Girls: If you were paid everyday to not get pregnant before you graduated high school, would you? And how much do you think is a reasonable pay? How about a dollar a day? That's how much the girls ages 12 to 18 at the University of North Carolina are getting paid.
This idea was created by a maternity nurse, one of the most highly-payed nurse jobs out there. Maternity nurses are almost always present for women who give birth in a hospital. They help the doctor or midwife who is giving the birth. They're the ones who figure out whether or not the mother is in labor or false labor, and take the mother's vitals, for example blood pressure and pulse.
The maternity nurse, Hazel Brown, created the idea because too many teens were having kids. But, the girls don't just get their money; they need to know why they're getting it. So, in order to get their money, they have to go to weekly meetings at the University. The article states that the "program is funded by a four-year grant from the state."
Also, "under the program, $7 is deposited into an interest-bearing college fund that the girls can collect once they graduate high school." I thought this was such a great idea, I really think this program should go national. Then, so many less babies would grow up with teen mothers that just aren't prepared for motherhood.
I'm fourteen years old and a sophomore this coming school year. I remember last year as a freshmen seeing pregnant girls around school, during lunch off campus. I remember one girl, walked out of the pizza place, she looked the same as everyone else, really. Tight shirts, skinny jeans, Vans, except one thing: her baby bump. I saw everyone staring at her as she passed. She just looked down, avoiding their glances. I was thinking about what I would do if I was in her situation. Pregnant. In high school. What would you do? I'm very anti-abortion, but I think it's unlikely that a lot of girls my age would actually stay abstinent until they were ready to have kids. I know some do and I think that's great. Saving yourself for marriage and everything.
Lastly, girls, before you do anything you'll regret, just put yourself in a baby's shoes. How would you like to grow up? With parents who party because they're still in high school? Who don't have jobs? Who don't feed you because they're doing homework? Who are never there? Maybe we could each try to not have unwanted babies. It would make a huge difference if we all did it together. I'm not going to act like your mom or pastor and say "stay abstinent!" Just staying safe would make a huge difference in the way babies these days grow up.
Author's Note: Source: http://www.wxii12.com/health/19843503/detail.html
