Teenage girls are considering becoming pregnant just to get on MTV's reality program Teen Mom.  This is insane!  Why would you want to put your body through something it really isn't prepared for?  Who will support you and your baby?  I don't think MTV will pay you $100,000 per episode.  And when your 15 minutes of fame are up, they're up!

Amber Portwood has become well known because she was on MTV's reality shows Teen Mom and 16 and pregnant.  Twenty-year-old Portwood had trouble with the law after she hit her boyfriend.

Girls and boys, if you're thinking about becoming pregnant just to get on a reality show, you may be desperate for fame.  Boys, if you're thinking about getting your girlfriend pregnant, think again.  Having a baby is a lifetime commitment.  I don't think MTV will set you up with a house and $20,000 per month so you can live happily ever after.

Becoming a parent is major responsibility and shouldn't be taken lightly.  Getting on a reality show isn't the answer to fame and fortune.  If you want to be famous, start taking acting, singing, dancing, painting, drawing, guitar, and other classes that could help you reach your goals.
 
You live in a celebrity culture that's getting out of control.  The fact of the matter is children shouldn't be having children.  You're not ready for the responsibility both mentally and emotionally.  Enjoy being a teen.  When you have a child you won't be able to go out and have fun.  A baby is a major responsibility that you're probably not ready for.  While Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant may seem glamorous, all that glitters isn't gold!

Unfortunately, a Wisconsin high school experienced a hostage situation that ended with a suicide.  Sam Hengel, a sophomore student, took his classmates hostage with two semi-automatic weapons and a knife.  He fired shots at a movie projector and wall.  He also shot a computer and telephone within the classroom before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life.  The stand-off lasted into the evening hours and was a horrific and scary situation for students, teachers, and administrators.  Grief counselors are available to students but they're still shaken up from the incident.

Sam was a good student who didn't show signs that he was severely depressed.  According to one student, he seemed depressed the day he killed himself but seemed to feel safe.  You never know what is going on below the surface of someone.  Your friends may seem okay but you don't live with them.  They may not tell you everything that's happening in their lives.

In order to protect students, the principal is thinking about having metal detectors installed in the school but those cost millions of dollars.  It's unfortunate that this would have to happen because of one incident.

Sam's parents said their son didn't give any indication that he was distressed.  They're saddened that he held his fellow students hostage and took his own life.  They wished he would have talked to them if he was having problems.

If you're feeling distressed, speak to your parents, a guidance counselor, rabbi, priest, minister, youth counselor, or anyone that can help you.  You know that being a teen today isn't a walk in the park.  You more pressure on you than your parents may have had.  Take a deep breath and know that this top shall pass.  Taking your classmates hostage or taking your own life won't solve your problems, they'll only be magnified.

A hostage situation or suicide isn't the answer.  You can get through anything in life with the help of others.  Don't be afraid to speak to your parents or other adults.  They can help you sort things out and life will get better.  Hang in there because you'll soon be out of the teen years and into adulthood.  It will get better!

Being a freshman in high school can be scary.  You're changing schools and some of your friends may go to other schools.  You may be a 'small fish in a big pond' and will have to get used to the possibility that you may not be that popular as you were in middle school.  You'll need skills to help get you through the high schools years.  These skills can help you while you're a teen but they can also help you when you're an adult.

Before you head off to the 9th grade, you could master the following skills:

1.  Know that it's all right if you cry.
2.  Learn to be on time and manage your time.
3.  Learn that peer pressure could get you into trouble.
4.  Learn how to create a budget.
5.  Learn how to open a checking and savings account.  Know how to balance a checkbook.
6.  Learn how to master your emotions before they master you.
7.  Respect yourself and others.
8.  Learn how to cook your own breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
9.  Learn how to do your own laundry.
10.  Learn how to set boundaries with people.
11.  Learn how to read a map.
12.  Learn how to speak proper English.
13.  Learn how to hail a cab in the U.S. and other countries.
14.  Learn alternate routes to get home.
15.  Learn how to say "No" and mean it.
16.  Learn that pressuring a girl to have sex will backfire on you.  You could get the girl pregnant and be faced with a life changing experience that you're not ready for or want.
17.  Learn that you're too young for sex.
18.  Learn how to choose the clothes that look best on you.  Wearing your pants around your waist is not a good look; it's sloppy.
19.  Learn good grooming skills such as taking a shower every day, wearing deodorant, and combing and brushing your hair.
20.  Learn how to change a tire.
21.  Learn how to treat women; they're not your property.
22.  Learn how to read body language.
23.  Learn how to tie a tie.
24.  Learn all you can about finance and money.
25.  Learn to think for yourself.

These are only a few of the skills you could master before you get to high school. They could save your life, enhance your life, and contribute to your life to in a positive life.  Think of some things that you could master before you get to high school and share with your friends!