How refreshing to read a well constructed piece on the way much of our society has chosen to live, today. Working in the maternity department for the past 25 years, I have seen much of exactly what you are referring to. I've raised 4 daughters, 2 are 25, one is 24, and the youngest will soon be 20. From the time as young as I can remember them being, I always taught them that they needed to graduate from high school, listen to their teachers, respect them, not talk out of turn in school, do their homework, get good grades, graduate, then get a college degree, so that, no matter what else happens, they always have a better chance of getting a decent job or work, and always be able to count on themselves to take care of themselves. Anyone that we knew, who had babies out of wedlock, I would point out to them (my kids, on the side), that by doing it this way, that they would further limit their own ability to accomplish a college degree in the future. Not that it can't be done, that way, but that it just makes it all the more difficult. I would talk to them on a regular basis about how this is not the way God intends, as far as premarital sex goes, (once they were old enough) just so they could understand. Amazingly, so far, we haven't had any of this happen, not to say that it still couldn't. (But the first 2 are married and they do have their degrees, too, now). They will still tell me, too, how they always remembered me talking to them, about this stuff, when they were growing up. So, it does help them a lot, if they hear it repeatedly, from you. Not to nag at them, but just those times when you have those little talks, and they hear it over and over (on occasion), they will learn those values. J. C.