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This topic is for you, yes, you! I want to know your opinion on this matter.
What do you think?
A 12 year old has a baby, should she be allowed to keep it?
On a biological level this is perhaps not a very common scenario, but for some reason, Amy is 12 years old and she is about to have a baby. She does not know her immediate family and she has no relatives.
The government is insisting that the baby should be taken away from her and placed into a care home.
Amy wants to keep her baby. She has no financial status to speak of, but she does not care. She just wants to be with her baby.
Now, I place the situation in your hands.
Should Amy be allowed to keep her baby? Or should the government take her child away?
One word answers are not acceptable – please provide comprehensive responses.
Let’s go!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Hiya!
I have a strong feeling to suggest that the ‘baby-mother in-the-making’ should be made to see reasons why she is not old enough to keep the child by herself. If medical advice is tilted towards an hopeful ‘mother-is-fine and baby-is-healthy’ delivery, the Government should take over. I hope Amy wouldn’t be deprived of watching her child grow though. That’s is, being allowed visits at short or long intervals. Or if possible, the two babies -mother and child should be taken, placed in care home and watched over!!!
Serious issue, this is, really! It’s got me thinking and wondering and thinking and sub-consciously, praying.
Is this informed by a true story, please tell, just want to know?
Kind regards.
-AOS
For their welfare, the baby should be taken away from her. She also needs to be taken care of, biology or not, she’s just a kid. At the same time, they do not have to be separated since she also needs help to either school or get some sort of skill. I gave birth to my First child at 26 and i appreciated all the help i could get!
@azeezat…. no its not based on a true story, but these sort of situations are faced far more often than we realise.
you and buki seem to have a similar mindset…. but what about Amy?
As far as Amy is concerned she does not care about the laws of society or her ability to find a job. She is prepared to live in a bush if in need be and go hunting to provide for her young – according to the laws of nature.
Should she be deprived of such a basic human right, which is to have and take care of her baby, regardless of knowing what will happen tomorrow?
Lets step up the question to another level.
The government has taken a look at the number of children in care homes and decides that there just isnt enough space, accompanied with the possibility that Amy may not even have a successful delivery.
Should the government insist that Amy should have an abortion?
If she wants to keep the baby, she should be allowed to and be given the support to do that…for example, they can get her a shelter, a reasonable job that a 12 year old can safely perform. Taking the baby will only cause more problems.:depression for the girl and Increased tax payers’ usage as they try to sort out placing the child with adoptive parents. also the child could grow up with some serious psychological issues…as if the situation wasn’t bad enough.
Her willingness to care for the baby is commendable but unrealistic. They both NEED to be cared for. No the government should not insist on an abortion, there’l always be a way to accommodate babies on earth. Moreover, What happens to the person who got her pregnant?
@lara thats a pretty strong point…. particularly concerning the child growing up with psychological issues after being estranged from its mother.
On that note would it be fair to say then regarding ‘all cases’ of young people having kids that the government should essentially mind its business, ‘unless’ they intend to provide some level of support?
@buki…. that is true… on a level they both “need” to be taken care of, and this is particularly highlighted because the mother in this case is only 12 years old.
But will this apply for all cases? Should the government take away children from their parents once it is established that they are too young to take care of them or not financially stable?
Yes indeed, what happened to the person that got her pregnant.
Let us say Amy got pregnant for 14 year old John.
John earns minimum wage working as a waiter in a fast food outlet. He lives with his uncle and his income is barely enough to take care of himself, let alone raise a family.
John and Amy are struggling in the relationship based on the pressure of the new baby and they are not entirely sure if they still want to be together.
Nevertheless, John insists that he can take care of the baby, with or without Amy.
Should the government allow John to take custody of the baby, because he at least has a source of income? Or should the government take the baby away because John is still far too young?