Birth Control

[lizard_lover]

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[Cartersmom]

are you for real? The reproductive health clinic is doing a great service for teenagers. Without it, many teens would feel uncomfortable (too uncomfortable) to get birth control pills at their doctor, or to check for pregnancy or STI's. In addition, they give out free condoms to those who can't afford them. They are confidential with your information so the teen does not have to worry about having their info breached like with a GP.
These people are going to be having sex one way or the other, it has nothing to do with free condoms. They just wouldnt be using protection at all!!!

I know a couple teen girls who ASKED THEIR MOMS to help them get on the birth control pill, bc they knew they were going to have sex. the mom REFUSED and in both cases, the girls still had sex and got pregnant. Thinking one is going to abstain just from not having protection is extremely naive.

[mizunderstood]

The mercantile center is a good idea, again in theory. I used to work there as a volenteer years ago and it is great that they have free birth control becuase if they didnt i bet our teen pregnancy rates would double overnite! However there are people that are abusing that, and also unfortunatly younger kids are getting the idea that sex is fine since there is free birth control. It is a no win situation I am afraid. Lets just hope that the kids that are going in there at least have a parent that is trying to keep them out of trouble.
I remember one girl years ago, she came in crying to me. She cried because all her friends were having sex and she was not. They actually teased her because she had not got "her first lay". She wanted condoms so that she could go out and have sex and not worry about STDs. and her friends would think she was cool. CAN U IMAGINE? I worry about kids like that. I feel peer pressure is getting outragious now.
At least there is an option for those that are choosing to have sex, whether we like it or not. At least that is one less teen pregnancy!
Just FYI.
Does anyone know the age group that has the fastest growing rate of stds?
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65+ is the age group that is on the fastest rise for stds. Becasue there is a lot of remarriages, spouses dying, etc and that generation was never taught about any kind of diseases. THey are uninformed there fore they are most at risk. Sad...

[ceg]

I don't believe that the center providing contraceptives is encouraging young people to have sex. Have you ever laid the blame on the parents that refuse to talk to their children about it because it's 'embarrassing'? Have you ever taken a look at the Sex Ed program offered in school?

When I went they would tell you about condoms and such, but pretty much told us that abstinence was the ONLY real option. We had a teacher that knew nothing about the subject and was scared to say anything. If you tell someone they shouldn't do something but then don't teach them any possible consequences so they can weigh the facts for themselves, what do you think they are going to do? They will find out on their own.

I graduated only 4 years ago and they are still teaching the same course. Times have changed. Sex has been made into a glamorized thing and we can't change that. We can just try to educate and protect the younger generations.

[dolphins#1]

That is good that they have those services we don't need anymore kids raising kids. I am not completely for it but i would want to see my 14 year old safe i am not ready to be a grand-ma but i am kind of new at this can someone please explain, don't you have to have a PAP test done first before going on the pill and if so we have no doctor so how would that work please advice pm me if you would thanks, and about the sex ed still being the same my daught was suppose to take this past year the program was there but there was no one to teach it cause her teacher was embarrassed imagine that so my daughter does not know that much pretty ad but i am surely glad they do have the program at mercantile oh one more thing do they have someone to talk to there for my daughter to talk to we talked but she does feel a liitle uncomfortable and probably a little degradeable. please pm any responses thanks again..

[harbourchick07]

Lizard i hate to ping you in the *removed*, but this one i kinda disagree on. the Merc has been there for me in a lot of different ways. Condoms when i needed them, not only for me some of my friends where just to scared. Pap test when i was.... all you other girls can take a wild guess on that one. Pap test when i got into a new relationship, heck my boyfriend even went to the merc. to talk to a "male" doctor yes they have male doctors there to, about sex and stis and stds and had blood work done. I am on birth control through the merc because paying 90 dollars is crazy. the only thing i don't like is the morning after pill, but some people don't want a child and it is the easiest way to ensure your not pregnant..

[lizard_lover]

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[ceg]

There is a huge problem with your statement. You can't just let these people 'deal with the consequences'. The consequences isn't always a baby, what about the incurable STD's out there?

Do you think they should deny someone condoms just because they are young when they could end up with AIDS? The fact is, this place is doing a service. They are protecting the young from the many things out there that have no cure or no way to fix them.

They could always abort, give away or keep a baby. But you can't do that with most STD's.

[harbourchick07]

there are only really 3 STD's that are not curable and can not get treatments. the others can either be cured or treated.. and wanna know something.... I got that from the merc's very own public health nurse, while in class. condoms protect against a lot, but not always, there is still the .01 % of a chance in pregnancies. wearing a condom and being on Birth Control is the best way to go. And lizard i really don't recommend the needle, not having your period acctually is not good. it can cause major problems down the road, and same with the patch, it does not work and contains a highly dangerous chemical. The pill and the Nuva Ring are really the best. the pill you sometimes forget to take. The nuva ring stays in for 3 weeks. Yes you insert it and out for 1. I am in the process of finding the prescriptions that i have for it my mom moved them and i have no idea where they are. but its really good.

[lizard_lover]

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[lizard_lover]

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[ceg]

Well, they should be taught. Ignorance is bliss as they say. If I was to go shoot some people, should I not suffer the consequences for my actions? IF you choose to have sex, you have to deal with the consequences. That is that. Them giving out condoms to who ever at what age is like saying "here you go, go have sex now!" I bet you people who don't care about the fact your kids are doing this haven't told them that even with condoms, pregnancy AND stds can still happen...and I bet they have never been taught properly how to use them! I bet you also didn't know that kids are going to school these days on LSD, ecstacy, and worse? I mean grade 6, 7, 8, etc...so should these places be giving out drugs in low doses? Or stuff not so hamful? Again, ignorance is bliss... I only graduated 4 years ago. I have a 16 year old sister. I know what happens in schools right now, probably more than some parents do.

When I wasn't told the proper info I found out on MY OWN by doing the research. I know condoms aren't 100% effective but it's better than giving them nothing at all.

The fact is if someone wants to have sex, no matter what age, they will do it. If someone who is 18 or up has every option to protect themselves why shouldn't anyone who is younger than that? Besides shooting people and having sex are two completely different things. Willing sex is not a crime.

Don't make assumptions about what people do and don't tell their children. You're pretty much saying that our children should be ignorant, that they shouldn't know the consequences of anything. People should educate their children, but face it, their not slaves. Kids will still do whatever they want to do no matter how educated they are. At least tell them their options.

[lizard_lover]

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[ceg]

I totally agree with you. Children are growing up too fast now. They all want to dress like 'big girls' but they model themselves after bad role models.

There are definitely bad parents out there that don't care where their kids are and don't educate them, but at least they have the center to get some information from. And unfortunately I know parents who try hard and their kids still do what they want.

The fact that kids are just bombarded by things that make them want to grow up faster, or think that they need to do those things to be 'cool'.

I too love the way I was raised. I was the only girl in my group of friends that was still a virgin. Although I never really had a curfew or anything quite like that. What I had was a respect for my parents and myself, and a trust between us. But I was the kid that didn't care about peer pressure or what everyone else was doing. Unfortunately not many kids are like that anymore.

I do care about what happens in the city but all I can do is make sure my sister/younger family members don't turn out like that, that they have some self respect and that I pass that lesson onto my kids when I have them.

It's a sad world we live in when kids can't even be kids anymore.

[lizard_lover]

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[care1978]

Hello all. I know you all listen to my rants, and complain about them sometimes, so here is another to feed off of :) lol

I have a MAJOR problem with the mercantile center or whatever the heck it is called. Did you all know they give out free condoms, birth control pills, and the "morning after" pill?!
Seriously, are they telling our youth to go have sex? I mean, I understand they are putting that stuff out there for people who cannot afford it or whatever...but seriously, they wonder why more and more young girls are knocked up and still in school, and most of the time, the father could be one of many possibilities...

I know someone who is 14 and just gav birth! My brother was 11 when he started having sex...and his first was an 18 year old girl! like that just makes my skin crawl with disgust...

and to the ones complaining about where their taxes go...here you are!
:confused: You cant possibly believe that the sexual health clinic is promoting young people to have sex, that is the most assinine thing i have ever heard in my life i think! where did you get your common sense? out of a cracker jack box?!
seriously, that really angers me that you are so ignorant as to believe that. umm here is an idea......just a random thought of course, but did you ever stop to think that maybe,just maybe..... they are promoting safe sex?! or can you even get past yourself long enough to see the bigger BETTER picture here.
the fact is, there are young people out there having sex, and not all kids are comfortable going to their parents, i personally think that the clinic is a great idea, at least they are getting educated on what they are embarking on or about to embark on, it is somewhere that they can feel safe about talking about their feelings, not sure if you remember, but i very clearly remember how i felt when it came time to tell my mother i wasnt a virgin anymore, it is the scariest thing i ever did as a young person.
you really need to brush up on your common sense skills.
good luck with that

[lizard_lover]

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[MrsBeasley]

And EDUCATION is everything!!!

I'm a grown woman and I went on the pill at 16. Did that mean I was going to go out and have sex??? NO!!

I went on the pill to regulate my cycle and to make them more tolerable. I would have a period one month and maybe miss two or three before I had another one. I would get so cramped up, I would literally turn pasty white and vomit.

I lived with my father, who was hard pressed (by his girlfriend) to supply me with feminine supplies let alone discuss the repercussions of having sex.

I waited until I felt I was good and ready (19) event though I knew a lot of my friends had already "done it".

Just because they hand out "free" products doesn't mean they are not educating people on the best possible options available either. I cant comment on their methods used there as I have never had to use their service. But my theory is if the people are going ther for information and safety then so be it. They at least are educating themselves and protecting themselves against all possible complications of their actions. If they didn't have these sort of community health services the people who utilize them would go ahead and have sex anyway, so why not give them a free condom here and there.

As for the comment about the taxpayers complaining about our tax dollars going toward this sort of thing....hell I'd gladly pay the price of one condom if it would keep one teenager off of welfare raising a child (children), or medicating one HIV patient until they die of full blown AIDS.

[Mandi]

Well you know what? You should be comfortable telling your parents that. If not, then they did not raise you to feel you can trust and tell them anything. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THEY ARE PROMOTING SAFE SEX OR NOT! THEY PASS THIS S**T OUT TO ANY ONE OF ANY AGE THAT WALKS IN THERE. Seriously, again, ignorance is bliss...

Not everyone had parents who are open, it can be difficult for everyone to say, 'mom, I need some kind of birth control'. My mother and I are very open with each other, but birth control was just something I hadn't ever even thought was a mother daughter discussion. The mercantile was there for me when I was younger, and in need of the 'morning after' pill. I'm not ashamed of that fact at all, and am so grateful because at that time I was not at all ready for a child. It's not so easy as 'if you're not ready don't have sex'.

[harbourchick07]

why can't we all just agree that younger kids are having sex and acting older because of Brittney Spears and Christina Agulaira?
lol Sorry i had to say something to stop the bickering

[care1978]

why can't we all just agree that younger kids are having sex and acting older because of Brittney Spears and Christina Agulaira?
lol Sorry i had to say something to stop the bickering
lol :rofl:
you may be on to something.
nowadays though there is alot more peer pressure ( or so it seems)
but ultimately it depends on the child, just because a child comes from a completely stable home, with two loving parents, doesnt mean that they wont have sex, children are developing far quicker these days, and sex is everywhere you turn, and it isnt always easy to talk to your parents about intimacy... even if it was an open discussion within a family unit.
lets just say a 14 year old of either sex was thinking about taking the plunge, they are more likely to discuss it with a stranger whom they know isnt going to judge them, and keep it confidential. its not easy when it comes right down to it to discuss it with family members. it is an enormous life changing decision.
in a perfect world it would seem that it is as easy as saying "pass the pepper" but im sure we all know we dont live in a perfect world. and times are changing very quickly, im not condoning children having sex, but if they are going to, then im glad that there are outlets out there that are at least promoting "safe sex"
i do however agree that the Mecantile shouldnt be handing condoms out to 9 year olds. im not sure if i really believe that they are doing that though. maybe someone should contact them and inquire if they have a limit to who they give them out to.

[care1978]

"but seriously, they wonder why more and more young girls are knocked up and still in school,"
i would say that evidently these kids arent visiting the Mercantile, or else they would probably be using contraceptives. ;)

[lizard_lover]

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[lizard_lover]

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[harbourchick07]

if you ever seen me in the merc, you'd probably think the same thing.. Only you would wonder how that person keep it cool lol. Im going to be 20 and i only seriously look 12 the oldest i got was 15!!!!

[lizard_lover]

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[dmbeyea]

well try being much older than that and someone still asking me if I'm 16, like I'm 16 with an 8 year old daughter, dont think so.

[care1978]

29,i get 16-17

[mommyd]

ok i don't quite get this. You are so happy that your mother raised you the way she did, and that you learned what you needed to and whatnot. But your brother, did she raise him the same way? Or did she think he wasn't good enough to raise the same way as you? You say so many parents out there don't care and let their kids do whatever.. but here you have your brother doing all those things.. soooo.. is YOUR mother just letting him go out and do all that crap? If she is the kind of mother you say she is, then you can't go and say all these other parents of children having sex and wearing skimpy clothes aren't trying their best to raise their kids.
Just had to say that



That is my point...I have no young family other than my 14 year old brother, but he is too far gone. Having sex since he was 11 (7 or 8 different partners now, if not more...haven't spoken with him in almost 6 months) drugs, and everything else. I just wish "kids could be kids" still. And I agree that it is good they are there, but I think they should do more. You shouldn't be able to just walk in and get this stuff...there should be conversation. I wish I could take all the little girls in Saint John and keep them safe...if only.

[mommyd]

oh my goodness.. that is the most idiotic thing i have ever heard. MOST children don't feel comfortable talking about SEX with their parents, weather they raise them to feel like they can come to them or not. And what about the parents who don't raise their kids how YOU feel they should raise them? What then? Those kids should get no education or help with these issues at all? These services aren't there so that parents can disregard their duties in teaching their children what they need to, but we all know that just because you have children, doesn't mean you know how to parent them. Kids shoudn't suffer if they have parents themselves that don't even know how to talk about it and whatever.
YAY you could talk to your mom about it.. good for you.
Not all kids are the same
You have a real closed mind.
Things always seem to be so black and white with you

Well you know what? You should be comfortable telling your parents that. If not, then they did not raise you to feel you can trust and tell them anything. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THEY ARE PROMOTING SAFE SEX OR NOT! THEY PASS THIS S**T OUT TO ANY ONE OF ANY AGE THAT WALKS IN THERE. Seriously, again, ignorance is bliss...

[lizard_lover]

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[mommyd]

YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE SEX UNLESS YOU KNOW YOU ARE READY...AND IF YOU ARE NOT READY AND HAVE SEX, REEP YOUR CONSEQUENCES IS ALL I AM SAYING FOR THE LOVE OF GOODNESS! Holy...and we wonder why kids are the way they are...the people raising them don't care enough to teach their kids, so they let others just hand them condoms to have sex!
(again, not all aprents, just some)

reep the consequences? So.. if they get pregnant.. then the girl having the baby should just deal with the consequences then eh? And what about that baby? Probably not going to have that great a life with such a young mom (not that that is always the case). Maybe the mother needs to go on welfare or something, great. Or the father won't be in their life. Or what about STD's and such.. children getting std's and then eventually passing it on to OTHERS who may NOT be "children reeping consequences" of sex before they are ready. HELLO.. a lot of kids THINK they are ready to have sex. SO, to all the ppl who have sex because they believed they were ready.. they aren't supposed to "reep their consequences"? like holy crap.. you gotta get off your high horse and stop yelling at people. You have to realise that not everyone is like you, not everyone is SUPPOSED to be like you, so shut up already.
Young ppl having sex and then just for the fact they had sex before they really should have, something happens.. then they should just deal with whatever they "get" huh? Something like that doesn't just only affect the two ppl involved. It effects a child that may be brought into the world, and for the rest of his or her LIFE. Also affecting the families of these young people. Or if they catch something, they could infect other ppl.
Yes.. ppl shouldn't have sex until they are ready, Duh, that's right i said Duh.... and really.. people probably shouldn't have sex unless they are in a committed relationship..true... heck why not go back through the ages and make it so that ANYONE who has sex unless they are married a whore and just plaine disgusting. These are the times.. and guess WHAAATT.. it's only going to get WORSE. But not handing out birth control to those who wouldn't use it other wise isnt going to stop it. And ya know, they may not ask ppl questions and lecture them,because they know that if there is any such thing happening at these places, young ppl will not come to them for any kind of help.
And like i said, you've got a real closed mind and only see things in black and white. You've got to realise that just because someone does "this" doesn't mean "that" is going to be the outcome. So just because a parent tries to teach them what they think they should be teaching them, doesn't mean their kids are going to turn out they way they expected.You're not listening to anything anyone says to you. We KNOW what you are saying, now listen to what WEEEEE say!
gosh i just spent way too much time writing all that out.

[babydoll101]

I wish my neice would have had all the knowledge about birth control and more parental advice. She is 17 and now pregnant :( She wants the baby and wanted one before she got pregnant!! I am so scared for when my little girls become teenagers. How do you do it right?

[cuddles2007]

Hello all. I know you all listen to my rants, and complain about them sometimes, so here is another to feed off of :) lol

I have a MAJOR problem with the mercantile center or whatever the heck it is called. Did you all know they give out free condoms, birth control pills, and the "morning after" pill?!
Seriously, are they telling our youth to go have sex? I mean, I understand they are putting that stuff out there for people who cannot afford it or whatever...but seriously, they wonder why more and more young girls are knocked up and still in school, and most of the time, the father could be one of many possibilities...

I know someone who is 14 and just gav birth! My brother was 11 when he started having sex...and his first was an 18 year old girl! like that just makes my skin crawl with disgust...
and to the ones complaining about where their taxes go...here you are!



I think the mercantile is doing a good thing. when my mom was little (she is 38 ) there was nothing like that around. she got preg for me and the age of 17 . if it wasnt for the mercantile i would of been preg way before i was . there was no way in hell i was gonna ask my mom for condoms!

[lizard_lover]

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[mommyd]

nevermind.. i'm done with this thread.



I know that...and I am not saying that if a girl gets pregnant her baby should suffer...I am not trying to be mean or harsh, I am jsut saying something has to stop this...something has gotta happen that makes these kids actually think "wow, you know I could get pregnant or get diseases from this" to the point where they actually care. I am not saying it would be the best outcome, but maybe someone does have to have a terrible ordeal with this crap for everyone to open their blind eyes.

[lizard_lover]

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[kerrym]

birth control; doesnt always worki am 18 and was on the pill and now i have a 6 month old son and am very happy :)

[wildberry]

Each individual is different. What one person may consider a terrible ordeal others may not. I was 17 when I became pregnant, and althought I wanted the baby, and was very excited to have him I knew my life had quickly changed. To me having him wasn't a terrible thing, but I knew then to play it safe. I know lots of girl who have had babies at a young age, and then continue to keep popping them out, so I guess it wasn't a terrible thing for them. my son is know 10, know I have a little girl who is 2. I learn my lesson, and decided to wait for her until I was good and ready. I wasn't just about me, but her and my son as well. I think the program offered at he mercantile is great it will help those girls that want help, but there will always be those ones that don't. Having acsees to free birth control will not stop pregnacy or STD for all, but it will help some. Isn't that a beginning????

[FutureChief88]

That is what I have been saying! And yes, willing sex can still be a crime, it depends... And EXCUSE ME?!?! Where did i say they should not know the consequences...i believe i said they should?!?! I am just sayign that there are lazy a$$ parents out there who, instead of educating their children and care about what they wear, just let them go on their own, like some breeds of turtles. I am sick and tired of seeing girls from the age of 6 to 16 wearing shirts where their breasts are hanging out, and their crotches showing out the bottom of their skirts.
You must not care about what goes on in this city...kids in middle scholl having parties with severe drugs and sex...and by the time sex comes around, i guarantee they are probably too high to remember the condoms and such.
Not to mention, HELLO! Like seriously, shouldn't kids in that age range have a curfew? And should you not always know where your kids are?
I graduated a year ago, so I am only 19. I am glad, and thank my mother to death for raising me the way she did. She always knew where I was, and I had to be home at certain times. And you know what? I am one of the only girls I was friends with, that is not pregnant, or already have a kid. Again to my lazy parent thing...too darn lazy to watch your kid, so you let them roam the streets...and you wonder why they are getting the condoms, and why our teen pregnancy rate is up...

So if your mother is so awesome.. then y were u at the Mercantile center when u were a kid getting condoms, and the morning after pill? where did your mother think u were when u were doing that?

[avaadore]

There's a good side and a bad side to every topic we bring up... and to each their own with their opinions... But kids are going to have sex. I'd rather see them have access to protection than end up with disease and have kids born to parents that arent prepared/are unwilling.

I do agree that parents should spend more time(in society as a whole) ingraining the worth of your body, your person, your soul, and the value of moral integrety, in their children.

i was brought up to be very dedicated to my morals, and virtues...And in my generation I feel a bit out of place that way. It makes me sad when I see young women and men throwing themselves around, when they're clearly worth so much more than they're giving themselves credit for..but that's just my opinion..

I'd still rather see them selling themselves short SAFELY then have them sell themselves short unprotected, and infect 20 more people with HIV when they , with use of a condom , may have never contracted it at all.

its not just for the people who use the clinic, but for the sake of everyone who could be effected by those people.

see: the ripple effect.

if they're going to be permiscuous, lets make sure they don't hurt us and our kids when they do it..

I agree with the clinic, personally.

[harbourchick07]

futurechief88 were do you see anything stating that LizardLover was at the merc as a kid...i just read this entire thread and not once did i read that. MommyD Holy Crap do u ever have a lot to say, your the type of person who i wouldn't want to say anything to. Who gives a flying bleep about parenting rights and wrongs...
If someone is a "bad" parent we make a scene that lets them know and if some one is a "good" parent then they can tell because there kid is bringing home straight A's right ....
WRONG!!! My parents are awesome and so are lizards, they sent us to the best schools they could find and even though they were good parents we weren't bringing home straight A's.
I was never talked to about sex by my mom i learned it in school and told her what i learned Thats how i learned. The merc yeah its good but in a way they shouldn't be handing out condoms to young kids that are like 10 or younger. Yes i know the legal age to have sex is 14...witch is why when i see kids walking around all skimpy i think.." when they are 15 they will be full time parents." this is true my older cousin is a father he is 20 his ex girlfriend just turned 16 before she had his baby!
I think some people should read very very closely at what people have to say and STOP attacking them like a wild animal...MommyD that means you.