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NBC's new reality show, "The Baby Borrowers,"
offers parents an invaluable opportunity to
have ongoing conversations with their
children and adolescents about the realities
of sexual health. Almost half of all teens
have never considered how a pregnancy would
affect their lives. Yet one in three girls
gets pregnant at least once by age 20. Most
teens who get pregnant -- or get someone
pregnant -- say they never thought it would
happen to them. Recent studies show that
87% of US teens say it would be easier to
postpone sexual activity if they were able to
talk more openly about sex with their
parents, but 37% of teens say that they have
never had a single conversation with their
parents on this topic. Parents, did you know
that teens say the #1 influence on their
decisions about sex is their parents? Have
you talked with your teen about sex and
consequences? Think about some good ways to
get them to think about the consequences of
sex and the realities of pregnancy and
parenthood. Read on for some suggested tips
for talking!
The premise of "The Baby Borrowers" is to
educate teens about unplanned pregnancy. The
network has teamed up with the National
Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy to produce
the show which features five
18-to-20-year-old couples with varying ideas
about time frames for marriage and family,
road-testing adult life by living together
for the first time and becoming caregivers -
of babies, then toddlers, then older children
and the elderly.
This reality show offers important lessons
for kids of all ages -- even though it's
clearly targeting teens and their parents.
Although the concept of having babies is
inherently sexual, the content steers away
from reproduction and focuses on the reality
of what happens when a living, breathing baby
(or toddler, or tween, etc.) comes into the
picture. Families can talk about whether
watching this program changes any assumptions
about what it's like to be an adult.
Parents, share with your youth whether
watching the teen parents in action reminds
you of your own experiences as first-time
parents and whether there was anything you
wish you'd known before having kids that you
had to learn after the fact.
In conversations about this show (after
watching it with your adolescent!) or recent
media reports of teen pregnancy, we suggest
that families consider the following
questions for discussion:
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Don't forget to visit our website at http://www.plannedparenthood.org/ma/for-parents.htm. Our website is updated regularly with helpful tips for talking, information about workshops, and much more. Don't miss an opportunity to be the primary sexuality educator for your children. Need help? Call our Parent Education Team at (617) 616-1658.
Sincerely,
Parent Education
Planned Parenthood League of MA
email:
parenteducation@pplm.org
phone:
(617) 616-1658
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