Here we go again!

[neepnipper]

A schoolboy aged 13 has become one of Britain's youngest fathers, it has been reported.
The boy, from Manchester, was "chuffed to bits" after his 16-year-old girlfriend gave birth to a baby girl this week, the Daily Mirror said.
His father told the paper: "My son is mature for his age and will make a good father. He will make a better dad than most 25-year-old men would."
The young couple's identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons. They are said to have been in a relationship for some time, although they did not go to the same school.
His father added: "He isn't bewildered about about what has happened. He was a bit shocked at first but now he's chuffed to bits."

[Connor.]

Where is Jeremy Kyle when you need him?

Such a stupid thing to do, but he'll be chuffed to bits with all that crying at night while he's trying to do his algebra homework.

[Gronnuck]

He's chuffed to bits because he nor his girlfriend will have to pay for the upkeep of their baby.

[BINBOB]

Another poor child will suffer........

[rfr10]

Are we really in a position to make assumptions here? Are we placing the blame on the boy or do we blame the girl... or the parents? Or.. someone else? The poor child may well indeed suffer but what about the 13 year old boy.. depending on his family and social background.. why don't we sympathise with him?

[unicorn]

I wonder if the girl will get done for underage? It is a sad state of affairs when it is acceptable for children to be having children.
Raising children is hard work any way you look at it, these kids should be enjoying being young not having babies.

[rfr10]

I wonder if the girl will get done for underage? It is a sad state of affairs when it is acceptable for children to be having children.
Raising children is hard work any way you look at it, these kids should be enjoying being young not having babies.

I think the law around sex is ridiculous. Why, if two people under the age of 16 have sex, is it the boy who is prosecuted and not the girl - even if the girl is older than the boy?

[changilass]

Following the result of the last story like this, I aint gonna comment on the 'father'.

When the announcement was made to put young single mums into hostels there were cries of 'it will put a stigma on them' - there should be a stigma attatched to very young teenagers getting pregnant, it might just cut down on the numbers.

[Gronnuck]

Are we really in a position to make assumptions here? Are we placing the blame on the boy or do we blame the girl... or the parents? Or.. someone else? The poor child may well indeed suffer but what about the 13 year old boy.. depending on his family and social background.. why don't we sympathise with him?

We’re making assumptions because this is an open forum and people are free to express their opinion, which might well be based upon assumptions - rightly or wrongly.
Britain has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Western Europe. The whole issue of children procreating children is becoming quite tiresome and increasingly expensive for the taxpayer.
Sympathy they will get from their parents, guardians and their social workers.

[rfr10]

Following the result of the last story like this, I aint gonna comment on the 'father'.

When the announcement was made to put young single mums into hostels there were cries of 'it will put a stigma on them' - there should be a stigma attatched to very young teenagers getting pregnant, it might just cut down on the numbers.

I don't think that would solve much. Wouldn't this stigma result in them being excluded and people having judgemental views towards them which would then probably result in them taking part in criminal activity in an attempt to "get back at society". It is good prevention strategies that are required to stop it from happening in the first place. People should work with the parents so that they can better educate their children on sexual health. Trying to solve something by stigmatising someone is not really (in my opinion) going to help.

[rfr10]

We’re making assumptions because this is an open forum and people are free to express their opinion, which might well be based upon assumptions - rightly or wrongly.
Britain has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Western Europe. The whole issue of children procreating children is becoming quite tiresome and increasingly expensive for the taxpayer.
Sympathy they will get from their parents, guardians and their social workers.

I didn't say we don't have the right to make assumptions but we're not in a position to do so without knowing about the background of the young person. The whole problem is we don't talk openly enough about sex and this just results in teenagers having sex. It is the parents responsibility to educate their children and if they are not doing this, can we really blame the teenager for their actions? A better education is also required in schools. PSE lessons in many schools is absolutely pathetic and a standardised national PSE curriculum is what is required and it should be taught by responsible people (random subject teachers is not a good idea). It needs to be taught by someone who isn't going to be embarassed about talking openly. Maybe even peer learning would help.

[unicorn]

So how did it work in the days when discussing sex was taboo, yes there were accidents then too and many mums were actually the grannies in the end, but I don't think we had the same level of teen pregnancies then than now so I think the education standard arguement is no use.
The difference then was life was tough no cushy house and benefits just a lot of hiding truths and working hard to provide.

[rfr10]

So how did it work in the days when discussing sex was taboo, yes there were accidents then too and many mums were actually the grannies in the end, but I don't think we had the same level of teen pregnancies then than now so I think the education standard arguement is no use.
The difference then was life was tough no cushy house and benefits just a lot of hiding truths and working hard to provide.

Well now that it's not a taboo.. we need to work around it and the only way of doing so it an effective education. No one is going to tell people "sex is wrong and disgusting". It has been proven that if parents talk openly about sex to their children then they are less likely to have sex than if parents did not talk about sexual health.

[BINBOB]

Are we really in a position to make assumptions here? Are we placing the blame on the boy or do we blame the girl... or the parents? Or.. someone else? The poor child may well indeed suffer but what about the 13 year old boy.. depending on his family and social background.. why don't we sympathise with him?

I feel only for the newborn......... it is too late for sympathising with the SO CALLED parents AND grandparents.

Do u really think sympathy will help in this situation??????

[BINBOB]

Following the result of the last story like this, I aint gonna comment on the 'father'.

When the announcement was made to put young single mums into hostels there were cries of 'it will put a stigma on them' - there should be a stigma attatched to very young teenagers getting pregnant, it might just cut down on the numbers.

I really do not think that these teenagers care about stigma.............they feel invincible and will only realise their mistakes[ like most of us] when they are much older.Then it is too late.
But I think hostelling them would be a good idea.............

[BINBOB]

So how did it work in the days when discussing sex was taboo, yes there were accidents then too and many mums were actually the grannies in the end, but I don't think we had the same level of teen pregnancies then than now so I think the education standard arguement is no use.
The difference then was life was tough no cushy house and benefits just a lot of hiding truths and working hard to provide.

I agree and very well said ,unicorn.

[Stefan]

In my humble opinion it's the grandparents who are to blame most of the time.
You tell me when and where this baby was conceived and the I will be asking why those teenagers weren't supervised at the time.

I always frighten the life out of all teenager that live with me. Stories of sleepless nights, getting up for the baby, no new games just nappies on the shopping list. Forget about pocket money for yourself, socializing with friends, going out at night... oh and all the painful STD's I describe to them....

.. and then I buy condoms and give them out, just in case they weren't listening at all.... so far it worked well

[Leanne]

Remember the last youngest dad - DNA test proved he wasn't actually the dad...

[Cattach]

A schoolboy aged 13 has become one of Britain's youngest fathers, it has been reported.
The boy, from Manchester, was "chuffed to bits" after his 16-year-old girlfriend gave birth to a baby girl this week, the Daily Mirror said.
His father told the paper: "My son is mature for his age and will make a good father. He will make a better dad than most 25-year-old men would."
The young couple's identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons. They are said to have been in a relationship for some time, although they did not go to the same school.
His father added: "He isn't bewildered about about what has happened. He was a bit shocked at first but now he's chuffed to bits."

Obviously not quite mature enough to know what the consequences would be!

[squidge]

My 14 year old son has just had some of his sex education lessons. Last week he came home and we had a discussion about contraception. He could tell me the difference between a mirena coil and an ordinary coil, he could tell me how effective a diaphragm was, he could tell me that the mini pill, the implant, the injection and the mirena coil all use progesterone to prevent ovulation. Very impressive i hear you cry but actually is it? Had they had a teenage mum in to talk about how hard it is having babies so young - no. Had they had a lengthy discussion about the problems and pitfalls of early sexual activity? No. Had they discussed how to keep themselves safe -both boys and girls? No. Had they had a discussion about how wonderful and special a sexual relationship can be when its with someone you love and you are old enough to appreciate it? No. They had some worksheets on the "different types of love" and next week they will be putting a condom on a model.

Im not sure we have got this sex education thing quite right - I would like to see some of the things i mentioned above talked about - not just worksheets but discussed and dissected and mostly i would like to see sex given a better place. Seems to me these days that its a commodity - sold to teenagers along with zoo and nuts and bottles of vodka and apple sours so that they think their nights are not a good one if they dont end up back at someones flat for the night and never mind if they dont see them again. I am no prude lol and i wouldnt ban a one night stand.... however it seems that its EXPECTED rather than hoped for and that makes me feel like its not quite right. Maybe IM just old sigh