Can I see?

You Want To Put What Where?

I learned of a tricky situation this weekend, one of women I know through netball coaching has found out that her 15 year old daughter is pregnant.

I feel for the family as it's a pretty mad situation to find yourselves in, and no decision made from here is ever going to be easy and this is where you definitely find that there are serious consequences to your actions.

They are a close family and I'm sure that the daughter wasn't naive or clueless and I'm sure she must have been given advice from home or school at some point. The odd occassions when I've met her she's bubbly, lively and just a teenager really.

So why does it happen?? OK, I'll admit that it has been a long time since I was a teenager and fortunately for my parents I didn't give them cause to worry in that area, too busy rebelling elsewhere.

Talking to friends and moving away at 18 we often discussed matters of life, love and sex. My friend Jen summed it up when she said "I only sleep with men I don't like. If I really like, then I won't, I'll make them wait."

I think this is very true, for some girls (can't speak for everyone) your teenage and 20s are just a nightmare of body-image and insecurity. I was terribly awkward about my looks and figure and probably contributed to my eating problems. It's hard to like yourself, so if a guy shows interest and wants to get jiggy then, hey I musn't look like a swamp monster...

Only it would transpire that most blokes will take anyone to bed!!!! Now learning that it doesn't boost your self-esteem and the next morning you feel ever so slighly worse about it.

To me, it's harder for teenage girls now with the proliferation of the rise of young, sexy, attractive girls on display in very little all over magazines, in reality TV shows, or on the internet. If you are't comfortable in your own skin it does make the comparison very difficult. However, most of these girls have personal trainers, hair stylists, fake tan, boob jobs so it's not an exact comparison!! Perhaps I'm being a bit too harsh saying that the likes of babes from Hollyoaks are forcing teenagers to sleep with their classmates but I think there is a lot of pressure all around on girls and some may find self-esteem shot to pieces and seek reassurance from where they can - their peer group.

No matter the cause, it's a tricky time for the netballing family and yet it so could have been prevented which makes it harder to take on board. I'm sure whatever decisions are made the family will work through it together.

I just hope I have a boy, girls are sooooo complicated!!!

posted by Pixie @ 7:46 PM