constant presence in the child’s life. For a girl baby, it is how she learns what safe love from a man feels like. Her daddy’s (or uncle’s or grandpa’s) lap and arms are like a rehearsal space for appropriate male warmth and caring. Girls who are deprived of this can tend to search for male love in all the wrong places. Little boys need a male presence to show them how to be in the world. A father (or father figure) provides the blueprint for how to be a man and a father. Studies show that boys with involved fathers do better in school, especially in math and science. Naturally, we are speaking here of fathers who are responsible, kind, nurturing men, not violent or sexually abusive men.
Consequences for Boys
So what’s the impact of teenage parenting on the father, you may ask. Again, studies have shown that young men who have children and then abandon them are more likely to turn to substance abuse to numb the psychic pain they experience. They may not even be aware of the source of their pain. But it is there, inside them. When such men are reunited with their child, it is possible that they will be motivated to turn their lives around, stop abusing drugs or alcohol, and try harder to find employment so as to provide child support. A wise man said to me once, “When you connect the father’s heart to his child, his mind will follow.”
Ways to Prevent Pregnancy
----
If you are thinking about having male-female sex, then it is time to think about what you and your partner are going to do to prevent pregnancy. Make an appointment to discuss contraception with your medical provider so you are all set before your first intercourse. This will reduce your anxiety about a possible pregnancy, and is the first step toward caring for yourself and your partner. Always use a condom in addition to whatever form of birth control you chose. You will greatly reduce your risk of contracting an STI.
Some kinds of contraception are more effective than others.
Here are some longer descriptions of the different methods of birth control available, listed in the order of their effectiveness:
The most effective forms are the ones that are long-lasting and do not require remembering every day or week. Implants such as Nexplanon are one type. Small matchstick-like rods are inserted, or implanted, under the surface of your skin, usually in the upper arm. They last for about three years. They can be removed at any time. This is a convenient type of contraception for a teenager who may not be interested in becoming pregnant for many years.
Another long-term contraceptive is the intrauterine device (IUD), such as Mirena, a small device that is introduced through the cervix and into the uterus by a doctor. IUDs can remain in place for three to ten years, depending on the type of IUD, and can also be removed anytime you would like to become pregnant. You are likely to experience a small amount of spotting while the IUD is in place, which may require wearing a panty liner.
The next most effective methods are shots, oral contraceptive pills (“the Pill”), patches, and rings. Depo-provera is an injection of contraception that is given every eleven to twelve weeks. It is very effective at preventing pregnancy if given properly every few months. Some teenagers who use Depo will have spotting (small amount of bleeding) or will stop having periods altogether during the time they are using it. You can become pregnant if you miss a shot.
Oral contraceptive pills are very popular and have been in use for many years. If you decide to use the Pill, you need to trust yourself to take it every day at about the same time. There are many different types of pills, and you and your provider or family planning counselor can decide together which one would be best for you.
A contraceptive patch is a small patch that you place on your skin. It contains the same hormones that pills contain. You put the patch on your skin once a week for three weeks,
Consequences for Boys
So what’s the impact of teenage parenting on the father, you may ask. Again, studies have shown that young men who have children and then abandon them are more likely to turn to substance abuse to numb the psychic pain they experience. They may not even be aware of the source of their pain. But it is there, inside them. When such men are reunited with their child, it is possible that they will be motivated to turn their lives around, stop abusing drugs or alcohol, and try harder to find employment so as to provide child support. A wise man said to me once, “When you connect the father’s heart to his child, his mind will follow.”
Ways to Prevent Pregnancy
----
If you are thinking about having male-female sex, then it is time to think about what you and your partner are going to do to prevent pregnancy. Make an appointment to discuss contraception with your medical provider so you are all set before your first intercourse. This will reduce your anxiety about a possible pregnancy, and is the first step toward caring for yourself and your partner. Always use a condom in addition to whatever form of birth control you chose. You will greatly reduce your risk of contracting an STI.
Some kinds of contraception are more effective than others.
Here are some longer descriptions of the different methods of birth control available, listed in the order of their effectiveness:
The most effective forms are the ones that are long-lasting and do not require remembering every day or week. Implants such as Nexplanon are one type. Small matchstick-like rods are inserted, or implanted, under the surface of your skin, usually in the upper arm. They last for about three years. They can be removed at any time. This is a convenient type of contraception for a teenager who may not be interested in becoming pregnant for many years.
Another long-term contraceptive is the intrauterine device (IUD), such as Mirena, a small device that is introduced through the cervix and into the uterus by a doctor. IUDs can remain in place for three to ten years, depending on the type of IUD, and can also be removed anytime you would like to become pregnant. You are likely to experience a small amount of spotting while the IUD is in place, which may require wearing a panty liner.
The next most effective methods are shots, oral contraceptive pills (“the Pill”), patches, and rings. Depo-provera is an injection of contraception that is given every eleven to twelve weeks. It is very effective at preventing pregnancy if given properly every few months. Some teenagers who use Depo will have spotting (small amount of bleeding) or will stop having periods altogether during the time they are using it. You can become pregnant if you miss a shot.
Oral contraceptive pills are very popular and have been in use for many years. If you decide to use the Pill, you need to trust yourself to take it every day at about the same time. There are many different types of pills, and you and your provider or family planning counselor can decide together which one would be best for you.
A contraceptive patch is a small patch that you place on your skin. It contains the same hormones that pills contain. You put the patch on your skin once a week for three weeks,
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