Jul 27 2011
Another Take on "The Sleepover Question," Thanks to a Friend at APPCNC
Since my post earlier this week about my mom's answer to "the sleepover question," I've learned a very important lesson: everyone in the world has a story about their parents' sleepover rules. Not surprisingly, parents come down on this question in lots of different ways.
Here's another take on this hot topic from my colleague Elizabeth Finley, Director of Strategic Communications at the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina (APPCNC). She is fabulous for many reasons, not least of which being that her parents are extraordinarily email-savvy.
I think the moral of this story is that no matter what a parent's opinion is on this issue, all of them are primarily concerned with the health and well-being of their children. Keep the stories coming and comment away!
I was a junior in college and had my first serious boyfriend. (He's now my husband.) After about 6 months together--mostly on, but a little off--we had decided to meet each other's parents.
Posted by: Jennifer Drake
Jul 27 2011
Teen Mom: Make a Plan
The consequences of young motherhood often extend a lot further than missed homecomings and lazy boyfriends. As we've noted, it's a struggle for most young moms to even finish high school (PDF).
In this week's episode of Teen Mom, Maci struggles to choose between college or her boyfriend, Kyle. Living with Kyle means a two hour drive to attend school every morning, which is a harrowing commute even without a baby. On top of that, Maci learns from her advisor that she's failed two of her college courses. She's scared to tell her parents about her grades, but even more nervous about telling her father she's been living with Kyle.
The entire situation gives Maci's parents and advisor the opportunity to remind her that earning her college degree is the best thing she can do to ensure a good future for herself and her son, Bentley. However, she's reluctant to leave Kyle, who has become a great support for her and Bentley and a strong father figure in the toddler's life. Eventually, Maci decides it's best to move back home, closer to school. She's very sad to be leaving Kyle, but in the end he surprises her by saying he quit his job and will move with her. And so the trend of cohabiting teens continues forward.
Posted by: Intern Extraordinaire
Jul 26 2011
Community Colleges Take on Unplanned Pregnancy to Improve Student Success
There is broad agreement that for the U.S. to remain competitive, we need to increase the number of college graduates in this country. As a report for the Lumina Foundation (PDF) explains, this means both increasing the number of students who enter college in the first place and increasing the proportion of college students who graduate.
Piles of research, commissions, reforms, and initiatives confirm that doing either of these things defies simple or single solutions. However, an early or unplanned pregnancy is one factor that clearly contributes to fewer students finishing high school and in turn entering college. Having a baby as a teen is a key reason why girls drop out of high school. Add a second child to the mix and even finishing a GED, let alone college, is very difficult. Only 40% of teen moms finish high school and only 2% go on to complete college by age 30 (PDF). If the statistics don't grab you, perhaps this story about one young woman's struggle will.
For students who make it to college, an unplanned pregnancy can derail their success--especially at the community college level. Sixty-one percent of women who have children after enrolling in community college do not finish their education (PDF)--a rate 65% higher than for those who don't have children.
Certainly some students persevere against the odds, but ask them and they'll tell you how difficult it is. Don't take it from me: listen to Heather, or Michael, or Robin.
So what to do? Again, there's no magic bullet, but some community colleges are trying innovative ways to improve completion by helping students avoid unplanned pregnancy. As part of the American Association of Community Colleges' Make It Personal: College Completion project, some pioneering faculty are incorporating discussions about pregnancy planning, prevention and healthy relationships into their courses in all sorts of creative ways. Check out the brand new video above (or you can view it on YouTube) to hear how this is going and how talking about these issues can engage students and help them succeed.
And let us know what you think!
Posted by: Andrea Kane
Jul 25 2011
An Answer to Amy Schalet's "Sleepover Question," Courtesy of My Mom
What was my mom's answer to "the sleepover question," you ask?
"IS THIS WOMAN CRAZY?" and hysterical laughter.
In addition, she took particular issue with the way the author, Dr. Amy Schalet, criticized parents' "not under my roof" reaction as typical of the American attitude to teenage sex. "NOT IN THE GARAGE EITHER," my mom says, lest you think you could find a loophole.
I thought this response on Slate was particularly helpful, and my mom is living proof that you can be the progressive, cool, sex-lady parent with whom your kids and their friends all talk about this issue, but still not be cool with their having sex in your home. It doesn't mean that you're necessarily in denial about your children's sexual activity, or that you're not an askable parent, or that you're sending unhealthy messages about sex and sexuality. "You know [kids] are gonna do it," she said (and she certainly helped us prepare for whenever we decided to). "You'd just rather not know the details."
My mom proceeded to give me a piece of her mind about Schalet's op-ed...
Posted by: Jennifer Drake
Jul 21 2011
Birth Control Vs. The Electric Bill
I pay over $35 each month for birth control. $35!!! Maybe that's not that much to some of you reading this, but it adds up to $456.25 a year. Do you know what that could help to pay for instead? Well, it would cover all my out-of-pocket dental expenses last year, or all my vision expenses. It could pay two months of my student loans, or groceries for about six months. Imagine what you could do if you didn't have a co-pay!
Don't get me wrong, I'm proud to support myself, but there have been times over the years, especially in my early 20s, when that $35 each month resulted in having to eat Ramen instead of a real nutritious dinner, or walking to and from work because I couldn't afford the cost of transportation by the end of the month. What happens when it's time to fill that prescription, but the electric bill is astronomically high that cold winter month?
Yet this may be changing very soon. We should know for sure in early August. That's when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will make a final decision concerning a set of recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released on Tuesday for women's preventive services that should be offered at no out-of-pocket cost to the consumer. What's big about this? The IOM thinks you shouldn't have to pay co-pays or be subject to a deductible for your birth control, whatever method you use. I think so too! (And so does The National Campaign.)
Half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned. Unplanned pregnancy costs taxpayers an estimated $11 billion a year (PDF). In addition to direct medical costs, it imposes burdens on individuals and families, as well as considerable social and economic costs to society. The vast majority of young adults report they want to avoid pregnancy in their lives right now. Yet one in three women voters has struggled with the cost of birth control at some point. For some, it prevents them from using the method that is best for them. Eighty-two percent of Americans favor expanding access to birth control for women who cannot afford it. Now the IOM has reviewed the evidence and made a scientific recommendation that coverage of birth control, with no out-of-pocket costs, is good medicine.
Soon a petition will be sent to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius expressing support for birth control as a preventive service. So sign the petition, cross your fingers, and join me in hoping HHS recognizes what we know, that birth control is too darn expensive!
"Electric bill" image by t. magnum.
Posted by: Rachel Fey