"I don't feel well."

I just got off the phone with a parent of one of my students. The parent informed me that their child would not be coming to school today because the student didn't feel well. The mother also told me that they were trying to get in to see the doctor. In the background my student was screaming, "I don't feel well. I feel big and uncomfortable."

It is times like these when I wish I could be brutally honest. If I could be blunt with this family, this is what I would have said.

"You don't feel well? Oh, I'm sorry. If you didn't want to feel this way you shouldn't have gotten pregnant at 15 by a 23 year old sex offender. You should have stopped to realize that you are still a kid yourself and in no way ready to take care of a child. How did you think you were going to feel when you were 9 months pregnant? Happy and carefree? Being pregnant is hard, and hard on your body. You can't just 'quit.' That's not how your body works."

But no, instead I said, "Ok, call me and let me know what the doctor says."

Honestly, how did she expect to feel being 9 months pregnant? It's situation likes these when I realize the morals in America have dropped. This family knew their daughter was "dating" a 23 year old. They consented to the sex and allowed them the alone time. Did I mention she got pregnant while being on home detention? They told the judge, "Well allowed them to have sex." That's fine and dandy in your world, but here in the real world, that makes him a sex offender!

I really feel for this soon to be born child. This child will have so many burdens and set backs placed upon it just because of the family it is being born into. It didn't choose to be born into a family with issues and mental illness.

I have actually gone so far as to contact DCS to ask if the child could be removed from the home until she gives birth. I was hoping this would allow the newborn to have a better shot at life. They legally can't do anything. It's frustrating.