Your Daughters Need to Read This; Sons Too

Here’s a personal story from Emmie, who is a single 22 year old who is trying to decide what to do about her unwanted pregnancy. She’s not a teenager anymore, in fact, she is a college graduate soon to go to a prestigious graduate school. She is not with the father of this child any longer, and she has some very difficult choices to make. None of them are particularly attractive.

Emmie wrote to Lisa Belkin at the New York Times’ Motherlode blog (my favorite, as you know) asking for advice. In less than 24 hours she has heard from 555 people. And reading through these responses will give your daughters and sons an intimate view of how excruciating this decision is. Put your political and religious views aside, this is what it really feels like when someone is facing an unwanted pregnancy. This inside view from Emmie, and from the many kind and thoughtful respondents who are sharing their experiences, feels so much more authentic than the usual judgmental rants about this topic.

I hope you’ll use it to open discussion with your teens.