What makes a good parent and what doesn't are all relative though. And to make your own kangaroo court and deem who is worthy to be one and who is not is well...disturbing and idealistic to say the least. When I was a teenager I used to think similar things but as I've gotten older, I've realized it's not that easy and it's really not my place to judge what is best in everyone's situations. Do I think there are definite bad situations for children to be in and they should be removed? YES. But do I think it's my place to pass judgement on the woman in the supermarket who has a fussy two year old and deem her a bad parent? NO.
I think to be a 'bad' parent is to have bad intentions and I think most people will agree that isn't the majority of cases at all. To hold parents to an unrealistic standard isn't right: everyone is human and we're all going to make mistakes. I have yet to meet anyone who is perfect.
As for the symantics about the statement that spurred all of this, I personally think the wording should have been "I have met very few people who I THINK are good parents." Because as mentioned earlier, it's all relative and it's purely opinion. What I think constitutes a bad parent is totally different from what other people may feel constitutes a bad parent.
So to say there is an age limit where one is suddenly able to be a good parent is ridiculous. I've known many teen mothers and fathers who have stepped up after the initial shock and done a great job. I've also known some that refused to grow up and it went horribly and Grandma and Grandpa end up raising the child. Like anything else, it's a case-by-case thing. I do still believe that most younger people don't fully realize what all it entails to be a parent before they actually have to do it and the reality can be a rude awakening. And I definitely believe some people have children with the wrong intentions in mind. But what happens after the baby is born is anybody's guess how it will go.
The tangent about pet ownership? Sadly I do agree that a lot of people don't take proper care of their animals and treat them as disposable when they don't live up to unrealistic expectations. [I'm sorry, but kittens are not cuddly as a rule. Even breeds known for cuddliness oftentimes are not that way in the kitten stage; it's a behavior they develop as they get older.] I think a lot of that could be curbed by people's reading up and researching their pet of choice prior to getting one so they know what to expect and what responsibilities are involved. But people buy pets on impulse and then when it comes time to have to find the money for the proper care, they don't have it or what's more aggrevating, WON'T. It really makes me sad to hear someone say they won't do what needs to be done because they can't find $50 to properly vaccinate or neuter their pet.
The Teen Sex, Pregnancy and Puberty Guild
A guild for teenagers covering topics centering around teen sex, pregnancy, puberty, and other aspects of teen life.
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