Blog 2 :Option 4

I currently have no children, and I consistently ride the fence on whether I want to have a life that is free of children or become my own version of the Duggar family.  I have always envisioned myself having children since I was a little girl,  but now that I am almost 27 I am starting to develop some apprehension about becoming a mother. I had initially planned on tying to conceive when I…

1. Graduated from hygiene school
2. Found a stable position in my field
3. Purchased a house in a nice area
4. Saved up some money

I have done all of these things (#4 will always be a work in progress) but now I am starting to have some reservations.  I seem to come up with new experiences that I MUST have or tasks to complete before trying for a baby. I am also concerned that I may pass on some undesirable genetic conditions.  My mother’s side of the family has a history of mental illness including Bi-polar disorder. My mom was chronically depressed when I was a child; which was difficult for me. My sister, who has 3 children, is Bi-polar and so is her oldest child. I am worried that even if I currently do not suffer from depression; it may develop after having children.

I know that if I sat here and thought long enough, I could think of literally hundreds of thousands of reasons why having a baby would be a bad idea. This rationale would range from financial implications all the way to the physical ramifications of a “post baby body.”  I know that ultimately, even if it is several years down the road, my desire to have a child will eventually outweigh any logical excuses that my brain can come up with and I will become a mother (ovaries willing).

With all of that being said, I am so thankful that I have had the reproductive options that I have had. I was educated on sex and contraceptives when I was young, and my mom took me to get birth control pills when I was a teenager (with relatively little awkwardnessJ). It is because of those steps I am able to take my time and consider my options.

Healthy Behaviors for Adolescents...."Whatever"

    One of the most challenging aspects of my position as a dental hygienist is trying to find “the angle” that is most effective in encouraging the onset (and consistency) of preventive behaviors of adolescents.  The typical adolescent, in my opinion, feels a sense of invulnerability when it comes to their respective potential for developing a condition or disease. In my experience, the most effective way to convey a message intended to modify a habit is to illustrate to the individual that they are at an increased risk of  contracting _______ based on several factors. This recognition of susceptibility is paramount in the effort to elicit change.

    When I was 11 or so, my mom did a lot of volunteer work with Bryan’s House, which at the time was a facility that cared for children infected with HIV/AIDS (now they provide services for children dealing with a variety of ailments). Due to my mom’s involvement with this organization, I was around kids exactly my age who were born with HIV. It was through this experience I realized for the first time that people my age…kids basically were at risk for disease?! This kind of blew my mind. At that age you feel like only old people die.  This was an education that you cannot get in school or from a pamphlet. These experiences shaped my behavior as I got older. These experiences increased my level of compassion for individuals in unfortunate circumstances, and they prevented my participation in some of the “risky” behaviors that a few of my friends engaged in during high school.

Now in no way am I  advocating that everyone needs to take their teenager down to the local free clinic for a “lesson,” but what I am saying is that seeing an individual that is your age who is suffering from a condition, whether it be self-induced or as a result of someone else’s poor choices, is a powerful thing.

    Once you establish susceptibility and you demonstrate that there are consequences for not adopting healthy habits then you should give that teen/adolescent an exact game plan on how to attain/maintain healthy behaviors. It is easier to stay on a positive path when you have a specific roadmap in front of you.

     These are the basic steps that were effective for me as an adolescent, and this is the way I present material in the dental office.

     This method of influencing behavior is a simplified version of the “Health-Belief Model.” You just have to individualize your approach. The “magical sentence” that will resonate and bring about positive change is different for everyone so keep trying until you find it.