 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
16 and Pregnant
- MTV
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
Teen pregnancy docu is more voyueristic than informative.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this reality series about teen pregnancy highlights the difficulties associated with being pregnant and becoming a young mother. Discussions about sex include metaphors like "doing the hokey pokey" and stronger references that are bleeped out (salty language beyond words like "hell" and "damn" is also bleeped). While the series doesn't really offer any new information on the subject of teen pregnancy -- at times focusing more on relationship drama than issue-related content -- it can potentially serve as a starting point for parents to talk to teens about sex and its consequences.
What's the story?
16 AND PREGNANT follows six high school girls as they cope with the challenges of being pregnant and becoming parents. Each episode follows one girl as she approaches her due date, delivers, and faces her new life. Throughout the process, each young mom-to-be candidly discusses her choice to have the baby, how she feels about being pregnant, and how she's handling the transition from carefree teenager to "mature" parent. Each girl's partner, friends, and family are also along for the ride, weighing in as they adjust to her -- and their -- new role.
Is it any good?
The show clearly underscores the tremendous impact of getting pregnant and having. But other than showing the expected pitfalls that come with having a child at such a young age, it isn't very enlightening. It also seems to intentionally focus on the problems between the young mothers and their babies' fathers, their friends, and their parents, creating moments that are more voyueristically melodramatic than informative. As a result, the realities of being pregnant and having a child at such a young age almost become secondary as the young moms try to work out their relationship issues.
While the show is relatively non-judgmental, its storytelling style makes it hard to really understand what exactly viewers are supposed to feel after watching. Still, thanks to the controversy surrounding teen pregnancy -- as well as young people's natural curiosity about the topic -- it's very likely that teens will want to watch. 16 and Pregnant may not be the best viewing choice on the subject, but the good news is that it still has the potential to generate constructive conversations about some of the choices teens are making about sex, relationships, and dealing with the consequences of their actions.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the messages that the media sends about sex and sexual behavior. How do TV shows and movies tend to portray pregnant and/or sexually active teens? Are these portrayals realistic? What pressures do teens face when it comes to when it comes to having sex? Aside from pregnancy, what are some of the other consequences that teens face when they choose to engage in sexual activity? How about when they choose not to?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Teen, 15 years old
February 18, 2011
AGE
Junk that's not worth watching
MTV's "16 and Pregnant" isn't really reality. Yeah, it shows teenagers who are pregnant, but that's basically it. In fact, I saw on "People" magazine of the girls holding their babies while smiling and wearing stunning dresses. So this goes to show you that "reality" shows aren't really reality at all. These girls are rich. In the real world, you wouldn't be walking down the red carpet in a $6,000 dollar dress with a baby. You wouldn't be on the cover of an extremely popular magazine. You wouldn't have your own TV show, therefore you wouldn't get all that money to help take care of your child. In reality, this is what would REALLY happen:
You'd become pregnant, your parents would be so angry at you for making such a stupid mistake, you'd go through an awful birth, you wouldn't be able to do anything or go anywhere because you have a baby now, you wouldn't have tons of money to buy fabulous clothes for you and your child, you wouldn't be on the cover of a magazine, you'd be absolutely miserable, you would have no one to help you take care of the baby besides your parents, you'd gain a ton of weight and wouldn't be able to fit into Aeropostale clothes anymore!! That's the truth and this show does not show this. It's too glamorous............
What other families should know:
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Adult
July 22, 2011
AGE
semi educational
I like this show as a drama and frankly it makes me feel better when i am having a bad day (health issues) i know this reasoning is bad but that's me. I do find it educational in small doses for pre-teens to older teens to let them know of the struggles faced when you have unsafe sex as a teen. I like many has sex as a teen but unlike most of these teens on the show i had safe sex, infact i understood about safe sex and that sex = babies from a young age and knew i didn't want a child stuck to my hip before i had my own life so i paid attention when my mom told me things, but for parents uncomfortable talking to their kids this can be a show to help bring up the topic of sex and safe sex and the repercussions of not being safe and the hard choices and sacrifices that come along with being a young parent.
What other families should know:
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Adult
November 21, 2011
AGE
This show should be cancelled
16 and pregnant from my point of view is just telling teens to go and have babies so they can have their own really show, the first time i saw this show was in their first season i was 17 years old and i just thought what are they doing giving these kids a really show after they become pregnant, now is see magazines and celebrety news about these girls who became famous just by getting knocked up.
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Teen, 15 years old
May 9, 2011
AGE
???
I think that the serie is really exciting and a good way of frightening young people. They'd probably still have sex but maybe with a bigger thought about protection. When I see how their lives have taken an u-turn, and how they lost all their oppertunities for the restof their life, I don't want to be in their place - at leat not until I'm in the end of my twenties!
I don't exactly think they have healthy relationships, but come on they're 16, and shouldn't be having a child that age - that's the truth! They love their child but it has more become a hobby for them/project. They wouldn't be able to provide everything what that child will need.
Partly positive and negative.
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Teen, 16 years old
April 30, 2011
AGE
Coming from a 16 year old I don't think it sends the right message. It's makes it acceptable for girls of my age to become pregnant and have it glamorised all over television. It doesn't show that once you've had a child you can't be involved in your usual teenage activities in more or that juggling a child and education is hard.
Well that's when ever I've watched it.
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Parent of 17 year old
April 12, 2011
AGE
Bad Behavior
I believe that this show sends the wrong message. It rewards bad behavior with fame or infamy depending on your personal viewpoint.
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Teen, 16 years old
August 23, 2010
AGE
Awesome For Teen Girls
16 And Pregnant is a perfect example of why NOT to get pregnant at a young age. It shows the life of different girls who got pregnant when they were 16 and how they are dealing with it. A lot of the girls have to face breaking up with their significant other due to the stress of having a baby. That part is informative, but also is too much cussing sometimes, especially with Amber and Gary. That's the ONLY negative, as the show is accurate, since it's a reality, in it's reasoning behind why 16 year olds shouldn't get preggo! :)
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Kid, 12 years old
May 6, 2011
AGE
Amber Hits her boyfriend Garry infront of Daughter Leah but other then that nothing that bad happens.And they talk about Condoms and Birth control and if they used it during Sex and the term doing the ''Hokey Pokey'' are used once
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Kid, 12 years old
July 3, 2010
AGE
very entertaining show
i love this show. as much as it is entertaining it educational as well. It teaches teens that there are consequences to having sex and stuff. there is some arguing between teen couples and bad languge but it stilll is a great show........ SO IF U R 13 OR EVEN 12 OR OLDER AND YOUR A GIRL WATCH THIS SHOW!!!!!!
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Teen, 13 years old
August 23, 2010
AGE
WATCH IT ALL THE TIME!
This show is filled with drama around every corner and thats just what i love! if you love drama and teens then watch this show!!
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| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | MTV |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
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