Our social workers at Choice Network have had alternating moments of love and hate towards the ultra popular MTV shows Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant. On the one hand, any shows about unplanned pregnancy raise awareness about the issue. On the other hand, because of the glamor and appeal that surrounds the popular network station, many teenagers have a very unrealistic view of pregnancy and parenting.
In a 2010 court report, Amber Portwood, one of the stars of Teen Mom, revealed that she makes $280,000 per year from the show. While the show does not characterize her as wealthy, it is apparent she does not need to rely on employment, budgeting, or social services as the majority of teenagers in similar situations must. All of the Teen Moms are shown purchasing new cars, renting beautiful apartments, traveling and getting cosmetic surgery.
What is the reality about teen moms? According to stayteen.org:
-Only one-third of adolescent mothers will graduate high school, and only slightly over 1 percent of those will earn a college degree before they turn 30.
-Two-thirds of families begun by a young unmarried mother are poor. More than half of all mothers on welfare had their first child as a teenager.
-Daughters of teen moms are three times more likely to become teenage mothers themselves. The sons of teen moms are two times more likely to end up in prison.
-Eight out of ten fathers in cases of teen pregnancy don't marry the mother of their child, and these absent fathers pay less than $800 annually for child support.
-Children who live apart from their fathers are also five times more likely to be poverty striken than children with both parents at home.
The real teen moms of the world are less glamorous than MTV would have you believe.
No comments:
Post a Comment