US Family view - Preparenting
Kindly contributed by Jan
Christine, I think your parenting program would be a great thing to have in the United States. I suppose there are similar things here, but I've not had the opportunity to read or be exposed to them. One only needs to look at the headlines to realize the number of unpreparents that are in this country. Many of them are mere children themselves.
In this area alone, there have been several children killed at the hands of their parents. One mere child of 14 killed her newborn baby boy by suffocating him with toilet paper and then trying to flush him down the commode at her school (where she gave birth in the bathroom)!
I would think that if your program or one similar was available in school it would be a tremendous help. Obviously, it needs to start in middle school or earlier. Probably the content would need to be modified for the age group, but the overall message would be the same...parenting is a BIG responsibility, and not to be taken lightly.
I'm not sure why young, unmarried girls get pregnant... maybe they don't understand the whole process!! There is also a father in jail for microwaving his infant daughter, and a couple is in jail awaiting trial for killing the mother's two-year-old daughter… and the mother just gave birth to a baby boy while in jail!! Go figure. Maybe you need to have a nationwide TV program here in the states!
I would think your information would be useful in schools, churches, and doctor's offices (from family practice to pediatricians). I have told friends about it and have sent it to one friend whose son is married and he and his wife are beginning to consider a family.
I would have appreciated having the information when I was younger. Most people (at least my age and older) had children because getting married and having children was the thing to do. No forethought, or preparation. Goodness knows, none of that was discussed. Anyway, I am glad you wrote this booklet. Hopefully, there will be many more preparents and less unpreparents as a result of your work. I will try to help you spread the word. In love and light, Jan