By Robin Urevich
Hear "Teenage Fathers" in Real Audio
Download Real Audio
Teen parenthood is almost always associated with young women. Adolescent fathers are rarely seen, and they're heard from even less. The stereotype is that being invisible is their choice. However, according to the National Latino Fatherhood and Family Institute, teenage fathers can and should be an important part of their children's lives. As Robin Urevich reports from Los Angeles, sometimes they just need to learn how.
Ruben Cantu, a high school junior who works for LATINO USA, offers these suggestions for how Robin Urevich's report might be used as a learning resource.
Suggestions for school, home, and libraries
Grades: 7-12 and beyond
Subjects: English, social studies, parenting and life skills
By RUBEN CANTU
In this segment Robin Urevich talks to teenage fathers in a support group in Los Angeles. This group welcomes teenage fathers who want to talk about fatherhood and the problems and responsibilities that come with it.
This group is called the National Latino Fatherhood and Family Institute and its motto is that teenage fathers can and should be a part of their children's lives. Robin talks to us about how this process works and how the fathers learn.
Robin interviews Richard Pacheco about his life. Richard, now 16, has his own baby. His own father didn't play an active role in his life, but Richard wanted to do something different with his son.
A few months after the baby was born, Richard and his partner began to grow apart. They decided to take turns with the child until one day, the mother left Richard with the baby. When she returned she said she was moving and was taking the baby with her.
Richard took this to court, and he won custody of the child. During that time, he joined the support group at NLFFI. He bonded with the group, which teaches ancient Maya and Aztec concepts of what it is to be a man and a father.
Bobby Verdugo, family coordinator and mentor, says to look at our ancestors and find wisdom there. He also says that the "macho" concept is something that has been twisted and turned around. The true meaning of macho is not to beat your wife but to be a noble man and take care of your family and household.
Verdugo tells us to look back at the codex of the Aztec and Maya. A father was someone who took care/responsibility of and for his family. He also points out that Latino men may, in fact, still be more involved with their families than any other ethnic group.
Jerry Tello directs the National Latino Fatherhood and Family Institute; he tells us that Latino boys are often raised to hide their feelings and one of the most important parts of being a father is that you have to have feelings.
Richard says that the group helped him out tremendously and now he teaches other young men the same things he learned. He also says there are other reasons that young men become fathers. Some feel that leaving a legacy is all they can do. And others just want someone to love them.
Two years ago Richard had another child, a girl. The pregnancy was not planned and he is still trying to understand why it happened. Still, one of the most important lessons Richard learned from the program is that his bond with his children is, and must be, strong and permanent.
Terms to discuss:
codex
machismo
Questions:
1. Who do you think is more responsible for a child's upbringing-the mother or the father? How important do you think it is for a father to participate in raising his child? What happens when a parent leaves his/her child and partner and later tries to return?
2. How common is teen fatherhood? How many teen parents do you know? Does society accept teen fathers any differently than teen mothers?
3. How would you define machismo? What is your opinion of the word? Does it exist? Do you experience it in your environment?
4. Do you think fathers are affectionate enough with their children? If you were to have children, what kind of father would you want them to have?
5. Do you think wanting to be a father at a young age is a good idea? Why, or why not?
Ruben Cantu is a junior at Gonzalo Garza Independence High School in Austin, Texas, and host of Youth Spin, a weekly radio program produced from a teen perspective. He works part time for LATINO USA.
Send feedback on this page (deangraber@mail.utexas.edu)
This Week's Program News Hear Us Learning Resources
Contact Us Join Us Sponsors About Us Search Home