Do teens make bad parents?

First of all, this will be last topic like this. I promise. I'm just screwed for a school project and need all the opinions I can get.

I have to do the arguement that teens are still children, and children should not be raising children. But I need 3 solid points besides the obvious, which is that they're still young themselves.

Opinions? Anyone?

THANKYOUUUU!! :D

"Still young themselves" implies several things:

1.  No/low income

2.  No education

3.  Immature emotionally

4.  There are also physical risk factors of teen pregnancy, including low birth weight babies.

I just wanted to clarify that some teens manage to make excellent parents - but most would agree their path is harder than if they had waited 10 years.

Oh, and if I were you I'd google teen pregnancy statistics, and I'm sure you would find plenty of fodder.

No source of reliable or significant income

Low prospects of attaining a quality education

Reliance on parents or government dime for medical care

If not yet 16, they can't even drive their kid to a doctor's appointment, or in an emergency, to the hospital

Emotional immaturity, leading to a high risk of neglect and/or abuse

Original Post by puh8suwrux:

I just wanted to clarify that some teens manage to make excellent parents - but most would agree their path is harder than if they had waited 10 years.

 I think the key word there is "some."  Yes, there are teens that do rise to the challenge, and manage to make a good life for themselves and their child (my MIL being one of them). 

But I think given the ability and knowledge to prevent it, most teens would choose to not be mothers until later in life.

There is no age group that will ensure being a great parent.  There could be one teen that would be a much better parent than a 30-year-old.  Yes, most teens are not at an emotional level that would make them "ready" to be parents, but it really just depends on the person.

Don't forget the physical effects of pregnancy on a teen body.

As well as emotional immaturity, you could argue that teens lack life experience to pass on to their children... although on the flip side perhaps people who become parents as teenagers have been through more than older parents who have lived sheltered lives.

Anyone who's willing to spank a kid can be a good parent at any age.

There is so much I could say about this, but I will only select a few things I did not hear specifically mentioned.

-Teenagers need to go to school and graduate highschool. And actually, most people need to go to college and get a degree in order to qualify for a job with a decent income. With a child, especially a newborn, it is hard to study effectively.

-If teenagers plan on graduating highschool/college, I'm sure they will need to dump their kids on their parents to get some quality study/homework time. I am not a parents, but I know I would be pissed if I got stuck with babysitting duty for my 16 year old daughter's infant everyday.

-Even I will admit, as I am 19 and in my last teenage year, I mostly think about ME, ME, ME. I want to spend my money on cute clothes and jewelry, not bibs and diapers. I feel like teenagers should enjoy their young years as being, well, young. At least when you are an adult and taking care of a child, you can look back and say, "Well, I had my turn of the world being all about me. Now it's this kid's turn."

Those were my main three arguments.

No. No. No.

No.

No.

i was repeating year 11 at high school when i got pregnant with my now 15 month old son zack, i believe my partner (who is 6 months younger than me) an i make fantastic parents. im sure money is an issue for a lot of parents not just young parents but we seem to do just fine in the last 2 months alone between us we have made close to $15 000, we both work casuial and we juggle our things so we can both be at home with our son as much as possible,  our son even does swimming classes (and had done since he was 6 months old) we own our car, we have no debt, our rent and bills are all paid up for like the next three months, we dont live of the government,  our son has everything he needs and more.

teen parents must suck

oh did i mention my mother has not once baby sat my child, my child dosent isnt stuck in a day care center all day, i cook for my family 6 times a week (i get one night off cooking, its only fair). Im also working and studying acounting via distance so i can spent more time at home with my son. my baby didnt have a low birth weight either 9 pounds is not small!!!

my point is no matter how old you are if you love your child you will work your ass off to make a good quality life for that child, all being young means is that you have the energy do it all and your body recovers from pregnancy faster.

Lazy little teens that expect other people to do their school project for them rather than putting in a bit of effort and forming their own opinions would probably make really bad parents.....  Take note OP.

maybe something about the brain still developing? the part of the brain that controls reason isnt fully formed in males until the early 20s i think.

this was pointed out in an effort to console me, the distraught mother, once upon a time.

might check into that. *shrug*

Original Post by gi-jane:

Lazy little teens that expect other people to do their school project for them rather than putting in a bit of effort and forming their own opinions would probably make really bad parents.....  Take note OP.

 

i think utilizing one's assets at hand is a brilliant effort no matter what you perceive them to be. picking our brains for ideas and writing a paper are two entirely different tasks. i see nothing wrong with this.

we brainstorm at work on projects all the time. how is this different? because OP is a teen/young adult?

teens and young adults are so disrespected. tsk tsk.

Original Post by watergirl:

Original Post by gi-jane:

Lazy little teens that expect other people to do their school project for them rather than putting in a bit of effort and forming their own opinions would probably make really bad parents.....  Take note OP.

 

i think utilizing one's assets at hand is a brilliant effort no matter what you perceive them to be. picking our brains for ideas and writing a paper are two entirely different tasks. i see nothing wrong with this.

we brainstorm at work on projects all the time. how is this different? because OP is a teen/young adult?

teens and young adults are so disrespected. tsk tsk.

 Ditto.  We're not writing the paper for her.

I'm all for initiative but if a teenager can't think of three reasons why someone her age having a baby could present problems.... they don't exactly have much of an imagination, do they?

Original Post by gi-jane:

I'm all for initiative but if a teenager can't think of three reasons why someone her age having a baby could present problems.... they don't exactly have much of an imagination, do they?

 

She listed three reasons in her 2nd post, I believe.  But she wanted some other opinions.

Edit: she only listed one.  But that one can be broken down into thousands lol.  I still don't see a problem with the post.  :)

Original Post by gi-jane:

I'm all for initiative but if a teenager can't think of three reasons why someone her age having a baby could present problems.... they don't exactly have much of an imagination, do they?

 

shes 16. its not like shes got years of experience to draw upon. kudos to her for asking!

hey blackout, PM me if you want any help with final edits.

EDIT: would love to stay and throw down but alas i must go - i have my own multi-site assessment report to write for an escaped AIG exec thats due tomorrow.

i leave this in your capable hands michachu ;)