Adolescent Parenthood And Education

Grounded in both research and practice, Adolescent Parenthood and Education examines five alternative education models and offers practical suggestions for their implementation. This unique book presents the perspectives of teen mothers, their families and friends, service providers, administrators, and policy makers, cutting across disciplinary lines and illuminating the complex needs of young parents.

The definition of the risks of adolescent childbearing has received considerable investigative attention during the last decade. We have gradually moved away from simplistically studying young maternal age as the sole determinant of biologie and psychosocial outcome, even though we recognize it is one of several factors which warrant consideration. We now recognize that if adolescents receive adequate and consistent pre natal care, they and their infants should do nearly as weIl as adult women and their infants of similar backgrounds. Thus, the major morbidities for adolescent mothers, adolescent fathers, and their infants are psychosocial: lack of educational and voca tional futures, failed marriages, and dependence on government aid for support. The adequacy of the parenting of adolescent mothers and fathers and the long-term developmental and physical outcomes of their children are largely unstudied. This book, edited by Dr. Max Sugar, a recognized authority on adolescence, focuses on the important topic of adolescent parenthood. The authors of this timely contribution approach the topic of adolescent parenthood in a unique fashion, utilizing a combination of several approaches: consideration of fictional characters in history , astute and carefully conceptual ized clinical observations, reviews of the literature, and their own investigation. lt will be through the use of such a creative approach that we shall define the important quest ions which should be addressed about adolescents as parents and the outcome for their children.

Even those who wait at home are eager to hear all about kindergarten. The animals are in a tizzy; Tommy is missing. The dog says Tommy is gone to a place called kindergarten. ?Where is kindergarten? they exclaim. ?What will happen to Tommy there? Will he ever come back?!? Eventually Tommy bursts into the barn with tales of all he learned in kindergarten. A charming and tender story that's sure to reassure any child heading to kindergarten.

By all indicators, the reproductive health of Americans has been deteriorating since 1980. Our nation is troubled by rates of teen pregnancies and newborn deaths that are worse than almost all others in the Western world. Science and Babies is a straightforward presentation of the major reproductive issues we face that suggests answers for the public. The book discusses how the clash of opinions on sex and family planning prevents us from making a national commitment to reproductive health; why people in the United States have fewer contraceptive choices than those in many other countries; what we need to do to improve social and medical services for teens and people living in poverty; how couples should "shop" for a fertility service and make consumer-wise decisions; and what we can expect in the futureâ€"featuring interesting accounts of potential scientific advances.

More than 1 million teenage girls in the United States become pregnant each year; nearly half give birth. Why do these young people, who are hardly more than children themselves, become parents? This volume reviews in detail the trends in and consequences of teenage sexual behavior and offers thoughtful insights on the issues of sexual initiation, contraception, pregnancy, abortion, adoption, and the well-being of adolescent families. It provides a systematic assessment of the impact of various programmatic approaches, both preventive and ameliorative, in light of the growing scientific understanding of the topic.

This report was written to provide a balanced perspective of the problem of adolescent parenthood, with the goal of guiding those responsible for making policy decisions and for developing programs and services for adolescents. It presents innovative approaches developed by educators, health professionals, and others in the areas of pregnancy prevention and adolescent parenthood. These topics are explored: (1) the dimensions of adolescent parenthood, including implications for health care and social services, poverty and crime, and the education system; (2) teenage pregnancy and adolescent development, including the impact of teenage pregnancy on family relationships; (3) sex education in the home, school, and community as well as health clinics in schools; and (4) guidelines for program development, including resources for program planning and organizing a task force. A list of national sources providing relevant data and references are included. (ABL)

"This book, written by a parent who has had extensive experience in parent education, answers the title question with an emphatic 'Yes.' But it suggests important revisions in our popular notions of when, where, and in what ways adolescents need their parents and vice versa. It also presents the deep conviction of the Commission that better understanding of changing needs on the part of parents and children will make for a better quality of human relations throughout all avenues of life."--From the preface.