"Can I have a ride to Babies R Us? I'm not old enough to drive."

So I am in the middle of watching Andersen Cooper right now and his show about the so called "Pregnancy Pact" thing going on in that school in Massachusetts.

Are you kidding me???? Are kids really this dumb today? I know that I totally sound like a grumpy old woman right now, but give me a break. Getting pregnant on purpose? Maybe by a homeless man? So they can all have children together? And thinking it wouldn't be a big deal because their school has daycare? WOW.

O.K. This is a topic that I have a LOT of opinions on, so if you are easily offended, time to stop reading.

Here I go....

Anyone who knows me knows that I have been saying this for years..... It is NOT O.K. to choose to have a child out of wedlock, or on your own. I have always believed that. Parenting is a very important job. Probably the most important job out there, and anyone who purposely wants to do it by herself is nothing more than ignorant, vain, and self involved.

I do understand that accidents happen, and people get divorced. And people die when children are young or yet unborn and I am not judging anyone who ends up in a situation like that. In fact, they are troopers. But honestly, to me, the choice to have an unwanted child when you are planning on raising it by yourself is insane. It takes two people to raise a child...two men, two women, or a man and a women.....whatever, but I think it takes two people.

I know I sound very judgmental here, but maybe its time to judge. The news shows have been right on this issue. This country is celebrating the choice to raise children alone, and who gets hurt? The child. Look at all the celebrity single parents. They are treating their kids like an accessory. Every gossip magazine has "bump watch". Society has taken away the "stigma" of the knocked up single girl. So, of course it was going to trickle down to the stupid 16 year olds in this country.

Look at this Gloucester example. These box of rocks girls were excited to get pregnant so they can have a baby shower. Seriously? I wonder why.....could it be because all the crazy prolifers out there for years have been soooo overly excited about the fact that teenage girls, who probably couldn't keep a cactus alive, have decided against the big bad scary "other" option? I mean, a 16 year old can't be trusted to drive at night, vote or drink..but of course it totally makes sense for them to have a kid. I have a great idea.....let's throw them a big shower that's all about them; invite other 16 year old very impressionable friends, and give them fun cutesie gifts and eat some cake. Great plan! I remember when a couple of girls got knocked up in college, and the sorority wanted to have baby showers, or go in and get them gifts. Even then, I thought it was in poor taste.

(Sidebar: in case the tone of this email doesn't give this away...I am very prochoice. In fact, I scare a lot of prolifers. Of course, that goes both ways.)

I hope this situation opens some eyes (and some minds) out there. Impressionable teens are watching. Sex education in school is important. No holds barred sex education...not this "teaching abstinence" crap that some call sex education. Free, no strings attached, birth control in schools is necessary. We need to stop painting a rosy picture of single parenthood. We need to stop celebrating teen pregnancy, and most importantly...we need to keep abortion legal, easily available, and stop labelling it as a cope out or the easy option. There I said it.

I'm getting off my soapbox now.

P.S. I have to mention this though.....a bunch of the articles and news shows mentioned "Juno" when they were talking about Hollywood celebrating teen pregnancy. Seriously? Did those people actually see "Juno"? First, Juno did not get pregs on purpose, and she wasn't planning on keeping it. Second, I don't think they celebrated anything about pregnancy. Juno was miserable the whole time. She was sick, uncomforatable, embarrassed at school, judged by people, and that scene where she was giving birth looked like she was in some serious pain! Come on.