Report: Teen Birth Rate Hits Record Low

http://www.comcast.net/news/health/index.jsp?cat=HEALTHWELLNESS&fn=/2007/07/13/713456.html&cvqh=itn_birthrate Report: Teen Birth Rate Hits Record Low WASHINGTON - Fewer high school students are having sex these days, and more are using condoms. The teen birth rate has hit a record low. More young people are finishing high school, too, and more little kids are being read to, according to the latest government snapshot on the well-being of the nation's children. It's good news on a number of key wellness indicators, experts said of the report being released Friday. "The implications for the population are quite positive in terms of their health and their well-being," said Edward Sondik, director of the National Center for Health Statistics. "The lower figure on teens having sex means the risk of sexually transmitted diseases is lower." In 2005, 47 percent of high school students _ 6.7 million _ reported having had sexual intercourse, down from 54 percent in 1991. The rate of those who reported having had sex has remained the same since 2003. Of those who had sex during a three-month period in 2005, 63 percent _ about 9 million _ used condoms. That's up from 46 percent in 1991. The teen birth rate, the report said, was 21 per 1,000 young women ages 15-17 in 2005 _ an all-time low. It was down from 39 births per 1,000 teens in 1991. "This is very good news," said Sondik. "Young teen mothers and their babies are at a greater risk of both immediate and long-term difficulties." The birth rate in the 15-19 age group was 40 per 1,000 in 2005, also down sharply from the previous decade. Education campaigns that started years ago are having a significant effect, said James Wagoner, president of Advocates for Youth, a Washington-based nonprofit group that focuses on prevention of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. "I think the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the efforts in the '80s and '90s had a lot to do with that," Wagoner said of the improved numbers on teen sex, condoms and adolescent births. "We need to encourage young teens to delay sexual initiation and we need to make sure they get all the information they need about condoms and birth control," he said. The report was compiled from statistics and studies at 22 federal agencies, and covered 38 key indicators, including infant mortality, academic achievement rates and the number of children living in poverty. Other highlights: _The percentage of children covered by health insurance decreased slightly. In 2005, 89 percent of children had health insurance coverage at some point during the year, down from 90 percent the previous year. _The percentage of low birthweight infants (born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces) increased. It was 8.2 percent in 2005, up from 8.1 percent in 2004. _More youngsters are getting reading time. Sixty percent of children ages 3-5 (and not in kindergarten) were read to daily by a family member in 2005, up from 53 percent in 1993. _The percentage of children who had at least one parent working year round and full-time increased to 78.3 percent in 2005, up from 77.6 percent the previous year. _More young people are completing high school. In 2005, 88 percent of young adults had finished high school _ up from 84 percent in 1980. The report was released by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics _ a consortium of federal agencies that includes the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Census Bureau and the Administration for Children and Families. ___ On the Net: Report available after midnight: http://childstats.gov/

A Weekend without the Saturday

With the 4th of July falling out on a Wednesday, it felt like a weekend without the Saturday. Tuesday, felt like Friday, happy hour/BBQ, kids playing, and the weather was amazing! Wednesday, the 4th of July, felt like a Sunday, sober enough for Monday with clouds in sky, ready to cry. All in all, Independents Day was satisfying. We start our 4th off with my son saying he rather watch the parade and not be in it this year, riding his bike. I look at his bike, an hour helping him decorating it; I agreed with him that as it is fun to be in it, it’s just as fun to watch it. After my son made his choice, I was given a few extra hours of coffee time and reading. :) A few morning hours later, we were off to the parade in my home town, also in hope that my son will not try to look up the Scottish Bag-Pip Bands kilts in hope of seeing them wear/not wearing underwear. Sitting at the end of the parade route, my brother, his son, my husband, and my son made it a plan that when the parade was over they would leap over to the ball field for the complementary hot dog and juice, look at the classic cars, and sit in the Army helicopter while my favorite sister in-law, my self, and our daughters talked with old neighbors, enjoyed the weather, and the thought of not having to keep our eyes on the ‘BOYS’. After eating the mystery meat and 2% Juice donated by the once family owned, local supermarket, I asked my husband if he wanted to take the kids to the Fire House, that is located on the way out of my home town, surprised by his response, he said no. In all the time I have been with my man of choice, he has never said no to a beer, until he heard that it was Miller. :( Nap time came and went so fast and off we went to our last BBQ, well it was a continuation of the day before. Buns stale, dog barking, kids crying, we made our way home in the rain. Fire works were out of the question. Kids went to bed and I called it an early night, as if it was a Sunday, with Monday (Thursday) lurking around the corner.

Special Education

Currently I am going to school. Well, I went back to school. Starting fresh! I already have my Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice. What did I do with it? I became a Privet Investigator for Fraud and Cheating Hearts. Left the field because I was given a chance to carry a fire arm, but made the choice to not carry on with that dream. So long Silk Stalkings. What could I have done with it? By this point in my life, I could have been an officer of the law and made my way up the ladder to Detective or something of that nature. Twenty Seven, and still don’t know what I fully want to do when I grow up. So in the mean time, going back to school to become a Special Education Teacher is the choice to be.

On the side I work with Teen Mothers/Fathers, showing them how to care for their child, set them up with child care and further education for them. I love it! Given that I work with them, I realized by traveling the long road of life, that I want to do more. I want to teach. That is the way to give more. I want to help children who have learning disabilities or a chance to show them that they are smart, and the answer is the key on how to find a way around the blocked area in your mind to get the answers and education that all children are hungry for.

How I came to my decision. Math: was a strong weakness of mine all through school. I was always comparing myself to a fellow classmate where math and schooling came easy. It wasn’t until I realized that I was only slow at it. Once I realized this set back of mine, I became OKAY with math and was helping other students who did not understand it. Science: was nap time and came unsuitable for me, so that will be an area I don’t think I will touch. (I still have trouble handling raw chicken because of seventh grade Bio.) Hats off to those who understand it and love it! History: I loved History! Billy Joel is my all time favorite. I had this teacher in high school that used him in the beginning of the school year to say that we will learn everything that is mentioned in his “We Didn’t Start The Fire” song. So, from that point on I was hooked to History. English: I have always loved English. My spelling is still bad, but I continue to work on it. When it came to reading a great classic and breaking it down, I found that I understood it all. I felt like I was intelligent. I remember the time I realized that I loved writing. It was middle school. I had this teacher, telling me to keep it up, that I had things to be said and to be heard. My thoughts tend to be all over the place, but once I had a few key people that I looked to in guiding me and showing me how to get my thoughts in order, I was convinced that maybe one day I could have a CLASSIC that will be read in all high schools. All these areas of school (when I would go, not proud to say that) can be helped by the Special Education that most schools provide. I know that in this line of education, it can be draining, but it really is worth all the hard work.

So to end this for now, Thanks Doc and Thank you Mrs. T. for being great examples for Special Educational Teachers.

This was a blog entry to a paper that I have to write for class. I will post it when done.