There is a commercial by Gerber that is advertising their latest product; the Gerber Life Grow-Up Plan. This is life insurance that you can purchase for your baby. I don’t think whole life insurance is a good investment, but this commercial is interesting. It has a hidden message that I’m not sure the producers wanted to put in there, but I heard it loud and clear. It’s not terribly obvious so here it is.
The setting is of a young, single mother talking about how she has purchased life insurance for her baby. She also mentions a few people in her life, like her dad, who “gives good financial advice.” You can tell she’s talking directly to young girls like herself who have had a baby. It’s really well done, but a dark cloud comes over me at the last line of the commercial when she says, “I want to give him something he can depend on.” BOOM!!!
For all the single mothers that are out there, take care of your baby. Grab on to all the support you can whether it’s a teacher, counselor, parent, or friend. I’m not sure life insurance is the best investment but that’s my opinion. He or she is depending on you. If you are pregnant, at this point, it doesn’t matter how you got there. What matters is how you are going to take care of yourself and your unborn child. Find help.
To the other unnamed participant in the commercial, this 30 second ad is pointed directly at you. If you’ve not figured it out yet, I’m talking about the boys who tuck their tails between their legs and run when she says, “I’m pregnant.” Something the baby can depend on? She’s exactly right because for her and many others like her, the father of the baby is not dependable. It takes a man to take care of his baby and his wife. Unfortunately, too many of my gender fall under the “boy” category.
The girl in the commercial has been through some difficult times. She’s had to tell her parents, which isn’t easy. She’s had to reevaluate her future by putting things like college on hold. Her friends and worries have changed. Where once it was sleepovers and acne, it is now midnight feedings and mounting bills. Sadly, she has probably long forgotten about child support because the father of this baby is nowhere to be found.
I hope that as we wag our heads at teen mothers, we don’t crucify them. First, we should be thankful that she had the baby, and secondly, we should work to help these types of mothers. Finally, I hope we will teach our teens about responsibility and the importance of abstinence so they don’t learn about them the hard way.
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