I hate to see a day go by without a new post so I'll share something that is frustrating me recently. There are so many people I know and have come to care about only because of infertility. Knowing their struggles, it only upsets me more when I hear about yet another teen I know that is pregnant. Not only does this make my heart ache yet again for my friends, it causes another parenting issue for me. I try to teach my children about sex, reproduction, responsibility, etc. However, it seems that this year has been filled with moments in which I'm forced to educate them about certain things earlier than intended or I find myself continually re-educating about things we've already gone over.

Now on to the recent problem. My daughter is in 6th grade at our middle school now. I found out there is an 8th grader that is pregnant. The father is also an 8th grader. These kids are 13 years old and will be 14yo when they become parents. I don't know if they plan to keep the baby but it doesn't matter. The point is that their own parents probably didn't educate them. If they did, there was too much opportunity for unsupervised boy-girl activity and private time. (Before you think I'm being too judgemental, I know a little about the parents and that's what I'm basing some of my opinions on.) I should add that this boy is a kid I know because he used to spend time with my son and nephew. My nephew told us that this kid was bragging about having had sex. He even went so far as to say he could have as much sex as he wanted because he couldn't get anyone pregnant. I wish my nephew had asked him why he thought this. It might have been enlightening.

It's my personal opinion that it doesn't matter if there is any kind of sex-ed in your school system. You should teach or reinforce these things at home too.

I have a family member that recently became a grandfather. His 16yo daughter became pregnant. He told her she couldn't give up the baby. He was complaing to his SIL the other day about how his daughter isn't very good at taking care of the baby and how she was complaining about the responsibility. His SIL told him too bad and he had no right to complain. He's the one that wouldn't let her give it up. It made me angry because we all basically thought this was how it would end up going. Don't get me wrong, this girl loves her baby but she could have made another couple happy parents. I believe she would have been OK with that decision if she'd had the support to do it. That's not what she got. She got to be a mom when she wasn't ready because her daddy said she had too. Was that for her sake or his?

Sorry about this rant instead of my usual weird humor self but it's been a rough few days struggling to find the words to talk to my 11yo daughter about someone so young having a baby. It's not easy talking to my son about it either. I seem to find myself doing it alot these last few months, and days, though.