Having a child when you are still considered a child yourself can be very overwhelming. Let’s face it, women carry the physical aspect of childbearing entirely. When a woman becomes pregnant, they can feel and sense their body changing, which in turn helps them be more nurturing when the baby actually arrives. On the other hand, teenage fathers do not undergo physical changes in preparing for their child’s birth. My belief is that since teen fathers are not the ones physically going through the changes, the reality of a baby does not set in until the baby is actually born. Furthermore, when a child is actually born, the teen father is more than likely not mentally mature enough to comprehend; therefore it takes longer for them to actually realize the need to take responsibility for their actions.
There are not many guys out there that really think about the consequences of having sex. The term, “men think with their penis instead of their head,” really hits on this because a lot of guys, especially in their teen years, are looking for the physical aspect of sex rather than the commitment and emotional aspects.
Because teen fathers are not physically tied to their child, they are more likely to run away from it when things get hard. In reality, it is more common to see a single mom than a single dad. I have seen happily married couples that have children and their lives gets hectic very quick. Raising a baby is a lot of work, and teenage boys are looking for their next girlfriend, or concentrated on their weekend drinking activities, or sports games. The last thing a teenage boy thinks about is taking on the responsibility for another human being.
In this video clip, the reporter asks the boy what he plans to do financially, and his response is “what is financially?” This just proves that children do not have the mental capacity to effectively raise another child.
Do you think MTV’s Teen Mom or 16 and Pregnant gives an accurate depiction of modern teenage Fathers? Or do you disagree and think a teenage father will step up to the plate and take on the responsibilities of raising a child no matter the situation?
Amanda Armfield
I think this is a truly shocking story of "babies having babies." I think more in more in society today children are becoming sexually active at earlier ages. It is sad that the realization of this happening is only due to a 15 year old having a child with a 13 year old. Because of the situation of children becoming sexually active at younger ages, I think sex education needs to begin at a younger age.
ReplyDeleteTo answer the question about the depiction of teen fathers, I think that the show 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom accurately depicts the different aspect of teen fathers. Some of the episodes show teen fathers making an initial effort and then backing out, and some show supportive dad's. It is difficult for a tv show to depict different aspects because they don't know how the dad will be before they start filming. I think modern teen fathers have a lot of choices on how they will chose to be in the lives of their children. I don't think you can make one statement about if they will or won't be a "good" dad, or be in the child's life. I think it all depends on the mother, the families, the upbringing of the father and the relationship.
^Jessie Pietroburgo
ReplyDeletePlease refrain from making hasty generalizations. Phrases like "teenage boys are looking for their next girlfriend, or concentrated on their weekend drinking activities, or sports games," when not supported by research only serves to perpetuate stereotypes. If you're simply trying to state the way you think things are, please use "My belief is," as you did above.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that many teen parents are ill-equipped for the duties of raising a child. However, if a parent wasn't thinking of the consequences of having sex, I'd first focus on improving sex ed.
I disagree with the statement "The last thing a teenage boy thinks about is taking on the responsibility for another human being." Even in the case of this 13-year-old, he says that he's going to "Look after her, make sure she gets fed and changed." Whether or not he comes through, he is already showing concern for his child's well-being.
On 16 and Pregnant, I don't think they talk to the fathers enough for the audience to really get to know them. Most of what we know about the father is through their interactions with the mother. I believe the father's actual intentions/feelings are rarely seen.
Ryan Cuscaden
I do think that MTV is doing an ok job of showing the fathers. (Some episodes are better than others) Obviously more of the focus will be on the mothers because when they start filming they can be fairly confident that the mothers will at least be around after the birth. We have seen a wide range of fathers on 16 & Pregnant and I think that is a good thing. It helps bring to reality that every guy is different and that we shouldn’t just assume that all teen fathers are absent. I would have to agree with Jessie that I think the outcome is completely situational. I would say that if the boy’s parents are more supportive, such as Ryan or Jo’s, then they will more likely be accountable because their parents will help hold them to that standard. When teens have nobody pushing them to be “around” they are less likely to go above and beyond. It’s the same with any aspect of a teen’s life; sports, school, a job. Unless they really want something they will do just enough to get by without getting in trouble. I personally think the moms on 16 & Pregnant are very lenient on the fathers…. Why don’t they hold them more accountable?
ReplyDeleteLauren
I agree with Ryan. Please be careful when generalizing "how all boys are" based upon stereotypes. I would have to disagree and say that teenage boys do not feel a disconnect simply because they do not physically carry the child. You say that they are thinking of other things, while mothers naturally feel a connection to the child just because htey physically carry them. Like how you described teenage fathers, teenage mothers sometimes appear to care about other things more than their child. I have friends who had kid when they were 16 who still went out and partied after their child was born, often leaving the kid to their parents while they continued to live the "normal" life of a teenager. How one responds to parentally is based upon many different factors, so it is not fair to assume all boys feel the sort of disconnect and lack of responsibility you described. In response to your question, I think 16 and pregnant is not an accurate display of teenage fathers, mainly because these young men play characters and are portrayed as a role. This is not a documentary, it is a television show shot for entertainment. The narration is from the mother's perspective, so we only see how how they "think" and never hear from the father. I think in an hour episode, it is hard to display both the mother and father's viewpoints, and often the shows are climaxed around a conflict, so we rarely understand the actual role the father plays in the child's life. Instead, we see them portrayed as part of a conflict. merely a character and often the antagonist.
ReplyDelete^ that is from Alison Gammon.
ReplyDelete