Morning After Pill available to 15-YO girls OTC

[TC1987]

You are talking about human beings, who's brains aren't fully developed, with impulse control issues because of the fact that their brains aren't fully developed yet.

No, they won't always use condoms, among other stupid things. Trial and error (over and over on the same thing) is how they learn. This is why it is good that the morning after pill is available to them. Better to learn by taking a pill that makes them sick for a few hours, than to learn by (stupid) trial and error on another human being.

Signed,
A Teen Mom

Oh, come on. Don't cut them so much slack. My mother is a teacher. She says "Kids know the difference between right and wrong by age 5." I do think that was true of me and my siblings, because our parents drilled it into us that kids don't rule the household, and kids need to LISTEN TO and HEED the advice of their elders. Impulse control is something they should definitely have learned by the time they reach their teens. I didn't experiment with sex or anything else as a teen. I preferred the company of adults to the company of kids my own age, because my "peers" were total dullards who were only effing around and getting drunk and being stupid kids, as opposed to sensible kids who know that life really starts at adulthood and high school is just something to be endured until you can escape it and start your real life. I don't buy the "brain is not fully developed" argument. Unless someone is special ed, their brains are developed enough to have some idea of what kinds of activities perhaps should be avoided. I am above average intellect, but I still don't believe that the average teen is incapable of thinking things through before taking any action. Parents have to train children to do that from birth, though.

 

[ame]

I couldn't be MORE in favor. The easier the access, the less embarrassing the process of getting Plan B, the more likely teens (and adults) that need it will use it.

Agreed. It needs to be available to ALL. Kids and adults.

 

[Kelli]

You are talking about human beings, who's brains aren't fully developed, with impulse control issues because of the fact that their brains aren't fully developed yet.

No, they won't always use condoms, among other stupid things. Trial and error (over and over on the same thing) is how they learn. This is why it is good that the morning after pill is available to them. Better to learn by taking a pill that makes them sick for a few hours, than to learn by (stupid) trial and error on another human being.

Signed,
A Teen Mom

Oh, come on. Don't cut them so much slack. My mother is a teacher. She says "Kids know the difference between right and wrong by age 5." I do think that was true of me and my siblings, because our parents drilled it into us that kids don't rule the household, and kids need to LISTEN TO and HEED the advice of their elders. Impulse control is something they should definitely have learned by the time they reach their teens. I didn't experiment with sex or anything else as a teen. I preferred the company of adults to the company of kids my own age, because my "peers" were total dullards who were only effing around and getting drunk and being stupid kids, as opposed to sensible kids who know that life really starts at adulthood and high school is just something to be endured until you can escape it and start your real life. I don't buy the "brain is not fully developed" argument. Unless someone is special ed, their brains are developed enough to have some idea of what kinds of activities perhaps should be avoided. I am above average intellect, but I still don't believe that the average teen is incapable of thinking things through before taking any action. Parents have to train children to do that from birth, though.

I don't buy that the brain isn't fully developed yet either, but I also don't think kids (meaning reasonably aged high school kids) having sex is always wrong. I didn't have sex in high school either, for religious reasons that were pushed on me by people I blindly trusted, and looking back I wouldn't have done things the same way. I teach teenaged kids and lots of them are quite responsible and in monogamous relationships. That's a pretty decent way to lose one's virginity if you ask me. Better for them to have these options at their disposal. Not to mention, even smart and responsible people make mistakes and occasionally do things they regret. Why force them to pay for it forever?

 

[Kelli]

I also don't like the idea that high school is something to be endured until your real life starts. That notion makes me sad for people who believe it. Youth is amazing and should be enjoyed!!!

 

[partgypsy]

I have a friend, whose sister was raped by an adult acquantince around that age (perhaps a little younger). She went to her mother for help, and the mother basically said "you must be a (slut or similar word) and encouraged him." Told her not to tell anyone (authorities) because it would humiliate their family.

Though we would all love to believe kids have available supportive parents to help them with these things, many kids do not, and may need the plan B simply to take care of situations like this.

Reading these posts makes me want to take my 10 year old daughter and lock her in a box. I trust her judgement, but not sure if I will trust the judgment of boys her age the next few years. These stories are horrifying to me.

 

[nkarma]

You are talking about human beings, who's brains aren't fully developed, with impulse control issues because of the fact that their brains aren't fully developed yet.

No, they won't always use condoms, among other stupid things. Trial and error (over and over on the same thing) is how they learn. This is why it is good that the morning after pill is available to them. Better to learn by taking a pill that makes them sick for a few hours, than to learn by (stupid) trial and error on another human being.

Signed,
A Teen Mom

Oh, come on. Don't cut them so much slack. My mother is a teacher. She says "Kids know the difference between right and wrong by age 5." I do think that was true of me and my siblings, because our parents drilled it into us that kids don't rule the household, and kids need to LISTEN TO and HEED the advice of their elders. Impulse control is something they should definitely have learned by the time they reach their teens. I didn't experiment with sex or anything else as a teen. I preferred the company of adults to the company of kids my own age, because my "peers" were total dullards who were only effing around and getting drunk and being stupid kids, as opposed to sensible kids who know that life really starts at adulthood and high school is just something to be endured until you can escape it and start your real life. I don't buy the "brain is not fully developed" argument. Unless someone is special ed, their brains are developed enough to have some idea of what kinds of activities perhaps should be avoided. I am above average intellect, but I still don't believe that the average teen is incapable of thinking things through before taking any action. Parents have to train children to do that from birth, though.

I don't buy that the brain isn't fully developed yet either, but I also don't think kids (meaning reasonably aged high school kids) having sex is always wrong. I didn't have sex in high school either, for religious reasons that were pushed on me by people I blindly trusted, and looking back I wouldn't have done things the same way. I teach teenaged kids and lots of them are quite responsible and in monogamous relationships. That's a pretty decent way to lose one's virginity if you ask me. Better for them to have these options at their disposal. Not to mention, even smart and responsible people make mistakes and occasionally do things they regret. Why force them to pay for it forever?

Good that you don't buy it, but it's well supported by brain scans & studies and accepted within the scientific community that the brain is not fully developed until age 25. This is more so true for males.

There was an interesting coverstory about teenage brains in NatGeo in 2011: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/10/teenage-brains/dobbs-text The authors were interviewed on NPR and other news outlets if you want to hear subsequent information.

 

[JulieN]

I buy the underdeveloped brains make them do stupid things. Brains are not mature until mid 20s.

 

[chrono]

Most people under the age of 20 don't have the maturity to make such important decisions in a split second, high pressure, high stress situation. Upbringing helps but this is the exception, rather than the norm. Also, accidents happen, be it to those under 20 and even those in their 40s. Not all children feel comfortable asking their parents either so having it OTC is a blessing to them. Better to have this option rather than following through with an unwanted pregnancy or back alley abortion.

 

[Kelli]

Fully developed brains or not, teens are and have always been challenged with tough choices. I still don't feel that an underdeveloped brain is a valid excuse for not handling things correctly, at least not for most. Some teens go to college, some become parents, some go off to war. They are developed enough to be held accountable for birth control choices.

 

[AGBF]

You are talking about human beings, who's brains aren't fully developed, with impulse control issues because of the fact that their brains aren't fully developed yet.

No, they won't always use condoms, among other stupid things. Trial and error (over and over on the same thing) is how they learn. This is why it is good that the morning after pill is available to them. Better to learn by taking a pill that makes them sick for a few hours, than to learn by (stupid) trial and error on another human being.

Signed,
A Teen Mom

Oh, come on. Don't cut them so much slack. My mother is a teacher. She says "Kids know the difference between right and wrong by age 5." I do think that was true of me and my siblings, because our parents drilled it into us that kids don't rule the household, and kids need to LISTEN TO and HEED the advice of their elders. Impulse control is something they should definitely have learned by the time they reach their teens. I didn't experiment with sex or anything else as a teen. I preferred the company of adults to the company of kids my own age, because my "peers" were total dullards who were only effing around and getting drunk and being stupid kids, as opposed to sensible kids who know that life really starts at adulthood and high school is just something to be endured until you can escape it and start your real life. I don't buy the "brain is not fully developed" argument. Unless someone is special ed, their brains are developed enough to have some idea of what kinds of activities perhaps should be avoided. I am above average intellect, but I still don't believe that the average teen is incapable of thinking things through before taking any action. Parents have to train children to do that from birth, though.

TC-

Everything you wrote is opinion-based, not fact-based. There are many studies on the brain that show that it matures more slowly than anyone knew until recently and that that adolescents and young adults do not have the capacity to perceive the world as they later will have until their mid-twenties.

Moreover, although your mother put the "age of reason" at age five, most others do not. The Catholic Church put it at age seven, which is why First Holy Communion was taken then. Freudians like Selma Fraiberg think that the child begins to have have a rudimentary conscience-starts to comprehend that there are rules in games during the latency age period-the 7-9 age period. If one watches children he will see that by the time they reach about 7 they become obsessed with the rules, whereas before they played willy nilly.

My point is not that you are wrong to think that adolescents should be taught control, but that not everything that has been learned about the human brain is myth.

AGBF

 

[AGBF]

You are talking about human beings, who's brains aren't fully developed, with impulse control issues because of the fact that their brains aren't fully developed yet.

No, they won't always use condoms, among other stupid things. Trial and error (over and over on the same thing) is how they learn. This is why it is good that the morning after pill is available to them. Better to learn by taking a pill that makes them sick for a few hours, than to learn by (stupid) trial and error on another human being.

Signed,
A Teen Mom

Oh, come on. Don't cut them so much slack. My mother is a teacher. She says "Kids know the difference between right and wrong by age 5." I do think that was true of me and my siblings, because our parents drilled it into us that kids don't rule the household, and kids need to LISTEN TO and HEED the advice of their elders. Impulse control is something they should definitely have learned by the time they reach their teens. I didn't experiment with sex or anything else as a teen. I preferred the company of adults to the company of kids my own age, because my "peers" were total dullards who were only effing around and getting drunk and being stupid kids, as opposed to sensible kids who know that life really starts at adulthood and high school is just something to be endured until you can escape it and start your real life. I don't buy the "brain is not fully developed" argument. Unless someone is special ed, their brains are developed enough to have some idea of what kinds of activities perhaps should be avoided. I am above average intellect, but I still don't believe that the average teen is incapable of thinking things through before taking any action. Parents have to train children to do that from birth, though.

I don't buy that the brain isn't fully developed yet either, but I also don't think kids (meaning reasonably aged high school kids) having sex is always wrong. I didn't have sex in high school either, for religious reasons that were pushed on me by people I blindly trusted, and looking back I wouldn't have done things the same way. I teach teenaged kids and lots of them are quite responsible and in monogamous relationships. That's a pretty decent way to lose one's virginity if you ask me. Better for them to have these options at their disposal. Not to mention, even smart and responsible people make mistakes and occasionally do things they regret. Why force them to pay for it forever?

Good that you don't buy it, but it's well supported by brain scans & studies and accepted within the scientific community that the brain is not fully developed until age 25. This is more so true for males.

There was an interesting coverstory about teenage brains in NatGeo in 2011: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/10/teenage-brains/dobbs-text The authors were interviewed on NPR and other news outlets if you want to hear subsequent information.

I didn't need to post at all. I think I was writing for so long (interrupted by my daughter who made me move her laundry) that I missed a lot of postings by others. You said it all, nkarma. Excellent posting.

Deb/AGBF

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Are condoms 100% prevention? I don't think so....they can be misued or break....there needs to be an option for "other" circumstances.

cheers--Sharon

 

[sonnyjane]

HI:

Are condoms 100% prevention? I don't think so....they can be misued or break....there needs to be an option for "other" circumstances.

cheers--Sharon

Such a great point!

 

[sonnyjane]

HI:

Are condoms 100% prevention? I don't think so....they can be misued or break....there needs to be an option for "other" circumstances.

cheers--Sharon

Such a great point!

 

[wakingdreams53]

I vote available to ALL. I remember a 15 year old who's condom broke and she wanted to do the mature thing and get the MAP. Unfortunately there was no way for her to do it without an older person knowing her situation, which can be humiliating.

Kids have sex. It won't change. Sex ed is more important than abstinence ed.