I haven't met a 19-year-old yet I thought was prime parent material, me included.
Heh, I think the only thing I had going for myself when I was 19 was being entirely too selfish to want to contemplate having children ever.
If I have anything to add to what you said, it is that 11 years old can be mature enough to manage your fertility if you are given age appropriate, accurate information about what having a period means, and about the consequences of not waiting until you are ready both physically, emotionally and psychologically to have sex. I don't know what planet the abstinence crowd lives in, but most abstinence plus programs (abstinence plus=programs that teach children and teens about sexual activity postponement, but also how to protect yourself if you can't or won't postpone the onset of sexual activity) stress that point, along with the point that said kind of complete readiness may not come until long after one is willing and/or able to get married.
But no, those kinds of parents hear the word "contraception" and are ready to assume the worst about their own kids' ability to use that information responsibly. That kind of mistrust, IMHO, says more about the kinds of shortcomings abstinence only parents have when it comes to parenting than all their outward show of care they might put on for the sake of appearances.
no subject
Heh, I think the only thing I had going for myself when I was 19 was being entirely too selfish to want to contemplate having children ever.
If I have anything to add to what you said, it is that 11 years old can be mature enough to manage your fertility if you are given age appropriate, accurate information about what having a period means, and about the consequences of not waiting until you are ready both physically, emotionally and psychologically to have sex. I don't know what planet the abstinence crowd lives in, but most abstinence plus programs (abstinence plus=programs that teach children and teens about sexual activity postponement, but also how to protect yourself if you can't or won't postpone the onset of sexual activity) stress that point, along with the point that said kind of complete readiness may not come until long after one is willing and/or able to get married.
But no, those kinds of parents hear the word "contraception" and are ready to assume the worst about their own kids' ability to use that information responsibly. That kind of mistrust, IMHO, says more about the kinds of shortcomings abstinence only parents have when it comes to parenting than all their outward show of care they might put on for the sake of appearances.