Of Child Marriages & Teenage Pregnancies

There was a time in India when child marriages used to take place rampantly. Children forced by their families to get married under the garb of the customs and tradition even as the couple was too young to understand the concept of marriage.

Child marriages have often resulted in serious health concerns for both the girl and her children as it is a widely accepted fact that adolescent mothers are more likely to experience complications such as obstetric fistula.

Today, we have moved past the issue of child marriage by introducing laws that term them unlawful and by raising the marriageable age of boy to 21 and girl 18.

Still there are places where this practice takes place mostly among poor uneducated families in rural areas. As the awareness about the ill effects of child marriages spreads across, we can hope such marriages to become extinct in the future.

Though times have changed, the issue of teenage pregnancies still causes a lot of concerns.

Developed countries like US and UK are also dealing with the teenage pregnancies issues with US having the highest birth rate of teenage pregnancies among the developed world. The numbers are surprising considering the fact that sex education taking place in schools.

There is the option of going for abortions but its considered risky. Studies have proven that abortion may lead to an increased chance of breast cancer, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, depression, and the contraction of Viral Hepatitis, not to mention death due to excessive bleeding or other complications.

One may find similarities between the child marriage and teenage pregnancy as both leads to pregnancy at a young age. Early marriages prevents a girl from getting the education and living the life she deserves and ends up managing the household. In the latter case they end up compromising on their education and sometimes drop out to look after the child who may/may not be supported by the father of the child. The only difference between the two is that one happens in the sanctity of marriage and other outside marriage.

Even as we are sounding the death knell for child marriages here in India. The issue of teenage pregnancy is making its presence felt even though the numbers are small, as such cases largely goes unreported.

The only way to ensure to nip the issue in the bud is by providing sex education and the usages of birth control measures to stop it from snowballing.

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5 Of Our Favorite Celebrity Beach Bum Couples

We aren’t the only one’s trying to hit the beach this season to escape the hot summer heat. Sizzling celebrity pairs can be spotted in Miami, Los Angeles and the Hamptons, soaking up some rays and having fun in the sand. If you’re lucky, you may spot your favorite duo while you’re taking an ocean dip. Here are a few of the celebrity beach bum couples that we’d love to join at the beach:

1. Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries: This newly engaged couple has been all over the media lately and one of the last trips they made caused a huge splash. The duo traveled to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in late May, and by looking at the pictures of them, it seemed like they had a blast together. The couple played in the ocean and embraced on the beach – talk about summer lovin’.
2. Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez: The teenage royalty twosome hit Maui in May and turned heads when they were spotted smooching in the sand. Things have gotten serious for the young lovebirds as Gomez was even seen visiting Bieber’s family in Canada this spring. We wonder if they love her as much as we do.
3. Ice-T and Coco: The hip-hop couple showed their overwhelming love for each other on the hot beach of Miami in February. Rapper Ice-T kept it cool while his wife, former Playboy model Coco, showed off her sexy beach body in an itty-bitty bikini. The couple, who have been married for five years, now have their own reality show, Ice Loves Coco, every Sunday night on E.
4. Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler: The ex-reality star went to Cabo San Lucas in April on a romantic getaway with beau Jay Cutler and came back engaged – what a treat. Love was definitely swirling around this pair as they spent their weekend hand-in-hand walking in the sand before Cutler popped the question. We don’t know what was more blinding: the bright sun or her new 5.2 carat engagement ring.
5. Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth: These newlyweds celebrated their nuptials by having a fun-filled getaway in Belize with Witherspoon’s two kids. The new family came back with some nice color. They were just in time for Witherspoon to promote her latest movie, Water for Elephants, and accept the generation award at the MTV Movie Awards. Good thing they got to enjoy an exotic getaway before heading back to work.

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The Best 5 Things to Do for Your Relationship

1. "Stop all shame, blame, and criticism. Instead ask for what you want in a clear, specific, and positive manner, and express appreciation for your partner. To elaborate: Men need to feel competent—that they make a contribution and that it is noticed. They like to be told what 'behavior' makes you happy. Since men tend to express affection by doing things, you should interpret their actions as love. When men know what to do and are acknowledged for it, they tend to keep doing it." — Harville Hendrix, PhD, author of Getting the Love You Want
2. "Change from a critical habit of mind, in which you're very involved with your partner's mistakes, to a positive one, in which you catch him doing something right. Notice one small thing, and express genuine appreciation. That will change your interaction patterns from escalating negativity and criticism to building a culture of appreciation." — John M. Gottman, PhD, author of The Relationship Cure: A 5 Step Guide to Strengthening Your Marriage, Family, and Friendships
3. "When your relationship starts to break down, you need AAA: an Apology, Affection, and a promise of Action. You say you're sorry for what you've said or done to hurt or disappoint your partner. You immediately offer a hug, a kiss—some meaningful gesture of warmth. You pledge to do something that matters to your partner ('From now on, I will…'). And, of course, you stick to that. This whole AAA thing can take two minutes, but in that time you've healed the past, built a bridge to the present, and created hope for your future." — Mira Kirshenbaum, psychotherapist and author of The Weekend Marriage
4. "With books on the market like How to Make Love Like a Porn Star, one of the greatest services you can do for a guy is to reassure him that he doesn't have to make love like a porn star. You can show him how to have sex like a woman: creative, sensual, non-genital-based, and more pleasure- than orgasm-focused. Lead him to an experience that goes beyond his penis and makes him fully engaged—mind, body, and soul." — Ian Kerner, PhD, author of She Comes First
5. "All relationships grow a bit stale as time goes by, and the longer-lasting they are, the staler they can get. The best thing you can do is pump in some fresh air. A long weekend in a romantic hideaway would be ideal, but even a few hours in a motel helps. Don't tell anyone where you are, turn off your cell phones, and unplug the TV. When you get home, you'll find your relationship has acquired ruddy cheeks." — Dr. Ruth Westheimer, psychosexual therapist and author of 52 Lessons on Communicating Love

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Does It Freak You Out When Strangers Touch Your Baby Bump?

Maybe that's just how Ali Landry smiles, but it looks to me like she's thinking, "I wish this woman would get her hands off my stomach."

And you know what? If that is what she's thinking, I can't say that I blame her. Although the intent is generally nothing negative, you have to admit: it is weird to just have people rubbing all over your pregnant belly.

I've heard tons of expectant moms complain about this. One of my old bosses put it best: "It's not okay to go around groping a woman's breasts if they look particularly large one day, so why do people feel it's okay with a pregnant stomach?" Good question, right? In any other circumstances, it would be beyond invasive to rub all over someone's stomach. So why is it all hands on deck when there's a baby in there?

As much as it weirded me out when I was pregnant, I have to admit I've given a few of my pregnant friends the rub down. Of course, I always ask first, but there is just something so amazing about a woman carrying a child. And as a mother, I sometimes I feel like resting my hands on a friend's pregnant belly is a special way of bestowing good vibes and energy on mother and child.

What about you? Does it bother you when people touch your pregnant stomach or do you take it as a gesture of affection? Have you ever touched someone else's baby bump? Share your thoughts in the comments.

And while we have you, what do you think of these crazy baby shower cakes? Trust me, they're so bad they should be banned!

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Money, youth and sex

Comprehensive new research from Relationships Australia touched on a number of categories when it comes to sexual activity and one of the most interesting revelations was that wealthy people appear to have more sex than those in lower income categories, according to The Advertiser.

The fact is that the richer a person is, the more likely he or she is to be sexually active. Australian participants who were in households that made $80,000 or more had almost double the chance of regularly engaging in sex compared to people making $60,000 or less. Forty-four percent of those in the latter group had sex on a regular basis, while 81 percent in the former category did the same.

The real surprise may have come in the form of how much people are having sex these days. In a culture saturated with the idea and image of knocking boots and hook-up "relationships" seemingly running rampant on college campuses, one might think that sex itself may be at a zenith of popularity.

The findings of the study challenge this impression. Overall, the number of times Australians have sex seems to have dropped by 3 percent since 2008. Those aged 25 to 34 appeared to be getting the brunt of this jaded attitude toward sex. Despite their inclination toward social media and other online outlets for relationships, this age group reported being the loneliest of all. The only demographic that experienced growth in sexual activity was Australians aged 70 and over – a quarter of respondents reported having intercourse, up from 17 percent in 2008.

If your own love life may be lacking a little lust(er), LifeStyles™ warming lubricant may be just what you need to re-spark the fire. Bedroom accessories can add a new excitement to a romp between the sheets and help couples find their passion for getting intimate again

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