Nancy writes:
>Have any of you worked with/considered teaching the idea of sequencing to teens?

Yes!
        Working with teen mothers in WIC, I found myself wondering why the "optimum outcome" was to have them
return to school. Neighbourhood schools shuffled pregnant teens off to alternative establishments where only
local exams were given, not the Regents necessary to get into college. No in-house childcare was provided, so
one pumping at lunchtime was the optimal possible, plus mother/baby separation for at least 7 hours.
        The first thing was to let mothers know that they *did* have options! Some possibilities, depending
on the baby's birth date and the level of committment,  were: staying home for the rest of the semester,
waiting until the baby was old enough to eat solids (about six months), taking off a whole year, asking for
home tutoring or transfering to a neighbouring school district where the alternative school had in-house
child care.
        Most teens (and many older mothers!) do not realize that whatever their personal situation, they
*always* have choices about returning to school and/or work. Money *is* a consideration, so we need to
suggest ways in which mothers can both economize and earn with the minimum of separation. Some books which I
particularly like are Christine Davidson's "Staying home instead," Kaye Lowman's "Of cradles and careers,"
and "What's a smart woman like you doing at home?" by Linda Burton, Janet Dittmer and Cheri Loveless, all
available from LLLI, (708)519-7730.
        Whoops, there I go on my soapbox again!


Norma Ritter, IBCLC, LLLL                  "If not now, when? If not us, who?"
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Date: 11/09/95
Time: 07:01:26