Wednesday, May 09, 2007

"Prom Babies" Feels Like an Urban Legend

"Dear Abby" ran an urgent fear story today about a "national trend" of teenage girls deliberately getting pregnant at their senior prom in order to avoid having to deal with college. The writer reported that her daughter's friends from the lacrosse team, some of whom had been accepted at several Ivy League schools, wanted to have "prom babies" because they just couldn't handle the stress of academic success. The writer thought this must be a national trend, because she heard a similar story in another state.

Neither Snopes.com nor the Urban Legends page at About.com has anything on this one. The story has all the earmarks of an urban legend, though. The story is third-hand to begin with (the mom overheard some girls talking about something they had heard other girls had actually done). Furthermore, Abby says she has never heard of it before either (and she surely hears some doozies daily), though she advises, of course, that having a prom baby would be a bad idea.

I will send this to the good folks at Snopes. I would welcome any intelligence on this matter.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wait...so girls getting pregnant on prom night sounds like an urban legend, but you're absolutely positive that legalized bestiality is right around the corner?! Wow.

Anonymous said...

let it go alan

Anonymous said...

1) Anonymous: lighten up. Though there's certainly some truth to my comment, it was also meant half in fun.
2) If you're serious and not joking, just FYI, I sign my name to everything I write, and I generally am not interested in taking advice from people who don't. Take care.

Anonymous said...

Maybe his name is anonymous! How would you feel about that Alan, if that is your REAL name.

Anonymous said...

LOL. Funny. :)

Anonymous said...

alan,
For some reason I can only post here as anonymous. it is probably my computer or my computer skills. Would you really take my advice if you but knew my name?
just axing

Anonymous said...

"Would you really take my advice if you but knew my name?"

Do you really care? LOL