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In my early years of blogging, I joined a discussion forum. The members can earn money from the discussions and the comments they get.
Here’s what I posted:
A relative was devastated because her daughter got pregnant while still in college. The mother vowed that she would not let her go to school anymore. She was apprehensive that she might get pregnant again.
I told her that it would be better if her daughter goes to school again after giving birth.
Will you heed my advice if something like this happens to you as a mother? And if you are a young teen or a young woman who committed such a mistake, are you going to pursue your studies and dreams?
Most of the comments agree that the daughter should continue her studies. The rationale they gave are the following:
- She needs to study not only for herself but for the child.
- She will learn from her mistakes after what she has been through.
- She can have a future by educating herself and getting a reasonably-paying job afterward.
- She can be able to take care of and provide for her child.
Some commenters argued that the girl can still go to school even if she is pregnant. They said that if the girl still wants to go to school, the parent should allow her to go to school.
I couldn’t agree more if the situation is ideal. But in the Philippines, the young girl has to deal with a culture of social stigma. Even with the changing views on out-of-wedlock pregnancy, the young girl will still bear negative consequences.
As a parent, I cannot give my blessings to my young daughter and be the object of ridicule while going to school as a pregnant student. I believe a teenager still living with her parents had to listen to their parent’s suggestions.
It’s not a question of ‘Why hide?’ It’s more about protection for my child.
Also, a young teenage girl is still a child. She is still not equipped to handle the situation. The health risk dealing with social and school work stress is detrimental to a pregnant young woman.
Of course, it would be a different story if my young daughter insisted on going to school. It would be difficult. The situation would affect everybody in the family.
It is also a different story if the family is poor. Even if the young pregnant woman still wants to go to school, the probability is low. This would be an added burden to the parents who would find ways to take care of their grandchildren even if it should not be their role anymore.
Warmstone 