09/10/2025
PARENTS AND YOUTH SHOULD READ THIS
Should You Let Your Teenager Marry After Getting Pregnant Too Early?
It’s one of the hardest questions a parent could ever face: Should you allow your 17-year-old daughter to marry if she gets pregnant too early?
Many parents, especially in traditional communities, feel the heavy pressure of “saving face.” They worry about what others will say, how the family’s reputation might be affected, or how their child will be judged.
According to Sir Andrew Paulino Jr. of Mankayan, Benguet, a respected Igorot singer and composer, forcing a teenage couple to marry right after pregnancy isn’t always the best solution. In his experience, many who were pushed into early marriage sometimes even with extravagant weddings, ended up separating after just a year or two. The reason? Their relationship was built not on love and maturity, but on pressure and guilt.
Paulino’s advice is both simple and wise: let the young woman give birth first, and then observe. See if the young man is truly responsible enough if he stands by her during pregnancy, helps her emotionally, and shows genuine care for her and the baby. Love is tested not by a wedding ceremony, but by consistent effort and responsibility during hard times.
Teenage pregnancy, as painful as it may be for parents to accept, is not the end of a young person’s future. It’s a mistake, yes but also a moment for growth, compassion, and reflection. Forcing marriage too soon often adds a heavier burden on two young people who are still learning about life, responsibility, and love.
Instead of rushing to “fix” the situation, parents can focus on guidance and emotional support. Help the daughter raise her child, encourage the father to step up, and let time reveal whether their relationship is real or just a reaction to fear and pressure.
Sometimes, trying to protect the family’s name can end up breaking the family’s peace. It’s better to build a foundation of understanding than to construct a marriage out of shame.
Teenagers make mistakes, that’s part of growing up. But what defines a family is not how perfect its children are, but how much love and wisdom the parents show when things go wrong.
And to the youth, especially teenagers, let this be a lesson. Life is full of choices, and one moment of recklessness can change your entire path. Guard your future. Value your education and dreams before romance. Real love will wait until both hearts and minds are ready. Respect your body, your parents, and your ambitions, because true maturity means thinking ahead, not just feeling in the moment.
Mistakes made in youth do not define a person forever. But how one chooses to learn from them, and how a family responds with wisdom and empathy, can define their strength for life.
