Teen Pregnancy

I apologize in advance if this seems bitter.  I promise, I don't feel bitter BUT it might be taken that way...

Whoever said that babies are a blessing, is probably right; however, a baby at 18 is a big, huge, fucking mistake.  I'm sorry, I don't feel as if there's anything to celebrate or congratulate when you cannot support yourself, you haven't finished high school, and have no means to support yourself.  The way I see it, it's not so much about age than it is about being ready to raise a child. 

This comes from the situation where two family members are pregnant.  They are both 18, unmarried, and obviously irresponsible if they didn't have the common sense to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.  In one case, I believe on of the girls might already be out of high school, but I know the other one definitely isn't.  In one of the situations, the grandmother-to-be seems blissfully ignorant to the reality of her daughter's situation.  Not only is she super excited, but she's also allowing this child to move in with the baby's father and begin to plan a wedding.

Does that sound wrong to anyone?!  I'm all for moving in together with a boyfriend, and I even understand and agree that marriage is not for everyone but, to me it just seems like we're handing off a lot of responsibility to someone that has proved to be irresponsible.  I'm sure moving in with a boyfriend, getting married and having his baby sounds so romantic, but at 18??  When you haven't even finished high school?!  It just seems weird and ignorant somehow.  It just seems that this will inevitably follow in the pattern of: pregnant at 17, married with a baby at 18, and divorced by 20.  Maybe it can work, but really, what are the odds?  So now, we have another stupid, irresponsible girl adding to the statistics and becoming a mooch to the system. Come on, you really don't expect that they won't need government assistance, right?!  HA!

Being a witness to this has really raised some strong feelings within me about the decisions that my future children might make.  I really hope that I raise my kids not to be stupid enough to get pregnant (or get anyone pregnant) when they are emotionally, educationally, and financially unprepared.  If they're already living on their own or with their significant other, are out of college, with a good job/career, then I'd be 100% supportive of their decision to begin a family, marriage notwithstanding.  Sometimes I see that parents are very quick to pat their kids' heads, become their best friends, and smile and nod at whatever stupid decision their kid has just made.  I hope never to be such a stupid and enabling parent and look back at the miserable job I've done at raising children with responsibility and common sense....