Social/Kiddies
Creating Awareness On Teen, Adolescent Pregnancy
Adolescent pregnancy, by definition is pregnancy in girls between the ages of 10 and 19, where the majority are unintended pregnancies. Although the teen pregnancy rate has declined by 55 percent since 1990, teens are still becoming pregnant and giving birth and 75 percent of those are unintended pregnancies. While it is possible that a teen who becomes pregnant can experience a healthy pregnancy and be an excellent parent, many pregnant and parenting teens struggle with multiple stressors, health risks and other complex issues. Being pregnant as a teenager puts them at higher risk for having a baby born too early, with a low birth weight and, tragically, higher risk of death.
Several factors contribute to adolescent pregnancies and births. Firstly, in many societies, girls are under pressure to marry and bear children. As of 2021, the estimated global number of child brides was 650 million. Child marriage places girls at increased risk of pregnancy because girls who are married very early typically have limited autonomy to influence decision-making about delaying child-bearing and contraceptive use. Secondly, in many places, girls choose to become pregnant because they have limited educational and employment prospects. Often in such societies, motherhood within or outside marriage or union is valued, and marriage or union and childbearing may be the best of the limited options available to adolescent girls.
Thirdly, there is unprotected sex with teen partners or adult partners.
However, teenage dating is something that is no longer hidden anymore, I mean, it’s something we now see and hear of everything. In as much as parents try to prevent their teens from relationships, it is still something inevitable as long as the child is associating with the world and so it is high time parents stopped preventing and started educating. A girl child at her early 20s or under the age of 20, as long as the girl child is menstruating, is bound to get pregnant if any negligent sexual act is carried out and at this stage,they are very very fertile. Fourth, sexual violence against vulnerable teenagers, could be from someone trying to assist them financially and what not. Fifth, lack of proper education due to discontinuation of school could also be an issue. Lastly, there is less information about reproductive health and rights. However, these factors are not limited to these ones listed above.
Most teen girls may not be matured enough for childbearing and childcare and babies born to teenage girls may have health problems due to inadequate prenatal care. Lack of prenatal vitamins, minerals, and other forms of care may increase the risk of health issues in both mothers and babies. There are situations where some people do not know they are pregnant until close to the third trimester and by that time, no proper care was ascertained to the mother and the child, thereby leaving both of them at risk.
It is never easy as a teen to give birth and care for a child. At this stage, a teen’s life can be stressful due to financial burden combined with balancing school and parenting and this can also put the newborn at risk. Teens who are pregnant or are raising babies usually have a hard time finishing school. Only 3 percent of teens who have babies received their college diploma before the age of 30. Also, at times, most teens are single parents and this can be quite draining emotionally, physically and mentally,and also putting the baby at risk because, I mean, parents often need resources to help them navigate their children’s well-being and development.
In as much as these issues happen, there are ways parents or guardians can help their teens prevent teenage pregnancy.
Parents and guardians can develop strong bonding with their children to make them comfortable, to share any incidence of sexual abuse or unprotected sex. Having a two-way conversation about sex and your teen’s perception of it is very important. Gradually acquaintance with the teen about the consequences of unprotected sex and teenage pregnancy is key. Teenage is the phase when dating tends to begin and so you must as parents acquaint your teen with ways of setting boundaries in their relationship.
It is okay to set rules on dating but do so while considering your teen’s opinion. Have a discussion with your teen to reach a consensus or in otherwords, agreement. Also introduction of condoms, though not entirely safe but at least, to some extent, can prevent pregnancy. Also, it is quite unfortunate that most teens do not know how to calculate their menstrual cycle to know risky dates in a cycle and all that, and this is what a parent, teacher or guardian should be able to do.
Also, for those who by chance decide to keep the pregnancies, so as to avoid death and some serious health issues; they should ensure regular prenatal care as soon as possible. They should take prenatal vitamins and minerals supplements to avoid congenital malformation and other complications. Avoid alcohol, drugs and tobacco use. Follow a healthy diet and stay safe. It is never the end of the world. A silly negligent mistake can turn big but everything happens for a reason.
By: Akwu Cherie
Akwu is a student of Rivers State University.
It is the idea of God that family should exit. Children form part of the family. God loves family so much that Jesus was born into the family of Joseph.
Everyone’s family is good and important. Children should not look down on their family whether they are rich or poor.
Children should respect and honour their family and foster love among their siblings. They should work together and make peace in the family. They should always stand in the gap. It is good for family members to carry all along since everyone may not be doing well.
The Christianity that children learn is practised in family. Faith-based organisations do a great job in moulding children’s character. Those are the behaviours that children exhibit towards siblings in family.
Every child born in a family is there for a purpose. A baby born into a family is supplying something. It may be joy, wealth and so on. Everyone is important in a family.
Adolescents who have graduated from school but may not be contributing financially can do one or two things at home. You can engage in preparing meals at home while parents are away for a job or business. Contributing in house chores will go a long way to relieve parents of stress after a day’s job.
What do you contribute to your family, especially during holidays both in nuclear and extended family?
The family you were born is constant but friends are temporary. You can decide not to continue in friendship but you cannot cut off your family. No matter how bad you think your family is and you decide to leave home, you must surely return. Your friends can harbour you for a while.
The child’s first identity comes from the family. What the child learns first comes from the family.
Family is the centre of love and care. People have started playing down on marriage because of neglect on basics of family. Marriage starts today and and the next few months, it is threatened. Respect for family plays a crucial role in marriage.
No child grows without parental control and influence. If a child refuses to grow without taking instructions from parents, he may grow up being wild. There are consequences when children do not obey their parents. There are those who want to be rebellious against their parents. They should know that their length of days are tied to their parents.
Your bioligical parents know you more than every other person. There is the wisdom and knowledge your parents have that you do not so it is proper to listen to them before choosing carriers both in academics and job. A young man or woman can choose who to get married to, but a greater role in the choice of who to marry and the marriage proper comes from the parents.
They know what is best for you. No matter how modern trends will influence you and prove it wrong, parent is the key. No one can love you more than your parents because they are your blood.
A lot of parents have been traumatised due to the fact that children they nurtured and trained turned their back on them at older age. Children should not abandon their parents for any reason.
As you grow up, situations may arise in marriage when you decide it is over with your spouse, but no matter the level of provocation with your parents, they will not despise you. Parents will also play a role in that regard. Problem arises in every family but how it is handled matters a lot.
Some children honour their mentors more than their parents. Although there are parents who shy away from their responsibilities. It is important that parents take full responsibility of their children. You cannot bring a child to the planet earth and refuse to perform roles as a parent. But parents may not quantify what they spent from childhood to adolescence. That is a blessing children cannot get from another person.
There are people who have attributed their failure in life to the fact that their parents, especially mothers are witchcraft. It is wrong to feel that your mother is instrumental to your failure in life. The only way to success is hardwork.
Let money not determine the level of love for your parents. Wherever a child goes, family is constant.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
Naturally, when a child is born, it is the role of the father and mother to decide a suitable name for the child. The husband and wife normally discuss and suggest the English or vernacular name of the baby.
But sometimes, when a baby comes into a family, grandparents hearts are usually filled with joy to the extent that they want to answer present, by giving their own names not minding the fact that the biological parents have given theirs.
This happens mostly when the marriage is an inter-tribal one. It also happens even in intra-tribal marriage. Grandparents want equal representation as far as naming a child is concerned. They also have special names as a result of circumstances surrounding the birth of the child.
This is still happening till date.
A lot of people have viewed this in different ways but there is nothing wrong about it. The most important thing is that the child bears as many names as he or she can. But one thing is certain, the child must bear one name in school.
Should circumstance determine a child’s name?
Women who are more emotional are always eager to name their children considering the circumstances surrounding the child’s conception and arrival.
The issue of grandparents naming a child comes up mostly when it is the first of the family.
In naming children by some parents in the olden days, they named their children according to the days in the week in which they were born, like Sunday, Monday, Friday and so on.
You may be shocked to hear that whether a child is given 10 names by parents or grandparents, when he or she grows up, will decide to change. There are several cases where some persons decided to change especially when they feel that the names given by their parents and grandparents do not give them joy. If they are not doing well in life, they may claim that their misfortune is caused by the name their parents.
Competition among children in schools be it primary, (kindergarten) and secondary come in different forms. It can be Mathematics , debate, quiz, spelling bee,competition, from organisations like Cowbell, multi-national companies, faith-based organisations among others.
They are organised mostly for selected intelligent ones, the best among their peers to represent a class, school or group. Prizes are normally set aside for the best as well as consolation prizes for runners-up at the end of each session.
The question is, are children willing to accept defeat when they fail? As parents, guardians, can you encourage your children or wards to accept defeat instead of shouting and comparing them with others who may be performing better either in schools or outside.
Some parents may be blaming their children for not doing well in competitions. They will like to tell their children if others who may perform better have ten heads. Those group of parents blame their children for every failure.
For your children to do better in competition, the parents too must have emotional intelligence. When you continue to blame your children for failure, how intelligent are you?
Some parents always want their children to be in the 1st position and unhappy whenever they secure 2nd position. There were instances where children smashed their trophies because they never got the position they wanted to get and their parents supported them.
Children should be able to accept it whether they win or not. They should be encouraged for every performance. Discourage the issue of “shame, shame, shame, shame”.
A parent says she always tells her children to win even if they will fail. Always give them the mentality that they can win. Children should be given the impression that they can win prizes and laurels in every competition.
Parents should not isolate their children from others in the neighbourhood. Allow them to play with others. Don’t threaten your children that you may not pay their schools fees if they fail. Comparing them with others may encourage or discourage them.
Coming first or getting award as a first class student from the university sometimes does not mean that the person is the best. And if the child does not merit any award in the lower classes, does not mean that he can not merit first class also.
It should be noted that coming first in academic competition may not really mean that the competitor will be the best at work place or business.
Accepting defeat is a way to move higher. Even if a child who competed with others did not come first, there are consolation prizes for runners-up. When you advise the child to accept defeat, you are encouraging her to win in next competition.
Remember all children cannot be on the same knowledge level Their learning abilities defer.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
