Would You Pay Your Teen NOT to Get Pregnant?by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 27 Jun 2009 10:55 PM You might not, but there are some parents who have no problem allowing their daughters to accept cash as incentive to keep their clothes on. Whatever works, right? Actually, the cash incentive program is a trademark of a group in North Carolina called College-Bound Sisters. The organization offers $1 per day to young girls ages 12 to 18 years old as a way to keep them out of the maternity ward. Only the cash reward comes with some stipulations, namely that the girls can't blow the money on a mall shopping spree. Rather, under the program's guidelines $7 is deposited per week into an interest-bearing college fund that the girls can collect once they graduate from high school. In addition to remaining pregnancy-free, the girls must also attend weekly meetings in order to receive the money. The organization, which is making headlines around the nation, is the brainchild of Hazel Brown. The maternity nurse, who thought too many teens were having babies, helped form the group in conjunction with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Brown says the group has three clear-cut goals: that girls avoid pregnancy, graduate from high school and enroll in college. The program is funded by a four-year grant from the state, which means that parents aren't the ones who are handing out cold hard cash to the girls, though many are credited with encouraging their daughters to join the group. And why not? Some recent graduates earned more than $2,000 to use for their college tuition. What's more, those high-paid graduates serve as an inspiration to girls still in the program and those considering enrolling. According to Brown, nearly 100 percent of the girls who finish the program have gone on to graduate college. As for the girls who drop out or get pregnant, their money is divided among the other girls still in the program. Would you encourage your daughter to join a group that pays them to abstain from sex? Related Articles: Does Jamie Lynn Spears' Birth Story Glamourize Teen Pregnancy? Would You Allow Your 15-Year-Old Daughter to Date a 20-Year-Old Guy? Nickelodeon's New Special: Teen Pregnancy 101 Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantparenting tags User Comments Samual (11722) 28 Jun 2009 04:36 AMNo, if your child is to loose as to require this, then you've failed massively as a parent. shawspear (435) 28 Jun 2009 08:24 AM. . . ugh . . . at least $10,000 if I thought it would work but we know it won't don't we. Want to keep her from gettin' pregnant? Get to her while you can still rock her to sleep and teach her all about the perils of girl-world. You do know all about that don't you dad? Oh yeah, I forgot, that game's on today is it? Mom can do it? Not the same. You hold the key dad if only you knew how to use it but you must get to her before . . . I don't know exactly, 9 maybe, 10, 11, 12, when she hits 13, forget it. You've lost her by that time and you aren't getting a word in edgewise, but 6, 5, 7, 8, yeah you can do some real good then.  Andrea Hermitt (5507) 29 Jun 2009 11:40 AMThis is pretty sad. But if they pay money for grades, why wouldn't this be next.  Michele Cheplic (37339) 03 Jul 2009 05:00 AMHere's what the catch: They pay NOT to get pregnant, but it doesn't specifically say anything about not having sex--just not having babies. I agree with shawspear that sex education starts at home... and hopefully ends there as well. Thanks for the comments! Discuss this article
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