wilkes

Just remember those wild years and pray that you are not revisited by the grief that your family went through when you were out there. We can always learn from the mistakes of our parents.

"I was raised by strict God fearing parents that I thank God for everyday because I did rebel and would never had made it without my raising to go back to, I even wish they would've been more strict I might have made a lot better decisions in my early adult years.

Sounds like the past repeating itself. Kids raised under such circumstances usually go over the edge in their early adulthood. As many posters have pointed out to you, some of them are able to pull it together before the hit 25 but others just sorta fall off a cliff.

When did this speaker get divorced? Did she already have the other 3 children? Was she pregnant when the father left? I think kids need to see and hear firsthand how hard it is to be a single parent, and it's a good idea to let her speak to the kids. I might want to be there for the presentation myself too, however. But let's not throw this woman under the bus before we know her full story. That's not fair to anyone.

"There's more to every story than a few paragraphs can tell. I'm not at all judging maybe I sounded like it and for that I apologize. I know a lot of the history behind this story...."

dufflady

Another thing- give these young people some credit. They are capable of treating this woman like a human being and guessing the sex of her unborn baby and at the same time realize that her life is no cake walk.

I applaud her for letting herself be the example. I'm sure that's no easy thing. Maybe having the students guess the sex relieves some of her anxiety over having to look at those kids and say "I'm the mistake you don't want to make".

I was an unwed teenage mother myself and now I am the mother of a teenager. That being said, I would have absolutely no problem with this woman talking to my teen. I wish my parenting classes would have included something like this. I'm not saying it would have changed things, but it would have helped to hear something other than "don't have sex before marriage, we forbid it". A hormonal teenager is much more likely to be deterred by reality than by lectures from their parents.

There were no days of partying for me. I went straight from being a "good kid" to being a parent. I didn't finish high school, I had no friends, there was no prom, no partying, no college, no traveling. My life was all about my child. This is the reality that teenagers should know about, not be shielded from.

They should get to see that once they are young parents, they will likely continue that cycle and continue to put off their education. They should hear from a mother of three what it's like to try to work full time, and attempt to earn a college degree. That is reality.

FFA - I have a dear friend who was raised by very strict, Christian parents. They never allowed her to attend any of the sex ed. programs in school; no sleepovers with friends until she was 17; no dating until she was 17; no license until 18; no school dances or attending games because there might be boys there - horror of horrors!! You get the picture. Her mother also wanted to "protect" her from the world as long as possible. Wanna know what happened to her after graduation and she moved out? She went WILD! She started drinking, partying, screwing around with any guy she could find - the most notable being a married man whose wife tried to shoot her. She got pregnant twice before the age of 20, and aborted both of those pregnancies. She didn't calm down until she was around 25, but fully admits that, with everything she did, she's lucky to even be alive. It's 10 years later, and she's married with two kids - she's a PTO mom and a responsible person.

Look at it this way, FFA, maybe your daughter and those other kids in the class will see the not so "glamorized" side of pregnancy and decide that they either want to abstain or practice safe sex. This woman's presence might actually prevent a teenage pregnancy - you never know!

Just out of curiosity, you said this was a 30 something year old woman....I want to know one thing....you Christians are always talking about teaching abstinence....which one of you was completely abstinent until marriage? and the true definition of that would be nothing more than holding hands....or maybe a simple kiss? No french kissing, no roaming hands....Step up and tell us, which one of ya'll that's around 30-40 can be the "first one to cast a stone". On another note, I don't see anything wrong with a woman being asked to come in and talk to a class about this sort of thing. Taking care of two or three kids by yourself is very difficult, and if anyone can help tell kids about that, then more power to them. I have always said that there is no better birth control than a toddler. We should hand them out in sex ed class....make those horny teens take care of a screaming toddler for a weekend, maybe they will at least use some protection. :)

im a young(er) mother 21 with as a lot of you know, a 4 month old baby girl. there were 13 girls (some didnt graduate) that were pregnant or already had a child by the time we walked across the stage. her father and i broke up during my pregnancy but patched things up and now have a very comfortable life but i wish we would have gotten to see a real life situation the real life babydolls evidently didnt work that effect soon wore off.. and i dont think they are glorifying the fact that she is pregnant by guessing the sex i think they are just trying to make the best of a bad situation and not shun her she is a person no need to look down on her bc of mistakes.. just out of curosity since the OP said she was divorced was she married when she got pregnant and had her other 2 children... somebody needs to tell young girls how much freedom you loose when you have a baby.. you cant just run to the tanning bed, if you go to the mall you need to pack your stroller and a diaper bag, somebody should show them a post baby belly and let them see that their body will look like, let them know what an episiotomy is, tell them the cost of diapers and how long 92 diapers will last, tell them that formula is $15 a can.. somebody should open the eyes of teenagers without it being sugar coated.. ive scared the *ell out of my 12 yr old sister she doesnt talk about the cute boys in her class anymore!!

Sounds to me that you live in a fantasy world

{.I want what's best for my kids and try to teach them daily that there are rights and wrongs in this world, that there are 2 paths that you can follow. One to self destruction and misery and one to eternal bliss}

You need to let your children know that it is okay to make mistakes without being condemned to **** and that is what it sounds like you are preaching. If you want to play Christian be a real one Read all about it in the Bible

hsfbcoach: I WAS paying attention. To "raise hell" because you don't get your way is a poor decision. But go ahead and do it if you want to humiliate your kids and make a fool of yourself and get escorted OUT.

You don't TELL a principal which classes you will be attending that day.

No wonder some kids don't have respect for authority. seesh.

There's more to every story than a few paragraphs can tell. I'm not at all judging maybe I sounded like it and for that I apologize. I know a lot of the history behind this story....I want what's best for my kids and try to teach them daily that there are rights and wrongs in this world, that there are 2 paths that you can follow. One to self destruction and misery and one to eternal bliss. I think society is quick to except the wrong things and even make excuses for them sending mixed messages to our future leaders. I was raised by strict God fearing parents that I thank God for everyday because I did rebel and would never had made it without my raising to go back to, I even wish they would've been more strict I might have made a lot better decisions in my early adult years. I pray daily for all the kids growing up in todays time, I pray that they have the right leaders in their path to help them along the way....I pray for a society that promotes casual sex, divorce, and abortion (murder)... May God have mercy on us all!

Faith from above....perhaps you should attend this segment and hear what the woman has to say about this subject....only then can you make a judgment...as it is now you have already passed judgment on this woman....find out what her situation is and then be ready too give your response....

I believe in teaching your kid good values But there is a world out there and they will have to be out there in it one day. We Pray for our kids every day for Gods protection arms around them. If this Lady can tell the kids what it is like to start a family when they are in school .Let her speak . And nolookingback dont cast a stone at unmarried pregnant women You might eat your words I have seen many that has.

This is not about protecting kids, this is about raising kids who will not have the wherewithall to face the world. When I was a working girl I would see the Helicopter kids in their first adventures away from their Helicopter parents and these kids were so helpless they were always the first ones drunk at the frat parties. Of course they also had no honest way to manage in the world nor the skills to do so. Also, the ones raised in bubbles were the first ones to reject their parents values (for a while anyway) If you want to protect your kids teach them to live in the world. Make sure they have opportunities in high school to develop enough street smarts so that they do not enter college completely vulnerable. These kids are often targets of the more worldly and rarely stand a chance. Of course having said that, they usually settle down by the time they are juniors if they make it.

Not enough sex education of the right kind is being taught in the home...unless seeing mom and latest slug she has dragged home to bed and board is supposed to be an object of what not to do.

Education, sex or home ec., is not going to hurt these young women and men. Heck, they know more than most of us parents. BTW, the best place to learn about unbridled sex and drugs is to allow your kid to work in a fast food restaurant or in a regular restaurant. Most of the kids there learn what to shoot, where to buy, and more positions and methods than the author of the Kama Sutra ever dreampt of.

...I'm just sayin'