Raise your hand if you’ve been told you should wait until marriage to have sex. Now raise your hand if you were told “if you were going to have sex, use protection.” How many of you have actually listened to any of this advice? If you haven’t, you are not alone. Cbs2chicago.com reported at Chicago’s Robeson High School one out of seven teen girls is pregnant or already a mother. In other words, out of eight hundred students, one hundred fifteen are either having babies or are moms. This is an epidemic that occurs in schools across the nation – not just at this school. In fact, MTV created a reality show called “Teen Mom” to show viewers the harsh realities of this life.

What makes a girl postpone all of her dreams and goals to become a single mother at such a young age? Some experts believe it is peer pressure or pop cultures that glorify single moms and says do whatever feels good. Other experts believe a big part of this epidemic can be contributed to absentee dads. Let’s take a minute to examine this last belief.

The first man a girl falls in love with is her father. He is usually the man that makes her feel loved, protected, and special. A father sets the bar and is the barometer of what his daughter should look for in a man. If Dad is not in her life, that need for male attention and love shifts to the first guy that makes her feel special. Usually this takes place during a girl’s teen years and why so many high school girls get caught up in physical relationships. They want to keep the guy around to love her and fulfill that natural emotional need her Dad did not fill.

So what can a teen girl without a father do? What if this girl is you? Enlist the help of your family to find a male mentor to encourage and assist you. If this is not possible think about your goals and your career. Now imagine putting this on hold for eighteen years so you can raise a child. This means not being able to go out with your friends, go away to college, never having enough money for new clothes, and dealing with real adult situations. Why not focus on finishing high school and going to college where the dating game gets taken to a whole other level! Hang around with girls who are smart, ambitious, and focused like you are. At the end of the day you have got to love yourself more than the boy. Your life and your goals are in your hands. Do not let anyone else control your destiny!

With Love,

Miss Nish