant."

I am also a devout "parents rights" person. But that works two ways. I want the government to stay out of the home and let parents raise their kids in the best way for their own family. However, that means that parents have the responsibility to make good decisions. Parents need to do all they can to prevent teen pregnancy, rather than just hide in a closet and hope it doesn't happen to their kids.

To continue with my first analogy, clothes don't cause pregnancy, people cause pregnancy. Just like toys in kids meals don't make kids fat, irresponsible parents that won't say "no" do. And I have more faith in our teenagers than that. Teens don't get pregnant because of cute clothes. If they deliberately get pregnant, there are bigger issues in that child's heart than what they are wearing.

Letterman Has To Go!

Like many others, I have been watching the drama unfold around David Letterman's comments about Sarah Palin's daughter. It has taken me a few days to get my head around everything that was said and I have come to the conclusion that Letterman has to go.

Please know that I have watched him since he had a daytime show and lit his set on fire on once. That was truly hysterical, but he has gotten increasingly mean-spirited over the years. When candidate Obama asked that children be left alone in the presidential race, I think he meant more than just until the voting takes place. Children of a candidate are off limits--telling rude jokes or making incendiary remarks about them is unacceptable--regardless of which side of the aisle their parents represent.

What was David Letterman's response to Ms. Palin's outrage? He said he was talking about her 18 year old daughter when he said that A-Rod knocked her up during the 7th inning stretch rather than her 14 year old daughter. In what way does that make it better? Yes, the older one is of age, but he was still saying, in so many words, that she was a slut.

There are many young girls who have made a mistake and found themselves pregnant. That does not mean they slept around promiscuously. It means they had a boyfriend and made a decision error.

Every woman in the country should be outraged by his comments and his subsequent semi explanation/not quite apology statement he made. At the very least, his network should show some integrity by forcing him to offer an apology to the Palin family. But I really think he should be fired.

What do you think?

Pregnancy Pact

Ok, we have all heard about the school in Gloucester, MA in which there are 17 pregnant teens (ages 15 and under). This is a number which is much higher than the statistical average. It appears that all of these girls actively tried to get themselves "in the family way."

The question on everyone's mind is "Why?" What in the world were they thinking? According to one schoolmate, possibly the need for unconditional love was the reason. Why do these teens feel like that is lacking in their lives? Where the heck are the parents?

If these kids think a baby is going to make their lives better, they need to think again!

• Walking the floor in the middle of the night with a colicy baby is not feeling loved.
• Watching other friends going out on dates and parties and being kids will be very hard while they are home with a baby.
• It is hard to do homework with a baby to look after (hoepfully they will still go to school).
• Boys that age are only going to want to date them for one reason--it is obvious they put out and that is what the boys will want. It will be very hard for them to find a guy who will be interested in a serious relationship.
• Their figures are blown to all heck. Do they realize how hard it is to lose baby weight?

We parents need to see this as a wake up call to reassess our relationships with our children, especially our teens. Do they know we love them unconditionally? Do they know we are their greatest cheerleader?

Remember when you correct your child that it is important to separate the transgression from the person. Never tell them they are bad or useless. Never withhold your love as a punishment. Every day tell them how much you love them. Talk to them about sex and parenting. It is okay if you tell them that parenting is hard--it is!

Talk to your kids about the children in MA that are having babies. Find other things in the news affecting or referring to teens and discuss those. A family with an open dialogue is less likely to have a problem like the families in Gloucester are facing.

So go--give your children a big hug and tell them how grateful you are that they are in your life!