LadyKate wrote:
In my mind, if you are old enough to choose to have sex and get pregnant and have a baby on your own with no one forcing you, you have just emancipated yourself.
LadyKate wrote:
I disagree. If you are old enough to accept responsibility for a child of your own, you should no longer be recognized legally as a child.
LadyKate wrote:
I would say that by the age of 15, if you are choosing to have consensual sex, you are old enough to suffer the consequences....as in, either put your child up for adoption, or get your GED while you work.
How would you expect this to be taken? At the age of 15, you still cannot get a job, you still cannot drive, you still need your parents; physically and emotionally. Not to mention, you need the love and support of those around you. A 15 year old who is about to become a parent is likely to get scared and need help at some point in time. But you are advocating that the non custodial parent should just give the middle finger to the situation and be done with it. Because it is not their problem, well I am sorry to say, but it really still is. As a parent you should be striving to take care of your children, especially when they need their mom or dad the most, like when they are scared and feel alone. You should know already that is what makes the difference between mother and father and mom and dad. To actually withhold your obligation to a child because they are having a child of their own is turning your back on a child.
Just because some people had shitty parents who turned their backs on them does not make it right to expect it to be done by others as the norm.
LadyKate wrote:
Even if Raltar gets a job, it's not going to pay much and his contribution to his child will be small. A good chunk of the child support that you pay to Lydiaa will wind up going to Taamar's baby regardless of whether Raltar gets his dead beat dad *** off the couch.
And? You give your money to the person the court orders, they provide support for your child. The needs of your child change, the money is spent differently.
PS- I am usually worried that I am a shitty parent, but after reading this thread, I feel so much better about my own parenting. Even though my daughter and I argue a lot... she knows I will not abandon her at a time of need.