Me neither. Yuck!

While it depends on a young woman's developement; if she is fertile, I think it is essential that for her protection she should be on some form of dependable birth control. And have condoms available to her so that she can protect herself from STD's.

This should not preclude good supervision or teaching your child the necessary skills to make chooseing to be sexually active, and or becoming a parent, when it is in their best interest.

I don't support the idea of a brief stint of babysitting being an effective teaching tool. Rarely will a mother leave a coliclly, teething, or ill infant in the extened care of a young teen. All the pregnancy bellys or faux babys in the world will not hold a candle to a difficult teen pregnancy. Your child will think their baby will be "wonderful" just like they did the puppy that lost it's appeal after a week. .

Birth control pills would NOT be my chosen form of birth control if for no other reason that skipping a few pills can actually make a female more fertile. While I would defer to the recommendations of a pediatric ob-gyn birth control specialist (a referral from Planned Parenthood will usually generate a supportive Physician) you are helping your child make a huge decision that affect the rest of their life includeing there ability to have children and maybe even survive. Maternal death in teen mothers in the USA is a serious risk. Especially for obese teens that smoke and some times abuse alcohol and drugs.

The subdermal or intrauterine pregnancy preventives would be how I would protect a busy often forgetful teen. Maybe a patch.

Telling your sons repeatedly the BC pills are nortoriously ineffective for preventing teen pregnancy helps but is not enough. You would be stunned by the number of young men who see getting someone pregnant especially a "hot" looking teen as a plus to their reputation even if they are not teens themselves.

While parents want to believe that their children will be wise they just do not have the mental capacity to do that at such a young age.

With so much sexual activity indundateing young people when responsible adults are not around (including on school and church campuses) I think it is unrealistic to believe that choice is always there. A child may not even be aware that they are having sex if they are under the influence of any number of substances that are readily available.

What is really shocking is the number of young teens that romanticise pregnancy and being a parent of an infant so that up to 60% of teens who get pregnant chose to be and have purposefully planned it.

With smaller and broken families many of these teen mothers have never held a new born before they are handed their own. They haven't seen any of the necessary skills to feed, bath, or assess if and infant is in distress. Many infants are severly injured by their teen mothers not out of maliciousness but inexperience and inattention.

Also since the number of pregnant teens that do not finish the school year once they are pregnant is staggering and it can make them dependent on her parents; or worse the state and often the prison systems it is no small thing to dismiss as I will worry about it IF it happens.

For parents who are divorced having an unplanned teen pregnancy can turn custody upside down. I have frequently seen non-custodial parents help a teen switch custody. then emancipate, only then to abandon them includeing their childsupport. Sometimes they are more than willing to harrass the the mother into turning over the baby to get the "second chance" that they equally screw up. All the while the added expenses for prenatal care, alternative school, home studies, counseling, and having drama go on tanks the custodial parents job, adult relationships, and sometimes leaves everyone homeless. Sounds dire I know but I see it all the time. Every support program and shelter I know of turns at least three women with children away for every one they can serve.

Since I am unaware of any court orders making grandparents pay childsupport for dependent infants the only hope is whatever the parents can contribute which is usually a big fat ZERO! While there is a variety of resources for teen mothers there are still gapping distances between what is offered and what is needed. That alone seems to a compelling push to err on the side of keeping a child and potential grandchild safe in my book.

Anyone else has to do what they think is best with THEIR children but what people have to be aware of is the state is stepping in more and more and earlier and it is a good way to loose not only the rights to your child but also your grandbaby. The State has no interest in keeping a child in the system so long that they are un-adoptable. And even though they might take your child from you they effectively abandon them anywhere from 17 to 19 if they don't run away. Many are basiclly told if you don't want to be homeless then join the military.

Usually the changeing pads that are sold in the baby department are really too small to be very useful. The Harriet Carter or Lillian Vernon catologs sell bed pads that are a bit larger and laundry really great.

If you want to make a temporary changeing station for your guests you might do what I did when I had a number of moms and diapered kids in for exceptional parent conferences. Buy a flannel backed water proof table cloth and a box or gallon ziplocks and put it on the bed. Usually the seasonal ones are really cheap after the holidays.

Sometimes you can find waterproof fabric in home decor stores. This is my favorite because you can decorate them with Iron on transfers colored in with Sharpie indelible washable markers. Or make it cribsize and put a growth charth on it. Maybe the Baby's name, weight, DOB ect. Very personal. I traced my childrens hands on their's until I took them out of their youth beds. They are great later to throw across the car seat for little sandy beach bums.

Lol my Pick up looks pretty good but the Van still has the Christmas tree I had for the Princess at the nurseing home in the back seat!

I did find putting a basket between the seats seems to corral the "junk" pretty well.

<-----Been old enough to do it Very Right, and I don't know about anyone else, but I am STILL young enuf to do it often!!!

Yesssh according to that song it was any woman over 36! I have clothes older than that!

Nope because it was my wedding night and I really loved him and it was a Loooong engagement. lol

Sounds like a million dollar idea to me! lol

No Problem. You might if your Mother is over 72 or Disabled call your local Mass Transist system and get her set up for there Senior Transportation service. It goes curb to curb usually MUCH less than a cab service by a phoned in appointment.

She can go anywhere she wants but if you pick a Mall she could go have her hair done, eat lunch, and go to a movie or shop and give you both a nice long break from each other on the weekends and then during the week at a host of fun activities, includeing a hot lunch program for >$3.00, at the Parks and Recreation Facilities.

These programs usually provide comprehensive Senior Services Directories for free.

JAG You might have different laws where you are at but check into this idea.

If your Mother does not own the property the old trailer is on it is possible that she can Quick Deed the title over to you as her immediate heir and not be disqualified.

Especially if the subsidized houseing she is moving into offers independent living suport services which many of the subsidized houseing for the elderly do.

Then if you do not want this ageing "vehical" you can quick deed the title to the property owners with the written agreement that they have to have it inspected/appraised. Usually they can do this for $200 to $400 since many inspectors are hungry for the work. Then the valuation will go against you as income but it is taxed as the minimal gift that it is; probably under $2,000.

Because In most states mobiles can not be reinhabited if they fail this inspection their valuation drops like a rock. (Rules under Houseing and Community Developement TITLE XX program.)

Property owners will sometimes take these homes and sell them in lots as salvage. Since the real money is in the substantial lot rent that they can collect for spots to put new homes because virtually no new "parks" are being zoned they are glad to do it.

Word to the wise you might if you have the the time and inclination ( and the park rules allow you to do it strip the alluminum awnings, out buildings, and skirting for several hundered dollars salvage. If you remove the screws it has a much greater value.

You can also retain her appliances. Usually they are so energy wasteful that they are not worth it. If the property is habitable as long as it is in her possession she can go to the Utility conservation program and be given a new washer, dryer, and refrigerator. Usually one much nicer than is provided in a subsidized apartment but because it is hers she can take it with her.

In your situation going to your Community Council on the Ageing and being assigned a social worker you can usually fill out one application that qualifies her for a host of free services, grants, and resources. Good Luck!!!

They aren't coming to critique your housekeeping they are coming to have fun. Sit down and rest so you can enjoy it.

Maybe I missed it in another thread but has anyone heard how Mirror is?

I think people thinking they are ENTITLED to things is what has gotten a lot of people in the mess they are in. They thought they were entitled to more fancy weddings/divorces, kids, houses, cars, electronics, and eating out than they could afford.

Hey I thought gals always went to the bathroom together?

Maybe we ought to quit bailing out the auto manufactuers and spend the same money on mass transit. After all that is what helped some European countries and Japan recover rather quickly and become economic powerhouses. Russia wanted to be like the USA and because we were afraid of them we didn't build them mass transit and is why, in part, their economy collasped. We need to either accept that we can afford to live or go under making car payments, buying gas, and auto, health, and property insurance.

Actually that is not true. The working poor pay a larger percentage personally and overall. The rich tie their wealth in deferred or tax free loopholes that they pay the minimal amount of taxes that they can. Since they can lobby and get loop holes voted in it is amazing what they get free and still get to write off.

What people do not understand is that Social Security Disability is only paid to those people who are totally disabled to do any work that they are trained to do.

If your sister has the cognitive skills to do a job; even if it is difficult then social security says she has to work. If her work made her disability worse as Post Polio would your sister would qualify for disability. A post Polio Syndrom Society chapter which are all over the country could help her find a neurologist that could document that.

People who are disabled by Mental illness may not have the consistent cognitive skills to do any work they are trained to do full time. They might with medication to do short burst of work and earn part time income which they can keep a percentage but they have to redocument their disabiity at any time fraud is suspected or just on a routine basis usually every three years by having their own doctors submit reports that are reviewed by social security administration medical professionals.

Or they do not own a SUV at all and are being driven or loaned it's use by a family member or a church member seeing it is more reasonable for them to buy one monthly shopping than paying double at Gas stop grocery stores that are walking distance from their residence.

The American With Disabilities Act is a building code that is over 27 years on the books.

The law was written that reasonable accomodations had to be made on all existing public buildings, sidewalks, and mass transportation. That process has taken years and the Disabled have been exceedingly patient. THe ADA was based on three basic premises.

One the Constitution right that guarantees ALL people freedom from taxation with out representation. You can't tax people for services they can not independently use.

Two that if disabled people could access the world independently that they would not be dependent on others, most often public funds or insurance costs that were passed on to all and that MANY would (and HAVE) be able to return to the work force paying substanial taxes. Many physically disabled people pursue higher education that results in substanial employment; if they can get to the workplace and it is accessible since they can not do physical jobs.

And three that it was NOT Equal Liberty and Access to Justice and other public services by the buildings being inaccessible. That is was discrimination; something that was tested all the way to the supream court.

What consistently never makes it to the six o'clock news is ONLY NEW construction had to be built fully accessible.

The fact that contractors have IGNORED building codes and continued to remodel with out prioritizeing access or Building, even changeing blueprints at site for such unimportant reasons as cosmetic appeal or failing to order the needed materials seems to be excused. Unless someone files a court injunction and with holds payment until it is built to code.

Yes there are some People even disbled that have educated themselves about the LAWS and taken the time and often their own personal funds to file the lawsuits and show up for the sometimes seemingly endless procedurals since no public funds were allotted for enforcement. Some are parents and grandparents that refuse to let their family members made second class citizens because of a birth defect, illness, injury, military service, or being the innocent victim of a crime (example DUI). That they are ONLY enforceing LAWS on the books many times after waiting YEARS for these building code violations to be corrected.

If anyone should be mad as hell it is the taxpayers that are paying for the buildings to be built twice and retro-fitted which is hugely more expensive (and often done by the same contractors) when those contractors certified that they have met building codes and defrauded the taxpayers. So if you are worried abot someone exploiting you put the blame where it belongs.

If you mean your body I don't think you really want to know. It isn't particularly pretty.