How young is too young to be a mom?

[Jazzy]

In northeast China last Sunday, a 9-year-old girl gave birth to a healthy 6-pound baby boy. The identity of the father has not yet been released, although the police have reportedly been contacted.



According to news.com.au in Australia, the baby was delivered by cesarean section at a Changchun hospital, and both the mom and newborn are doing well.



Sadly, she is not the youngest girl to deliver a baby, according to other published reports. Two girls in Peru, ages 5 and 8, are both on record as giving birth to children of their own.



How young is too young to be a mom? What do you think this newborn's life will be like given this kind of beginning?

 

[MagitekElite]

How young is too young to be a mom? What do you think this newborn's life will be like given this kind of beginning?

Young is anything below 16 at least. I think the baby will either be taken away from her and given to a older family, or China or someone, will somehow support her and the baby so she can keep him.



I doubt people will judge him or her in the future. He might have it rough though, humans can be so cruel.

 

[Corleone]

Too young is when you are not old enough to make huge decisions, a commitment to your partner, and when you're financially unstable to support the child. Being a mom is not something you can go out and just do overnight, it needs to be well, well, well thought out and planned to ensure your future as well as your child's future.

 

[MagitekElite]

Yes, but those little girls don't get a choice. The man that did it could have at least waited for her to be older. Being a mother at 16 is a lot better than being a mother at 9.



She didn't get a chance to say no to her partner or to want to make a commitment. A man forced her

Also, there are a lot of young teenage mothers that make hard decisions better than older ones. Maturity can come in teenagers.



I can't believe her baby came out healthy and healthy looking. Have you've guys seen the baby yet?

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Anyone under 18 is too young to have children in my book.

 

[Evil Eye]

5?!

Anyone under 18 is too young to have children in my book.

 

[Payton]

I think anyone under 18 is too young. But I'd still wait until I was like 27.

 

[hotspot]

5 & 8,9!!!!!! Holy crap!!!!! That's insane!!!! How'd they even get around!!



Well I think the youngest would be 16, but if anything 18 would be the right age.

 

[MagitekElite]

Anyone under 18 is too young to have children in my book.

But remember, those baby girls didn't have a choice. Besides it not happening at all, it would have been a little kinder of that cruel man to wait longer. She and the baby could have died!

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

What baby girls didnt have a choice?

 

[IcarusForde]

I know mothers that are my age with 2 and 3 year olds. It's all goood. Doesn't bother me in the slightest, they're still my friends.

 

[Jayglo]

I'd say it depends on the person. If they are in a stable environment and ready and willing to raise a child (if they are keeping it and not giving it up for adoption) then they should be able to. If they're 9 freaking years old!? No chance they're raising that baby.

 

[xneseyx]

WTF? hello people, we live in a world where these kids are supposed to be in school learning how to be a functional part of society, not haveing frigging babies! 5 years old? she's still a baby almost, for crying out loud! I wonder how many pedophiles live in Chna and Peru? I mean my god, that's just disgusting! I'm almost 19 and I still think I'm too young to be a mom! a lot of momhood has to do with maturity. there are probably a number of people younger than me who could handle a child because of their maturity levels. but kids under 10 years of age having more kids? EEEEEW! and people wonder why the population is rising so quickly...

 

[Princess]

You're never 'ready' to be a parent. Biologically able to bear (or father) children has nothing to do with the maturity involved in being a parent. It's a mental maturity issue, more than a chronological age.



I wouldn't think at 5 that it was biologically possible to have a child. But 9? Well, yeah, that's not all that unusual. However, a 9 year old isn't any more ready to be a parent than some 20 year olds I know.



I know women (and men) in their 30's, 40's, and 50's who have never been able to raise children and give them the loving stable home that children need. Personally, I was terrified when I first found out I was pregnant and the second time, and the third time....I never thought I could do as good a job as my folks....