Teen Pregnancy Is Only A Tragedy If You Make It One

Merriam-Webster defines a tragedy as a disasterous event. Pregnancy does not have to be a tragedy, a disasterous event. Will there be changes to life? Absolutely. But there are expected and unexpected changes to all aspects of a life. A married couple planning a pregnancy may still feel overwhelmed by the changes in their lives when they successfully get pregnant. Change itself is not a disaster. How we react to change of any kind, pregnancy included, is what defines the emotional impact of the event.

Scott Lyons wrote an opinion article for "Indian Country Today" called "Teen Pregnancy is not a tragedy". He mentions that his 18-year old daughter, a senior in high school, is pregnant and planning to parent the child after considering both adoption and abortion. He says, "as her father, I left such decisions up to her and didn't try to sway her any which way. (This, I learned, is the most psychologically healthy way for any parent to respond to a pregnant teenager.)" Yet Lyons goes on to say that he believes children represent Hope and that they are sacred beings.

What do you think of this response? Do you infer that it shows no emotions about the fate of his grandchild? Do you think that this type of response is actually a cop-out? What do children represent to you?