Like the other answers have said, she needs to think if she and her partner are strong enough to have a baby. Espcecially with recession about to hit. Also thousands of people loosing their homes and jobs. I am pregnant with our 3rd baby and it is worring me. We dont even own our own home, yeah my partner is full time but we have just found out that the company he is working for is running out of work. Yes there are a lot of jobs out there but these days you have a better chance if you are qualified or ticketed. Your sister is only 16 and needs experience and qualifications. I had to make the same choice when I was 17. To my heartache I didnt continue with my pregnancy then. But when I look at things now, I would be more worse off now if I had have chosen a different path. I just kept telling myself that when the time is right, that same baby will come back to me.

I hope your sister realises how lucky she is to have you so concerned and willing to help. Mine were so far away I had no one to help. All the best for you both and what ever your sister decides, she has to think of her circumstances, not what other people will think!

Take care 

 

I may appear the right thing for the boyfriend to do would be to get a job, but I'm concerned depending on his age that this in the long run may not be the best thing.

Firstly as others have suggested sit down and go through the pros and cons of having or not having the child.  Which ever decision she makes has to be hers as she will have to live with it for the rest of her life. 

If she decides to keep the child, please try and help her finish secondary eduction and possibly a tafe course.   This will be hard at first but please try and find options for pregnant girls to continue their education I believe some schools allow this.  If the boyfriend is still at school encourage him to finish.  At 16 they should be finished in a year or 2 and I know it is asking a lot of you but she is your sister and it is such a short term in life and what she does now could have such a huge effect on her and her child in the future. 

This website may be worth looking at

www.awe.asn.au/ppp.php

 

okay to me, if i was in that situation i would love it, your got a babysitter, shes got a babysiter, she can help you an you can help her.. your sisters! and thats what sisters do, in my case i live alone with my husband and my baby, and yeah i kinda admit i get lonely, or you can move somwhere but close to your sister!!

she can learn alot from you, and maybe when they are fit to be on there own two feet they would move out before you know it??

but my advice dont treat her like a room mate, dont treat her like someone using a room in your house, do your things together as a family.  talk to her! explain how you feel its easy that way because you are girls and girls/sisters tend to tell everything, you can fight one day the next day you would apoligise and act as if nothing happened..

look at some options!! for me being the youngest out of 3 sisters, i wish we all were nextdoor neighbours lol

Could I please clarify something? Are you moving away from your SISTER in order to improve your family life.. for example she is one of the reasons your family life needs improving. Or are you saying you are moving to Perth to improve your life as where you are LIVING is causing problems, which just happens to be away from your sister?

This is your situation and your sister but putting myself in your shoes, this is how I would handle it personally. If my 16 year old sister told me she was pregnant I would take a lot of things in to consideration.

For example... Does she want the baby? (I don't believe in abortion but I do believe in other people's freedom of choice, so what I do and other people do are different and I respect it. An example being my best friend had an abortion and I wondered silently how on Earth she could do it but held my tongue and supported her with HER decision as her choices do not belong to me).

How long has she been with the boyfriend?

How mature is your sister?

Does she work?

How mature is the boyfriend?

Would he make a good father (these are your sister's choices, not yours remember. Example being, my family HATE my partner and believe he is wrong for me. However in my eyes he is the best thing that has ever happened to me and is a WONDERFUL father.)

Does your sister believe she will be a good mother?

Does she think her boyfriend treats her well enough to support her and a family?

Is her partner working?

If not, is he willing to work?

What is her plan?

What is his plan?

What is the backup plan?

What is their budget?

What support is available from any family support services such as Centrelink and Family Tax Benefits?

Can she access a health care card?

And so forth. I think if you sit down with your sister and ask her these kinds of questions, she will be able to come up with the answers she thinks is best for her. Based upon the answers of your sister, you can then work around and come to conclusions, she is happy with and so you also have a plan and know where you stand.

She also needs to understand that having the baby is not the only option.

Children are hard work-the most rewarding but most difficult thing you will ever do. It may not be the right time for her and it isn't wrong for her to look long and hard at her options.

You definately need to put your children first- they are your number 1 priority.

Maybe she could apply for a gov house / unit? if she goes and see a social worker thru centerlink they will let her know of her options...

i dont think u should leave her with out family support but i also know u have to put ur own family first too.. maybe help her get set up in her own place, then she will have to learn to be responsible..

xoxo