to think that if soaps showed how having children affected peoples lives there might be less teenage pregnancy?

[Averyyounggrandmaofsix]

I mean people are always out and about in the pub, no one ever misses anything beacause they havent got a baby sitter

It really really anoys me to the point where I shout at the telly when characters are single mums, (not just teen ones)with no visible family, and yet always out and about without the baby.
WHO HAS THE BABY??
The things is, before I was a lone parent I never would have even thought about this, the same way that people don't think about it when they invite me to events with barely any notice.
I need notice people! At least a weeks notice!
Grrr.

How ridiculous to suggest only teens need the wake up call. I was 30 when I had dd and totally clueless as to the reality. Anyone without experience of rearing a child is in the same boat.

Ah, this puts me in mind of a conversation DH and I had with some friends of ours (both in their 30s, she's a lawyer he's a uni lecturer). We said how tired we were as DD hadn't been sleeping well (she was about 14 months IIRC). They were horrified that she didn't sleep 7 til 7 every single night. Then I said, 'well it's loads better than when she was newborn, she used to wake every 2 hours for ages and that was really exhausting'. Cue the husband of the other couple smiling and saying, 'yeah, but not all babies are like that are they? I slept through the night from the first night my parents brought me home from hospital'.

"then they spend all their cash on fry-up's at the caff"

Not only this, but 50% of the time soon after ordering they'll have to leave and don't end up eating the fry up/drinking their tea.

Disclaimer: it's about 15 years since I've seen Eastenders or Corrie, but I'm sure they're not changed that much!

PregolaLola So sorry, my mistake, I thought the thread title said "AIBU to think that if soaps showed how having children affected peoples lives there might be less teenage pregnancy".

I apologise. On looking back, I realise the thread title says "AIBU to think that if soaps showed how having children affected peoples lives there might be less pregnancy".

I have no idea why I thought the thread was about how soaps portrayed having children to teenagers.

I also notice that you picked me out, because quite rightly I am the only person on the thread to have mentioned teenagers, and teen mothers. You are right PregolaLola, it was totally irrelevant to the whole thread for me to mention teenagers, and I can only apologise and promise to read the thread title more thoroughly in the future.

I did say I was not referring to all teen parents, but since I have no idea how to actually start a thread, I suppose I thought it would be okay to jump on this one with my long overdue opinion. I have actually been wanting to say that for so many years, you have no idea. It has consumed my every waking hour and some of my sleeping hours too.

So sorry you had to be subjected to my 'irrelevant and pathetic' post.

The teenagers I have spoken to in the past who talk about having babies talk about how they will dress their babies, what branded shoes they have seen that look so cute, how they will put little alice bands in their hair, or Nike trainers on their tiny feet, because they look so cute.
They talk of having a little baby to squeeze and cuddle, to walk to the shops with in their swish prams.

that was the irrelevant part, i thought the thread was about how they were never seen with their children out and about?

I know a tonne of mums who only talk about what they will buy, what they will call baby etc, mainly because you don't start up a conversation
'yeah i'm dead chuffed to be having a baby, i wont sleep, wont leave the house, have aching boobs, the birth will be terribly painful and i'll bleed for weeks afterwards, can't wait'
plenty of mums like to talk about the nice bits and maybe just maybe talk to those closest to them about the bits their dreading

I don't see why the title of this thread is about teenagers either. Why should teenagers be more influenced than any other person by soaps?