It's All About the Mamas......

I'm a little slow, but I came to a sudden realization today.

One of our students from last year came by today with her mother and her new baby, a precious, tiny girl who was born...... SATURDAY! I couldn't even WALK four days after giving birth. But that's a story for another day.

One of my co-workers pointed out that the mother/grandmother must be out of her mind, bringing a four-day old baby into a school. Schools are notorious for being rife with germs.

As the grandmother proudly toted the baby carrier down the hall beside her unmarried and only recently graduated daughter, it struck me that the mothers may be part of the reason that these teenage girls keep having babies. It gives THEM a purpose.

I've seen it time and time again, so I don't know why it only occurred to me today. Maybe I'm MORE than a little slow.

If that had been me, my mother would have HAD to be the one carrying the baby, because I would have had a hard time walking with her foot up my backside. And two broken kneecaps. I was afraid to tell my mother when I DID get pregnant. And I was married. With a job. And the pregnancy was planned. On purpose. Even that didn't mean I knew what the hell I was getting into.

I'm not saying the mothers ought to kick their pregnant daughters to the curb or anything. But when they stand by and beam proudly [and take on many of the child-rearing rearing responsibilities], what message do the teenagers get?

Maybe I'm just old-fashioned. Perhaps approaching fuddy-duddy stage.