Is it just me or did watching the movie "Juno" worry any other responsible adult?

I mean, the critics raved about it. The Los Angeles Times said, "'Juno' is hilarious and sweet-tempered, perceptive and surprisingly grounded...". Perceptive? Grounded? How many 16-year old girls have the communication skills, the control over emotions, and the total acceptance and support of the "hippy-go-lucky" parents that Juno had. I found the movie to be cute and well-acted, but also very laissez-faire in that it presented the best possible circumstances in which any pregnant teen could find herself. But is that fair to the thousands of young women looking for answers at a time in our society when we are trying to discourage teenagers from engaging in sex for more reasons than just pregnancy?

As I watched the movie with my husband, stepson, and his 16-year old girlfriend, I couldn't help but wonder if, as she watched Juno independently drive herself all over town organizing her life, she was thinking, "It's not such a big deal. If I get pregnant, I will look in the Pennysaver, find some rich people who want a baby, and in nine short months it will all be over." And how many other teens out there were thinking the same thing? Could it be that in our "uptight" part of the country, we have not managed to have the same resources for teen mothers-to-be as, say, in the Midwest or in the southern states? And could the overcrowded inner city drug and alcohol problems make the issue more complex than it has to be? Maybe not.

It seems that the ease of Juno's pregnancy made sense to 17 girls from the high school in Gloucester, Massachusetts who, it has been reported, are all pregnant, and not by accident. Though details are still sketchy, it appears that the pregnancies were planned and even celebrated by the teens. Are their parents cool enough to give them the support they need? Hope so.

The news reported that, "Superintendent Christopher Farmer said the girls are generally 'girls who lack self-esteem and have a lack of love in their life.'" And although the Superintendent first reported that the girls made a pact to have babies together, the Mayor has said that when asked how he knew, the Superintendent's memory failed. Could he have made up such a story? I doubt it. Older teens from the same area have commented that they felt the girls did this because they were looking for "unconditional love" and acceptance - a clear symptom of low self-esteem.

And so, unlike the fairytale ending in Juno, I believe now we are left to deal with this as a society -- schools, parents, and teens alike. It's unfortunate that the Gloucester girls couldn't see the true and far-reaching consequences of their actions. But I do think the only thing left to do is to try and prevent this from happening on such a large scale again. But how?

I think we need more or better sex education, accessible birth control information, and most important of all, self-esteem programs to help young women everywhere understand how to live independently, to take responsibility for their actions, that their choices don't have to be limited, and that they don't have to follow the crowd. Life is interesting and hard, but holds endless possibilities and they should know that.

I know, I know, Juno was just a movie - a creative expression, an artistic interpretation written by someone who never intended to hurt or even influence anyone. I also understand that not all movies have a duty to go the responsible route and portray both the good and the bad side of each issue - some movies are simply for entertainment purposes. I only wish that had been explained to the young girls at Gloucester High School.

For those of you who think I am making a mountain our of a molehill let me just admit that I am one of those people who worry about the messages being received by our young people, and not really interested in persecuting those who send them. Hey! Maybe the DVD can include a disclaimer that says, "WARNING: THIS IS NOT REAL LIFE"? Oh yea, labeling - no one liked it when Tipper Gore suggested it either.

My wish is that Juno and the events in Gloucester spark discussions between kids and parents everywhere about the seriousness of pregnancy and all of its options and effects. These days a young woman is not shun like years ago when parents sent their expecting daughters "away" for a period of time so they may deliver their babies - but the reality of what happens is the same. A brand new person comes into the world and has to be cared for and loved and financially supported and taught all about the world and how movies are just movies and in no way have any influence over fashion trends, life choices, or who lives and dies.