Middle Boy is getting picked on in his unit at the juvenile center, because he is one of the few kiddos there who is not already a father.

He talks to me about it a lot.  The boys there have him convinced you are not a man unless you have a child.

First of all...a 14 year-old is not a man in the first place.  Second...a man actually does the right thing and doesn't have children when he isn't married and that he doesn't intend to care for the remainder of his life.

I hate these bad influences and the misdirected thinking.  His roommate is 17 years old and has two kids with a third on the way.  I told Middle Boy to ask his roommate what he is doing to provide for them both when he is in and not in the juvenile center.  I told him to ask him if they all had the same mother.  He doesn't want to ask him any of those questions.

Prayers that the influences in Middle Boy's (and Younger Boy's) lives will get better.  Also, pray for all of these kids who have kids.  Pray that something will click with them and they will step up and be responsible.  Also pray for all those babies and their mamas...they need all the support they can get.