tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post6932633325779888574..comments2024-03-04T16:39:30.609+13:00Comments on Lindsay Mitchell: Teen parents - a real differenceLindsay Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437693272797130833noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-66430532196820440522014-07-09T20:28:48.617+12:002014-07-09T20:28:48.617+12:00Brendan,
Primarily I think there is a cultural ch...Brendan,<br /><br />Primarily I think there is a cultural change underway. Because of tv and social media the western world current fashions (or anti-fashions) spread fairly quickly. The US has probably led this turn against wanting to be a very young mum.<br /><br />But other quick reasons:<br />1 The GFC<br />2 More effective and more accessible contraception<br />3 Kids having sex later (?) some evidence.<br /><br />And one I jokingly put to Bob McCoskrie as the silver lining to same sex marriage and the stigma reducing - fewer females are having heterosexual sex??<br /><br />(The abortion rate has also dropped.)Lindsay Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04437693272797130833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-76431621054252536182014-07-09T17:12:15.939+12:002014-07-09T17:12:15.939+12:00I also think it is fantastic, but I don't thin...I also think it is fantastic, but I don't think National can take much of the credit (though they may be entitled to a bit).<br /><br />The same think is happening in the USA<br />http://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/aboutteenpreg.htm<br /><br />and the UK<br />http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/461715/Teenage-pregnancy-rate-drops-to-lowest-level-for-more-than-40-years<br /><br />and more generally around the western world.<br /><br />Having said that it would be great to see the Maori rate dropping faster than the rest given they are disproportionately represented. It would do more to lift them out of poverty than any government policy you could name.<br /><br />It is a pity that Turia didn't pick on that as her campaign. It would have done even more good that her quit smoking one. However, perhaps she thought it was a lost cause -- because I noted that the 19 year old son of the Maori king is expecting a baby sometime soon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-4368121754120126302014-07-09T12:33:46.660+12:002014-07-09T12:33:46.660+12:00Lindsay
That is fantastic news. Thank you for sh...Lindsay<br /><br />That is fantastic news. Thank you for sharing it.<br /><br />Can it all be attributed to National's welfare policy changes do you think, or are there other factors at work?<br /><br />Could the awful lives that so many of these mothers and their children live be starting to provide a 'wake up' example to their peers, or those following on behind? <br /><br />I'd like to think a subtle policy change could bring about these great results, but it seemed such a minor change...<br /><br />I guess Family Planning, the sex without context advocates will step up to take the credit. :-)Brendan McNeillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02741263914308842497noreply@blogger.com