Ante Natal Classes at school?

[R1Geezer]

Good or bad? Would it normalise teenage pregnancy? Would it create envy among school girls and hence encourage others to get up the duff?
Oh it's on the front page of the daily Mail by the way!

[ummmm]

That's a different debate...lol

[LoftyLottie]

Ankou. I would hate to see the things you mention come back. That was dreadful. But this total blase (can't do accents) attitude about teenage pregnancy that many people have. In my opinion this all comes down to parenting. Some parents are so anxious to get on with their own hectic lives these days that what they don't do is bother to even really talk to their kids - the kids just get on and do their own thing.

However much sex education in schools , both about physical or emotional side of things, will, in my opinion, not really make a lot of difference - if any. Most kids are fully aware about the physical side sex these days and their family experiences dictate their attitude towards pregnancy, sex and relationships. You can't learn about emotions from a school teacher.

Until we get our priorities about parenting and families right again, this country will always have a real problem with teenage pregnancies.

[TTG]

How do other European countries handle his?

Maybe they should have contraception classes in schools!

[jno]

Mary had a husband, all the same.

If antenatal classes ultimately make life easier for the babies, fine by me.

[Ankou]

that and personal financial management would be good.

[LoftyLottie]

They do have contraception classes in schools already. Doesn't seem to make much difference!

The UK has one of the highest stats for teenage pregnancies and I don't think this is because our kids don't know the basics of sex or contraception.

It's a great shame that schools have to teach such things at all. There again, down to parenting.

[LoftyLottie]

I must be so old fashioned, I believe that schools main role should be to teach basic subjects, life skills such as marriage, babies, etc. etc., imho shouldn't be the role of school teachers. But I suppose these days it is necessary!

[ummmm]

My Catholic school didn't have contraceptive lessons...luckily my Mum did.

[ummmm]

Give me lessons that is...

[LoftyLottie]

Ankou, would you not teach your kids about basic financial management in the home. Would this not come from speaking openly and discussing such issues within the family, so that the kids learned from an early age in a natural situation, even during times of financial hardship.

[ummmm]

Lofty...In this house financial management is...NO, get a job :-)

[cazzz1975]

the thing they have to teach these girls is that having a child is not a way of
- getting a place of their own
- accessorise them/ dress up
- not having to complete their education
- keeping a man (by deliberately getting pregnant)

I firmly believe that they need to realise that parenting is a life long responsibility which in effect will cause them to miss out on their social life (especially if they are young) miss out on career opportunities and of course the tiring stressful job that parenting can be in the early days. Too many girls see it as a way to get out of school or get a flat/house.

[Sqad]

I agree with BOO that there is no longer a social stigma attached to being pregnant unmarried and a teenager, in fact, there are certain advantages. e.g priority housing ect.

Social stigma is a deterrent to teen aged or any other aged unmarried pregnancies and even pre 60´s with no contraception, no sex education in the schools, social stigma held at bay unmarried teen aged pregnancies. Yes, calling your mother sister (as I did) back street abortions, Catholic Nuns treating unmarried woman as some sort of she devils did indeed exist. This has now been replaced by our present attitude to unmarried teen aged pregnancies and has it been an improvement.?

I din.t know, although I doubt it.

Too late now anyway.....so yes, lets go the whole hog and have ante natal clinics in the schools.............seems modern thinking and modern innovations seem to be popular, until they run out of popularity and then they become the legends of the "wrinklies"

[Ankou]

loftylottie, of course i would but many parents themselves don't have a clue about mortgages, what apr means, secured loans, unsecured loans, fincancial commitments, how to work out interest and repayments, income, outgoings, bills, tax, ni, disposable income, savings, isas.

i would like to think my diddlywinks will be well informed on maters of sex, pregnancy and finances. but many kids won't. i'm not talking general curriculum, maybe just a few lessons every term.

[LoftyLottie]

We used to have a lesson called 'Civics' Ankou. Just a short course, if I remember. It taught us quite a lot about such things.

I just think it's not very fair that school has to provide all these additional things for kids nowadays because so many parents don't bother. I think it is to the detriment of our children as it cuts the amount time for 'proper' subjects.

[LoftyLottie]

As an aside Ankou. How old are your kids?

[Ankou]

i didn;t have anything like 'civics' at school, it was self taught or gleaned from my mum and dad. but they had a willingness to impart common and moral sense. i suppose that counts for a lot.

i have some juniors in my team that often ask for advice when it comes finances, car loans or hire purchase agreements, some of them are entirely clueless - and they are graduates!

[Ankou]

3 and 1

[youngmafbog]

Maybe ummm, but if the girl said no thats the end of it.

Rather than handouts there should be hostel available, clean and functional. No cash handed out but deliveries of correct food and sustinance, that does not involve fags and booze.

And dont tell me it does not happen. My daughter has quite a few friends who have jumped the queue and got nice accomadation, one a new flat a stones throw from the beach. Meanwhile my daughter lives in a room with no money left despite working all hours as a care assistant paying tax for these scum

Fair - my a*se.