Why is it a problem? Why are we relevant to the issue? What can we do to cure this serious disease of teen issues??After reading Shattering Glass and Slam, I thought that the least I could was do was to learn about the importance of these matters. Our group split into parts, and I was interested in teenage pregnancy and the consequences the mother must make, the life she may live and how different the baby may make her life. I could only find information on the internet, and I wanted to hear a story from a real person who experienced teen pregnancy, but that wasn’t possible. Consequently, my research started out by learning about teen pregnancy and the consequences the mother and the baby must survive.
In my research, I learned that United States of America has a very high pregnancy rate. Three quarters of a million American teenagers get pregnant between the ages of 15 and 19. Out of all teen pregnancies, one third chooses abortion. 82 percent of teen pregnancies are untended. After I saw the numbers, I really thought that teen pregnancy was a serious matter. I found it surprising to see that many teens my age pregnant, facing problems I’ve never met. I don’t know anyone who has experienced teen pregnancy, and until this research, this topic has been unfamiliar with me. Through this research, I have understood that having a baby at young ages are risky for both the mother and the baby. The mother of the baby, many still at my age, must have to sacrifice her school life or give up her dream. This was not just an article in the newspaper. This was real American teen life.
One thing that really caught my mind was that the percentage of abortion was very high. It was not just the number in teen pregnancies, but in pregnancies all together. I was very shocked to know that so many mothers choose abortion, when the new life has many possibilities in life.
If you were the baby being killed, would you care about how old your parents are? Would you be hurt by the fact that you were born when your mom had you? I wouldn't. I would worry more about my parents killing me. If you were the mother, how could you ever get over killing an innocent soul? The new life is smaller than you in size, but the value, the importance of the two lives are exactly the same. If your mother killed you, how would feel? Would you still kill your precious life God gave you and the baby's father? In the world, there are many couples who do not receive the gift of a new baby. Many couples are drowning in sorrow tears, while you are thinking about murdering your flawless baby? Many teens have excuses for having an abortion. Although I understand that the baby may ruin your life by making it necessary to drop out of school, I do not find the many excuses heavy enough to make the abortion okay. Unlike Japan, high school in America is required education. Dropping out of high school, due to teen pregnancy, can hurt your future. You may have trouble getting into college or finding a job. With your education cut short, you may have trouble living a comfortable life. High school is the most exciting point in your school life. I look up to high school students. Having to drop out of your dream life may be very difficult for you, emotionally.

Reading the lines of Slam, I was very proud of Alicia. Her decision was a very brave, strong and a hard one to make. Her pregnancy came suddenly, very unexpected. She chose not to run away from her situation, but to stand against it. She accepted the fact that it was her own fault?(and Sam’s) that the pregnancy came, and she decided to turn it in to a happy incident. I respect her for that, and as I turned the pages I found her braveness a comfort. Although I knew that this book was fiction, it still gave me a firm hug. I had heard about many teens that have abortion, because they are not ready for their baby. I was afraid, I was afraid because teens where killing babies as if they were offered with a worthless toy and they could do whatever they wanted to do with it, when the precious baby was really the result of an irresponsible action, in her case. There are teens in America like Alicia, and I appreciate their existence.

I have never had this experience or gone through the fear of pregnant teenagers, and I may sound as if I do not know anything. That may be true, and if I was put in their situation, I honestly do not know what I would do. I have made it clear in above that I do not want an abortion, but I do not have enough confidence to just tell my partner and my parents that I am ready to be a mother. I am not, and I do not plan on becoming a mother any time soon. However, I do not that I am not as strong as Alicia was. I am still 15 years old. I have only been breathing for 5,500 days. I am growing in to a woman, but inside I still feel young. I would be a baby having a baby. My instincts tell me that it is not time yet. I have a whole life in front of me. If I was notified that I was pregnant today, I would feel as if my bright future was gone. I would probably have no choice but to drop out of high school, making it almost impossible for me to graduate college and to get a good job.

I would also worry about what people would think of me. I doubt someone would bully me to death, but I know that some people will not have a good image of me. People may say sad things to me. Maybe they’ll even tear my heart to pieces. Verbal bullying seems as if it is not a big deal, but it can lead to emotional stress, and if it continues, it may end in death. Imagine if you got pregnant, and you were treated differently. Simon Glass was a person everyone hated, worked his way to the top, and was killed. Shattering Glass was a shocking book, and in some ways, I thought that it was like Slam. Simon tried hard, with help, to become part of the popular squad. I know that it wasn’t easy. It was similar with Alicia and Sam. It wasn’t easy to tell their parents and to get their understanding. They both went over hard times, and they saw bright lights. You have to have faith in yourself. It takes a lot to trust the future.

Many teens in America are now facing this issue. Yes, teen pregnancy is an issue. The “normal” time of having a baby is after you are married. However, just because you have your baby earlier than that, does it make your pregnancy wrong?

I do not think that it is wrong. Once you get pregnant, you are responsible of the baby’s life. No matter how old you are, you are the baby’s mother. It doesn’t matter if you are married or not. Planned or unplanned, the baby is. It is you and the father’s job to protect the new life. You may not be ready emotionally, and you may have difficulties, but the baby is yours. Take a deep breath, and look at the world in front of you.

The United States of America tells us that one out of 10 births involve a teen mother. How many teenagers are out in the world, with a baby?

In conclusion, I think that being a parent as a teen is not wrong. But as we said before, there are problems that come with it, which makes is an issue, something we need to care about. Having a 16 year old mother and father may make the life of the baby hard. If will make the mother and the father face difficulties, such as financial problems, and overall, the guilt of not being able to live what everyone calls a normal life, may be too much. Someone has to be there to remove you burden and lighten your shoulders. I think that education comes first. America has many teens that are facing this right now. We are on the other side of the globe, but that does not make this issue irrelevant from us. I am sure Japan is going through similar issues. Teen pregnancy is not a part of God’s plan. But it happens today, and there are risks for the mother and the baby. We need to face it. This is our world, and we cannot change that. Tomorrow is not far away. All I can do is hope that tomorrow, our world will be a better place.