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There was at least one girl in my class who was pregnant from the time we were in 7th grade (age 12-13) till we graduated. At times, there were 2 or 3 girls pregnant at once. And this was just in my class, I can't remember how many there were in the other classes.

We did have sex ed, but it was pretty [censored]. And, alot of the girls "wore" their pregnancies like a badge of honor. But, most of those girls did not finish high school and are working dead end jobs, if they are working at all.

That's the thing. When did it become ok to get pregnant as a teen? It used to be taboo, girls were sent away to convents and no one talked about it. And I'm sure sex ed in those days was much tamer than what kids are getting now.

My mom has taught many pregnant girls over the years. She teaches 7th and 8th graders.

I agree that there is a BIG difference between being a 22-year-old young mother and a teenaged mom.

Wow. That's crazy. I was raised in So. Cal in a "privileged" neighborhood (oh lucky me...surrounded by spoiled brats...but really, I know I had it pretty good). There was only one girl I ever saw in high school who became pregnant, and it was a big shocker to everyone. Strange that others' experiences are so different. I wonder if it's different now at my old school. It seems like pregnancy is WAY more trendy nowadays.

I was interested in what you said Feebee about the Pitt family, and wanted to hear more about what everyone thinks about that. I hadn't heard they were feeling strain, though I can see why. (That may have another thread, but I've been busy today and am falling behind here). Sorry to hijack this thread if this is in the wrong place.

I was talking to my mom about them recently, and asked her what she thought, and her response was along the lines of: "I admire them SO much. It's SO wonderful that they're using their wealth to help children in need. They set SUCH a great example for other rich people and they are being so generous...yada yada yada...."

I felt a little bad for even asking, because of course that's true. And of course, she wishes I would be so generous, I'm sure. (so she could have a grandchild mostly)

I definitely agree with her on many levels, but do wonder about it a little bit. It must be truly amazing to be adopted out of poverty into such a wealthy family. It's like Orphan Annie sort of, and I can't even imagine how lucky they must feel. Also, it seems like it would be beneficial to be surrounded by so much diversity within your own family. How neat!

On the other hand, what a strange life that would be to constantly be traveling the world at such a young age, and to be besieged by paparazzi everywhere you go. Probably it's well worth it, but I just wondered what others think, and can't help but wonder what it's really like.

I may sound harsh, but if the Pitt family did what they did quietly and without fanfare, I might take them a little more seriously.

It's not what they are doing, it's their possible motive that makes me suspicious.

One thing I have never been able to understand. When Madonna stated she wanted to adopt an African baby, she was shot down in flames. Nobody has ever been able to explain to me why it is OK for Angelina/Brad and not OK for Madonna.

From what I read, it seemed like people thought Madonna was trying to be a copycat when she did it, and that was why she got such a negative reaction. It was just like, why that same country? Why right after the Pitt's did it? I'm not sure about the chronology of the whole thing, so this is just a wild guess.

Madonna did it at such a different point in her career. The Pitt's are at the top of their game, already in the news constantly anyway, have plenty of movie roles, so it doesn't come off as doing it for attention quite as much. Madonna's not so popular anymore, and it seemed like she crawled out of the woodwork and was scrambling to revive her waning career, and suddenly doing what other people who are getting attention were doing.

Why Africa? Why not adopt within your own country? If you're that rich and powerful it seems like you could accomplish an adoption anywhere you wanted, so it just came off as copycatting that she chose Africa.

I don't feel that way personally though...I'm just trying to surmise why people reacted so negatively to her. I do admire people who adopt bottom line.

I can't remember where I read it, but I read an article recently that said having or adopting a baby is suddenly the best career booster for a celebrity in the current baby-crazy climate, and they know it.

For some reasons, I keep thinking of the environmental impact of the Pitts' little obsession. Travelling with all those children in tow (and their entourage) must create a carbon footprint the size of Godzilla's.

Wasn't one of the reasons behind the Madonna controversy the fact that the little boy she wanted to adopt had living relatives (a father, I think)?

Yes, that was a huge controversy. But didn't the same thing happen with the Pitt's daughter from Africa?

I agree with you about the carbon footprint issue. I hadn't thought about that with all the kids. Good lord. Rich people are immune from environmental concerns I guess. (Not).

I wondered about how it would be for the kids to never really be able to have friendships with schoolmates or neighbors, because they move around so much and live such a different life than most people. I think that's why they want so many kids, so they'll have each other to be friends with. Not sure what I think of that solution, but I can see why that would help with the issue somewhat.

About the teen pregnancies- I saw on CNN just the other day that teen pregnancies are down since the '90's - which surprised me and I wonder how accurate that study was...

Having been around back in the Dark ages,I can tell you that sex education consisted of a film on the menses and another on STDs. The sexes were segregated for purposes of seeing these films. There was nothing on pregnancy or birth control. And when I say that sex education consisted of viewing a film, I mean that that's ALL it consisted of. There was no discussion of the matter, no Q&A, no teacher or nurse available if you wanted to discuss anything, just the films. And not until Senior High School.

Yes, pregnancy for teens was a taboo subject. A pregnant girl would be booted out of school in a New York minute. I only knew of one girl who got pregnant and was expelled and the subject of sex was so taboo that she was claiming "virgin birth" to avoid admitting to having sex.

Besides that there were at least 2 girls pregnant during their senior yarn but both managed to keep it well hidden until after graduation when they both had quickie weddings. Had they not kept their pregnancies hidden they would have been expelled from school, not allowed to graduate, and been shipped to a "Home For Unwed Mothers" or sent to live with relatives in another state plus branded "loose" or "easy" by "society".

As a teen girl back then it was quite easy to be branded as "loose". All you had to do to earn that label was to let Mrs. Smith or Mrs. Jones see you buying a box of tampons at the drug store. "Good" girls would never use tampons - it might give them "ideas"!

Back in those days, drug stores were different too. Not self-service like they are today. You had to ask the clerk for the product you wanted. Teen girls always waited for the female clerk to help them - it would have been just way too mortifying to have to ask a male clerk for a feminine protection product. Forget about condoms - we didn't even know that such a product existed.