Is There A Teen Pregnancy Crisis In America-Part 3

Cognitive immaturity exist because our teenagers are not taught to use consequential thinking. Our teenagers live for the moment and spend much of their time thinking about the next party. Alcohol and drug use is extremely high, and our young men and women who are living without positive role models have no goals and future aspirations. The liberated world that we have left for our children has left a bad taste in many parents mouth.

Teenage pregnancy is down but families are dysfunctional and many teenagers make their own rules and determine their own lifestyle. They make their own decisions about their sexual partners and the risk of sexual transmitted diseases is always a present risk. The single parent is a reality today and one in 250 is HIV positive, and one in every 500 know. Educating teenagers about the use of condoms and contraceptives is a responsibility which is essential for all of the older generation. It becomes significant that our teenagers understand that 5 minutes of pleasure can end up in death. One individual can contaminate an entire community if discipline and restraint does not exist.

We live in a privileged society where the less fortunate are the first to get pregnant. The lower income have a lower self-esteem and more likely to be depressed. The lower income have a lower educational level, and are less informed with knowledge of risky behaviors. Older men are able to take advantage of lower income teenagers with the opportunity for increased material benefits. Some teenagers believe that these sexual conditions are permanent, and these older men actually care. However because of the cognitive immaturity of their thinking they are setting themselves up for failure. Their inability to communicate with positive role models and caring parents force certain teenagers into thinking that a baby is an indication of their initiation into womanhood.

As parents and positive role models, we can no longer be afraid to discuss sexual subjects with our teenagers. Our conditions are dysfunctional because we refuse to take time with our teenagers. The teenage years are very short and as a society our inability to have meaningful and constructive dialog with our children is our failure to build bridges. The generation gap that exist in our minds must be destroyed, and mutual respect and understanding initiated. It is important that we learn from each other and believe that each generation has something to give. We can no longer hide relevant information and knowledge from our teenagers.

When teenagers have ideas to build businesses and start organizations, we need to listen and help their idea come into fruition. When teenagers make the decisions to fall in love there is nothing that is going to change that decision. The more informed and the use of consequential thinking will help our children make positive and mature decisions. As we continue to teach principles and positive family values, our teenagers began to have respect for our legacy and heritage. We have to believe that the older generation can make a difference.
Roger