Teen Pregnancy

8th April, 2009 - Posted by Jasmin Dalton -

teen-pregnancy If you are afraid to discuss safe sex with your teens, I hope you are not afraid to become a grandparent at an early age.
I am a “Peer Leader” for my local health unit, and my job entails educating the public about health issues that concern teenagers. We go to different community events, man different displays, and do our best to educate our peers.

One of our excursions was an event before the start of grade nine for the grade eight students to check out their new high school, and for their parents to meet the teachers and staff. I was working with a sexual health nurse behind a display that had information regarding the sexual health clinic. One of our pamphlets outlined how to approach your teen about practicing safe sex, one pamphlet was full of teen-pregnancy information and resources, and another was about the clinic hours and confidentiality policy.

A frantic mother came up to our booth and started bombarding us with questions, which we didn’t mind since most of the grade nines and their parents had shied away from our display upon seeing that scandalous three letter word (s-e-x) plastered on our backboard. “And what do you do?” the frazzled mother asked. “I’m a sexual health nurse from Public Health,” my coworker answered. The mother blushed. “That must be an interesting job!” she feigned admiration. “It’s a shame your position has to exist. If only parents and teachers would teach abstinence to our children as the only acceptable birth-control method, it is, after all, wouldn’t you say?” she further inquired. The nurse smiled and said, “Abstinence is definitely the most effective method of birth control.”

The mother continued to rant about how teens today completely lacked morals, how making abortions legal was the worst thing the government has ever done, etc…etc. After ten minutes or so, which is a long time for someone to rant, I noticed a quiet girl awkwardly lagging behind this woman. She seemed embarrassed by her mom’s gabbing so I offered the woman some pamphlets that were too good for her to refuse. “This pamphlet actually has a lot of interesting information on the sexual health issues teens have to deal with that you mentioned ma’am, like pregnancy and STDs…and this pamphlet has clinic information.” She stuffed both of them into her purse. She might have been biased, but at least she was willing to read up on the topic. I decided to try her daughter. “This booklet here is great for teens. It’s full of great information…it covers oral contraceptives, how to put a condom on, how to tell when you’re ready for sex, alternatives to vaginal intercourse…” Her mother interrupted me. “Oh, she won’t be needing that!” she huffed as she grabbed her blushing daughter’s hand. “My husband and I instill VALUES in our children, and encourage ABSTINENCE,” she firmly informed us. A few heads turned towards our display, and with that, she dragged her slumped-shouldered daughter towards the refreshments. The sexual health nurse couldn’t help but snicker and whispered to me, “She’s still going to do it!” Unfortunately, she didn’t whisper quietly enough, and we both received a dirty look, only causing the nurse to giggle more.

That awkward incident took place two years ago, and two years later I saw the daughter of that overbearing mother in the sexual health clinic’s foyer. Around nine months after that, I saw her downtown pushing a baby carriage. Perhaps her mother should’ve let her take the pamphlet.

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