The shocking headlines declaring that a boy of 13 becomes a father has provoked a fierce debate by politicians , parents and the media about “broken Britain”. Alfie Patten was just 12 when he and Chantelle Steadman, 15, conceived their child.
It’s very sad. It’s also not surprising when you consider that the UK has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Western Europe. I think stories like this are only going to become more common as society breaks down even more than it has already. Unfortunately, too many children don’t have loving parents or they are being raised by a struggling single parent without any other family support. Also, there are too many homes where children aren’t getting any discipline at all or they are probably being left alone to fend for themselves most of the time.
And as more details were released about the case, it was reported that Alfie’s older sister had a baby at the same age. It does seem to point to a problem regarding the way the children in the family are being parented.
There is another very unsettling part to the whole story and that’s the way the story is being covered by the media. It seems to me that at least one of the parents has already shown what disregard they have for their children by allowing the media access to their photos and to be interviewed on TV. A parent had to give consent.
It’s a shame that rather than try to protect their privacy, the families seem to be doing the exact opposite. And then lo and behold, there is this disgraceful news: Alfie Patten stands to make a small fortune from the story of how he fathered a child at 13. Charming! And what kind of message does this send to teenagers?
Yes the media are behaving despicably but the parents had to give their consent to it. They don’t seem to care about the privacy of their children. I think the involvement with the media is making the situation so much worse. And I don’t think it’s right to give the children special status by flattering them with interviews and certainly not by rewarding them with financial deals.
In an ideal world, children are allowed (and encouraged) to have a childhood. I think there are a lot of factors (the over-sexualisation of society is certainly a factor) contributing to a story such as this but I also believe the parents are the most important factor. The government can make sure schools provide sex education but it’s very difficult (actually nearly impossible) to ensure good parenting for all children.
And as if all of this isn’t enough to contemplate and discuss, now there is the news of a dispute over who fathered the child:
Alfie Patten may take DNA test after two more teens claim paternity
(link via telegraph.co.uk)
The whole story is turning into a sad, tawdry soap-opera, only it’s real life, unfortunately. And it involves children. Children having children.
What are your thoughts?