Words of Wisdom From Realistic Teen-Agers

An increasing number of teen-agers believe they are grown up enough to have sex. In a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, more than 51% of teens between 15 and 19 said they have engaged in sex--almost twice the 28% reported in 1970. The largest increase occurred among 15-year-old girls.

But are teen-agers prepared to handle the consequences of having sex--such as parenthood? L.A. Youth, a newspaper written by teen-agers, recently sponsored an essay contest on whether teens are ready to be parents. Most of the respondents said no. What follows are the first-, second- and third-place essays.

If you think you’re ready for parenthood, try getting up at 3, 4 and 5 o’clock in the morning to read and reread this essay. Even though you’ll lose sleep and be cranky in the morning, remember that this essay doesn’t have to be changed, cuddled and fed like a real live baby. Next time you are invited to go out, tell your friends you have to retype this essay 10 times. Maybe you can put off retyping this essay until later, but you can’t put off a baby until later. The baby will be the main focus of your life.

oDuoy llits kniht ouy era ydaer ot eb a tnerap? sI ti tluciffid ot daer eseht secnetnes? If you found those two sentences difficult to read and went straight to this one, then what do you plan to do when your baby is even more difficult to take care of? Your patience might wear thin when the baby is screaming, day after day.

The important issue if you are pregnant is not who is to blame, but rather if two people can continue to love each other and care for their baby. I think I would wait until the baby is a blessing instead of a curse.

--Tina Lam, 16 Leuzinger High School Lawndale

What does it feel like?” That is the question I am asked all too often when someone discovers that I was adopted. I don’t know. I have always thought of my adoptive parents as Mom and Dad. Most people assume that, with my background, I am against abortion. After all, I could have ended up a fetus in a garbage can, plastered on a picket sign in front of a clinic. But to be honest, my thoughts on teen pregnancy are mixed and confused.

I am a virgin, and I have attended Catholic school all my life. I could never imagine getting pregnant, or becoming sexually involved with someone irresponsible enough to let it happen. Furthermore, as a Catholic, I have always thought that if I got pregnant, I could never bring myself to abort my baby. But how can I know for sure unless it happens to me? I believe abortion is wrong, but how could I admit my pregnancy to my strict and old-fashioned parents? It may be easy to sit back and pass judgment on other people, but what parent could accept that?

The question of adoption versus abortion is a difficult one. Having an abortion seems so outwardly simple (especially to the guy). It’s like, life goes on as usual--who needs to know? But how could anyone realize the physical and mental anguish of an abortion unless they have experienced it? Since it is invariably the girl who must pay the consequences, she should make the decision. (The boy) is responsible and has the right to an opinion, but he should support his girlfriend’s decision.

We can only pray that with the support of her family and good information, every pregnant teen will have the courage to make the right decision for her--and then face the consequences.

--Monique VandenBerg, 16 St. Genevieve High School Panorama City Everywhere I look, there’s a girl no older than me with a baby in her hands. And I think it’s sad because she has responsibilities she can’t handle and she has no more time for herself. Maybe when she was pregnant she dreamed about how it was going to be, and how beautiful everything was going to be, and (how) the love she had for her baby (would grow) every day, but she must wake up and realize that no one can live on love alone.

No, I’m not ready to be a parent. I’m not mature enough or stable enough to bring an innocent creature into this world. I need to get my education and a good career so that I and my future family won’t have to go through headaches about basic necessities like food, housing, clothes and money.

Maybe there is someone who feels that she is mature enough to have a baby. It’s her choice, (but) unfortunately, she will learn the hard way that she wasn’t as ready as she thought, and it will be too late.

--Miriam Gallegas, 17 King-Drew Medical Center Health Professions High School Los Angeles