I dont believe that being older makes you immediately fit to be a parent but I do believe that you should give a child the best start in life. Usually people mature as they get older and they have more earning potential enabling them to better provide a financially stable environment for the child.
Now.. let me tell you my reasons for thinking teenagers should not have kids. I dont think it is fair to have the burden of your child placed on tax payers. You can come up with all the "because you are young it doesnt mean you dont earn" or "there are plenty of older people claiming benefits" that may be true. But generally speaking the older you get the more financially sound you become.
I think ALL people should be means tested before being allowed to have kids. In my opinion if you cannot look after your own children then you should not be allowed have children.
Children are undervalued in society in my opinion. They are just these things that you can have if you feel like it or if you make a mistake "it just happened". Bullshit!
When I think back to how I was when I was 17 I would have been considered very mature for my age. The last thing on my mind was having children and still I am in a pretty stable position now and I know that my life would not allow me give enough time for raising a child so I choose not to have one... remember it is a choice... you dont one day wake up and there is a baby there you have to make it.
You might think at 17 or 18 that someone is mature but other factors need to be taken in to consideration. Can they afford the baby? if they can afford the baby then I have no issue with them having one, you show me a 17 or 18 year old that is financially stable - they are very few and far between and if they have the good sense to be financially stable at that age I bet the last thing they are thinking about is having kids.
Better than a fashion accessory, a child is a life style tool. Gets you a free council house and loads of benefits.
if a 14 year old isnt old enough to be in charge of a car then how can they be capable of supporting a child?
Why should everyone be judged on the minority?
They shouldnt as the law states the legal age for sex is 16 ( that wasnt intented to sound prickish there or stating the obv )
Why should everyone be judged on the minority?
when the mother and father are together then yes its more than capable. Like i said you never see programmes on tele about how young teens raising their children good, its all chavs using them for the dosh.
Where i live i see it alot teen raising children well, As in towns close but perhaps my eyes and thoughts are stuck in stranraer.
Im not disagreeing with people here and i do agree with what your saying dylan im just trying to state a point that not all teenagers are inadequate and can raise a family.
i realise that, but you dont get prosecuted for having a child at 14, but you would for driving a car at 14. you could say 16, doesnt matter.
i was just getting at the fact there is no control over who has a child or not, but there is for loads of other things.
im not picking on teenagers either. there are crack addicts on the streets that have children and they are no more capable than a teenager to care for a child.