Not all children are planned. In fact, nearly half of allpregnanciesworldwide are unintended. The United Nations Population Fund hasrevealedthat there are around 121 million unplanned pregnancies every year. Some result in births, some don’t. Some result inhappy families. And others don’t.
Now that he’s 16, he’s decided “enough is enough”. But his decision to stand up for himself has not gone down well and he’s wondering if he’s in the wrong.
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Having an unplanned child can come with its own set of challenges for the parents
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But this teen is the one paying the price for his parents’ “oopsie” 16 years later
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Researchshowsthat the average American woman will spend more than three-quarters of her reproductive life trying to avoid pregnancy. This is based on the fact that most women in theU.S. want to have two children. They’ll spend close to three years total pregnant, postpartum or attempting to become pregnant, and the rest making sure they don’t. But sometimes, they fail.
The Centers For Disease Controlestimatesthat just over 40% of pregnancies in the States are unintended. And the Guttmacher Institute says the unintended pregnancy rate is significantly higher in America than in manyotherdeveloped countries.
Experts say children who are the result of an unplanned pregnancy can face the consequences if their parents don’t come to terms with the situation. “How a parent views their children is significant,”warnededucational psychologistPatricia Britto.
“Every child or young person 25 and under needs at least one adult who thinks they are priceless and provides unconditional love. Parents’ attentiveness to their children’s emotions is essential when fostering their emotional development and well-being.”
Britto saystelling children they weren’t planned can have a negative impact on the relationship with their parents all the way into adulthood. It can also affect their futurerelationships.“Children and young people who have been told that their birth status is unplanned can likely feel unwanted, which can be associated with attachment insecurity—anxiety and avoidance,” explained Britto.
The expert advises parents to think carefully about whether they want their child to know they were unintended. Should they choose to tell them, Britto says anurturing approach is always best, as opposed to an abrupt comment.
The clinical social worker and behavioral therapist advises parents towork through their emotions, be they disappointment, sadness, anger. Once they’ve accepted the situation, they’ll have an easier time connecting emotionally with their child.
“With a solid network behind them, families dealing with an unplanned pregnancy can absolutely emerge happy and healthy,” said Bedsworth. “It’s not how a child begins that defines their future, but rather the care and nurturing they receive along the way.”
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