NationStates Jolt Archive

Question is fairly simple, what age (Or age range) do you think is too young to have children (Not sexual intercourse. Having sex does not equate having children) and why?

Poll up in a sec...

Well, there are a lot of factors.

For example, it depends on whether or not the mother has any other adults willing to help her. If she does, then it's possible to have a child earlier.

Even so, primary education is a must to have finished first. Secondary education should be finished first, but is still optional (also depends on culture - getting a child in the US before finishing secondary education is a death sentence to any good life, due to the barbaric practice of not letting all teen mothers get their degrees). Tertiary education is entirely optional (given helping adults, it's perfectly possible to get a tertiary education. Sometimes even without).

So, given favourable circumstances, as soon as the danger to the mother is at a minimum is the optimal time to have one. Anything younger than that is too young.

Edit: can anyone tell me when that is?

i'd say age has very little to do with it in real terms. it's all down to the personal circumstances of the parents, including their maturity, sense of responsibility and emotional stability. i know people that had kids when they were 16 and 17 who are great parents, i know others who were so bad they had their kid taken away.

Before her first period would be too young to have a baby. After her first period she's old enough to have one.

Whether or not she SHOULD have one is a different story....

Edit: can anyone tell me when that is?
That's what I was asking you. :p

That's what I was asking you. :p

I gave a condition though :P When, in a girl's teenage years, is it safest to have the child?

The answer then is that anything below this is too young.

Question is fairly simple, what age (Or age range) do you think is too young to have children (Not sexual intercourse. Having sex does not equate having children) and why?

Poll up in a sec...

Under 16. I'm only saying this because this is the age when people are able to work without a special permit, they can drive and serve. The key here is that they are able to work, which means being able to generate income to support the child. Of course, I don't think young women should be having children this young...

when she is too young to be able to get prenatal care (getting to and from dr. appointments, getting prenatal vitamins, eating properly) when she is too young to provide the child with basic support, when she isn't ready to have a child. It's not a set age.

Probably about 14 or 15. Sixteen and onwards is alright, so long as you have people to take decent care of you, and hopefully the father sticking around. Really depends a lot on the person, mind. I'm not a fan of the casual persecution of teenage mothers that goes on in the press here in the UK, to be quite honest.

My own mother was only 18 when I was born, and it seems to have worked out alright, all things considered.

Question is fairly simple, what age (Or age range) do you think is too young to have children (Not sexual intercourse. Having sex does not equate having children) and why?

Poll up in a sec...

It's got very little to do with age. When you can take care of yourself and feel the need to share your home with someone else, then you're mature enough to bring someone else into it.

Yes, there tend not to be many 17 year olds in that category in the industrialized world, but industrialization tends to prolong adolescence. There are many 30 year olds whose only ambition is bar crawling and earning enough money to crawl said bars. Such people are still too "young" to have kids.

Probably about 14 or 15. Sixteen and onwards is alright, so long as you have people to take decent care of you, and hopefully the father sticking around. Really depends a lot on the person, mind. I'm not a fan of the casual persecution of teenage mothers that goes on in the press here in the UK, to be quite honest.

My own mother was only 18 when I was born, and it seems to have worked out alright, all things considered.

One's society has a lot to do with that. What year was it when your mother was 18. A generation ago it was possible to feed a family of four on the income of one blue-collar bread-winner. In such an environment it makes sense for 18 and 19 year-olds to have kids. They can be productive members of society as soon as they graduate from high-school. That's not possible on a large scale in the US anymore.

Under 16. I'm only saying this because this is the age when people are able to work without a special permit, they can drive and serve. The key here is that they are able to work, which means being able to generate income to support the child. Of course, I don't think young women should be having children this young...

Legally permitted yes, but that's not the same as able. What kind of job can a 16 year old single mother get that will pay for daycare while she's at work and still leave enough to pay rent, food, and medical care?

Below 25

I'd have to say below twenty. Sure when your in your teens (16) you can be working and bringing in income. You have to be eighteen though for any hope of enough money. If you did have kids around sixteen, well: Your life is gone; you'd have to spend it looking after kids, you might not have enough money; being young and all. At least by twenty you'd have lived your life a bit and have a steady income, maybe even a house.

One's society has a lot to do with that. What year was it when your mother was 18.
1989.
A generation ago it was possible to feed a family of four on the income of one blue-collar bread-winner. In such an environment it makes sense for 18 and 19 year-olds to have kids. They can be productive members of society as soon as they graduate from high-school. That's not possible on a large scale in the US anymore.
Quite.
Below 25
Pfft. There are plenty of extremely crap parents over 25, and I know a fair few people my age that are actually pretty decent parents. Not sure it's so much age as general level of skill.

Question is fairly simple, what age (Or age range) do you think is too young to have children (Not sexual intercourse. Having sex does not equate having children) and why?

Poll up in a sec...

Hmph. It depends on mental readiness and maturity. If someone wants to have a baby abd has the ability to care for said baby at a young age (I know this is as likely as hell freezing over, but it's a hypothetical), props to them.

If I have a kid before I'm thirty, I'm going to shoot myself. Or I would, if I didn't have dependents at that stage. But that's me.

From the moment you are both physically able to produce children without hurting yourself and able to support a child financially. I would personally like some mental development requirements as well, but those are hard to measure and in any case not really indicated by age.

Which in most western societies leaves it to the countries childlabour laws.

Before her first period would be too young to have a baby. After her first period she's old enough to have one.
Not really - many girls in the Western world get their period at the age of 12 or 11 or even 10 these days and not only does it take several months for most girls after their first period before they actually start ovulating but also the rest of their body isn't developed enough to naturally birth a child because their pelvis is still too narrow.

So we can't really argue that "well, nature says they're ready" when the only way they'd be able to have a child without dying in the process is by having a decidedly non-natural surgical procedure.

Personally, I voted for "under 16", mostly because of the above considerations as well as because under 16, they really are still just kids.

The average age for girls to reach puberty is 12 1/2.

It doesn't matter how old she is, it just matters if she's out of school and has enough time and money.

Question is fairly simple, what age (Or age range) do you think is too young to have children (Not sexual intercourse. Having sex does not equate having children) and why?

Poll up in a sec...

depends.

Biological Age? Any time before she is capable of giving birth is too young.

Mental Age? that's dependant on the person. Anytime they cannot accept the responsibility of being a parent is too young. for example. Brittney Spears, she has children yet it takes the threat of legally losing her children to make her grow up.

Is it just me or do a lot of people who have replied to this thread expect a teenage mother to work?

There was a reason I said that "If she has other adults around to help her" would be a condition, if she didn't have her secondary education yet.

Is it just me or do a lot of people who have replied to this thread expect a teenage mother to work?

There was a reason I said that "If she has other adults around to help her" would be a condition, if she didn't have her secondary education yet.

Except some expect their parent(s) to automatically help her/them. Some don't even talk it over with their parents and just "hey mom... guess what..."

and should the parents not or cannot help her (financially or otherwise) it's suddenly their fault for Abandoning the single teen parent.

alot of teens do accept the responsiblity (finding a job, forced to drop out of School, etc.) and thus to me, are 'old enough' to have children. those that leave the child to grandma's care however...

Below 19, just so I can complain about your poll. *complains*

anyway, for my studies, I've spent my afternoon talking to a girl who got an unplanned baby at 19 years. She's doing fine, but I wouldn't advice someone to get a child before graduating.

Age doesn't matter in my opinion. What matters is their ability to responsibly take care of their child and to give them the kind of love, attention, and care that they deserve. You could be a million years old and if you don't have the responsibility and dedication to take care of a child properly, you're simply not prepared to have a child.

Is it just me or do a lot of people who have replied to this thread expect a teenage mother to work?

Subtle distinction: I expect her to be able to make a living for herself and the kid. If she cannot, she is too young for kids.

Except some expect their parent(s) to automatically help her/them. Some don't even talk it over with their parents and just "hey mom... guess what..."

and should the parents not or cannot help her (financially or otherwise) it's suddenly their fault for Abandoning the single teen parent.

alot of teens do accept the responsiblity (finding a job, forced to drop out of School, etc.) and thus to me, are 'old enough' to have children. those that leave the child to grandma's care however...

If you can't expect help from your parents and you've not finished secondary education, then get an abortion or give it up for adoption.

Dropping out of school isn't responsible. Not for the mother, nor for the child.

Subtle distinction: I expect her to be able to make a living for herself and the kid. If she cannot, she is too young for kids.

So you don't actually expect her to go out working, you just expect her to be capable of doing so? If so, fair enough.

If you can't expect help from your parents and you've not finished secondary education, then get an abortion or give it up for adoption.unfortunatly, some don't tell their parents until it's too late for an abortion or not enough time for adjustment. then there are those who believe that Abortion is wrong. can't force them to change their beliefs.

Dropping out of school isn't responsible. Not for the mother, nor for the child. it's responsible if the mother cannot afford both the child and go to school. She has to make a choice.

some teen parents do go to school and try to raise their child. some get the support of family and friends. but some don't get that support and are forced to make the hard choices.

but at least (to me) they are trying to be responsible and care for their child.

unfortunatly, some don't tell their parents until it's too late for an abortion or not enough time for adjustment. then there are those who believe that Abortion is wrong. can't force them to change their beliefs.

One can in theory take the kids away from them though. Not ideal, but not telling your parents is not a sign of enough maturity to actually care for a child either.

But as I said earlier, putting requirements on mental maturity is extremely hard.

One can in theory take the kids away from them though. Not ideal, but not telling your parents is not a sign of enough maturity to actually care for a child either.never said that "not informing your parents" is a sign of any type of maturity. I said accepting the responsiblity of raising the child was.

But as I said earlier, putting requirements on mental maturity is extremely hard. oh agreed. never said it was easy. and as I and others pointed out, you have adults who (in my opinion) shouldn't be raising children and I've seen some children that could very well be great parents.

3. That's pretty young to be have children. So is being a boy. Or a robot.

It all depends on the person's maturity. Mental and emotional maturity more than anything else. Of course, it would be VERY unwise for a girl to have a baby if she's under 20 in a place like the United States. You know, completing college without any unnecessary stress and all that.

If a baby can be had, then she is not too young.

Question is fairly simple, what age (Or age range) do you think is too young to have children (Not sexual intercourse. Having sex does not equate having children) and why?

Poll up in a sec...

I think that's almost impossible to say. Some people are up for that in their late teens, others aren't even in their late 40s.
Personally, and this is really just my gut-feeling, so I wouldn't want any legislation based on it or anything, but personally I think the best time for most people is late 20s, early 30s.

i'd say age has very little to do with it in real terms. it's all down to the personal circumstances of the parents, including their maturity, sense of responsibility and emotional stability. i know people that had kids when they were 16 and 17 who are great parents, i know others who were so bad they had their kid taken away.

I know a few that had kids at that age ... they were mature for their age and great parents.

That does not stop things from being bad down the road ... seeing them at age 26 now and the look in their eyes at t he stuff they missed...

That does not stop things from being bad down the road ... seeing them at age 26 now and the look in their eyes at t he stuff they missed...

sad but true. the important thing tho is that they do not (intentionally or unintentionally) blame their children's fault for those missed opportunities.

sad but true. the important thing tho is that they do not (intentionally or unintentionally) blame their children's fault for those missed opportunities.

True ... they FINALLY got into a good place in their life so I think things are cool, finally got the house and just had a second kid ... you can tell by how they look they are finally "on track"

But for the years before that ...

If you can't afford to care for a baby for the next 18 years, you're too young.

At what point can a mother financially support a baby? She can't necessarily count on help from the father. Therefore, definitely not before she turns 18.

I'd love it if you could prevent anyone under the age of 21 from reproducing. Maybe even 25. If they could invent something inserted in the body before puberty and you had to prove yourself a responsible, self-supporting adult before it could be removed.

n, where n = age of oldest surviving human.

below 20. not to say over 20 is a slam dunk good parent, but they are more likely to have their shit together and better able handle caring for another person.

n, where n = age of oldest surviving human.

thats far too young!

though I think if a person wishes to make children they should first have to experience the horrors suffered in decades of trench warfare before they are ready for the real war :eek:

My own mother was only 18 when I was born, and it seems to have worked out alright, all things considered.

yay!:p

i guess it depends on what the question is.

what is too young to plan to have a baby without any outside support, do a reasonable job as a single parent and be happy about it? under 30

what is too young to plan to have a baby with a life partner that you can depend on, do a reasonable job as a couple and be happy about it? under 25

what is too young to have an unplanned but not unwanted baby with a life parner that you can depend on, do a reasonable job as a couple and be happy about it? under 18

what is too young to have an unplanned baby as a single mother without any outside support instead of getting an abortion? under 18

what is too young to have an unplanned baby as a single mother with the support of your family instead of getting an abortion? under 14

ZOMG This woman's too young! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unmtV2wtqsk) :eek: