April 28, 2012
Why are Pregnant Teens Showing Off Their Baby Bumps on Facebook?
This morning, I was shocked to read about four Black, teenage girls who posted pictures of themselves, with their baby bumps, on Facebook. I wondered what messages they had received about self-image, relationships, and sex education. As I read the article about these girls, I was reminded of a high school where I once worked. So many girls had babies, the day care center at the school had to be expanded. All of the seats on the baby bus were filled with girls and their babies in car seats. The boys were never in sight and the buses never had any boys on it. One winter, as students waited for the bus, I saw a heavy-set girl running for the baby bus. I was afraid for her as she ran, carrying her baby in one arm and a tote bag in the other. The baby was bundled up in so many thick blue blankets, you could barely see him. Her baby bag was strapped across her chest, and her back-pack bounced up and down as she ran. Her over-sized coat was slightly awry; and she was oblivious to the students who laughed at her. She was on a mission to catch that bus, and I was relieved when I saw the bus driver stop for her. I was sure that girl would make it in life; catching the bus showed that she would. But surely, her experiences were altered forever with the birth of her child. I wondered if those girls on Facebook knew what to expect once they had their babies.
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