TODAY there is more advice than ever for teenagers (not all good) regarding sex and contraception, yet the number of teenage pregnancies continues to rise at an alarming rate. In fact many girls seem to choose having a baby as a career choice. I note

TODAY there is more advice than ever for teenagers (not all good) regarding sex and contraception, yet the number of teenage pregnancies continues to rise at an alarming rate. In fact many girls seem to choose having a baby as a 'career' choice.

I note from last week's Lifestyle section that a teenage mum is dispensing advice to young people.

There is one failsafe contraceptive and that is the two-letter word 'no', which seems to be missing from the vocabulary of many of today's young women and which many live to regret.

Another would be the knowledge that anyone who had a baby would have to support it, rather than expecting this to be done by the State and indirectly the taxpayer by way of benefits.

There is a third. Many males of my generation conscripted into National Service in the 1950s and 60s will remember that among the preliminaries all new recruits were shown a particularly gruesome black and white film.

It graphically illustrated the results of what in those days were called venereal diseases, which could be contracted by both males and females through casual sex and not taking the necessary precautions. It scared the living daylights out of most of us!

I am obviously a member of the older generation who finds the whole situation of little girls having babies rather sad for both parent and offspring.

In addition to instructing young people about sex, they should also be taught about relationships and the responsibility of bringing up children, and ensuring that they become useful members of their community. - NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED.