Whether there are 150 teen births in Clarke County a year or 15, it is still one of the most pressing issues of our day because the impact travels far beyond just the teen parent. According to experts in demographics, children of children have higher dropout rates, engage in more gang activity and typically have less education. Children born to teen mothers are more likely to live in poverty, suffer abuse and become teen parents themselves. This cycle puts a strain on the community as it tries to cope with the ripple effects of poverty, child abuse and juvenile crime. While educators, doctors, churches and social service agencies have spent decades trying to prevent teen pregnancies, it may be the teen parents themselves who can have the most success in keeping others from following in their footsteps.
Teens are naturally suspicious of adults.
They don't believe adults understand or respect them. Stuck between being a child and being an adult, teens to exercise their independence, which often means doing the opposite of what an adult says. On the other hand, teens rely heavily on the advice of their peers. After all, their fellow teens know exactly what they're going through. It's an issue of credibility.