| Teen parenting affects a million teens in the US per | | | | and some portion of the day is spent learning how to |
| year. These data include both boys and girls. There | | | | properly care for the child. Even with such school |
| are actually about 500,000 babies born to teens each | | | | programs, many teen moms drop out of school and |
| year. This rate has steadily declined but still affects | | | | go on welfare to raise their children. |
| many teens who are not yet ready to be parents | | | | Teen parenting is more accepted in todays society. |
| because they havent gotten out of childhood yet | | | | Forty years ago, a pregnant teen was sent away to |
| themselves. | | | | have her child and the child was often adopted away. |
| Teen parenting often means single parenting. Rarely | | | | In the last twenty years, such homes for unwed |
| does the couple live together or get married. In many | | | | mothers just dont exist anymore and girls are |
| situations, the father of the baby doesnt stay involved | | | | increasingly choosing to have and raise their children. |
| in the babys life and the young girl must obtain the help | | | | Unfortunately, being a teen mother is a risk factor for |
| of her own parents to help raise the baby. This is | | | | getting pregnant again and being a teen mother all |
| doubly difficult if the teen mother belongs to a single | | | | over again. This puts a strain on the teen mom and on |
| parent family. | | | | society in general. |
| Doctors and healthcare workers stress teen parenting | | | | Teen parenting goes better when there is a caring |
| classes for teens who are about to become parents. | | | | family that participates in the raising of the child. This |
| They can learn about acceptable standards of care | | | | can include the parents of the teen mom, aunts, siblings |
| and all of the developmental issues involved in raising | | | | and close friends that together work hard to take the |
| babies and young children. | | | | stress off the teen mom and help raise the child in a |
| Some schools address teen parenting by having | | | | stable environment. Not growing up in a stable family |
| daycare facilities in the school so that teen moms can | | | | environment is one of the greatest risks to a child of a |
| continue their schooling and graduate from high school. | | | | teen mother. |
| The teen is allowed to see her baby during the day | | | | |