Today’s news about a Romanian woman (and just barely so, she’s only 23 years old) being the world’s youngest grandmother made my jaw drop. I’m pretty sure Romania needs a few things:
- More education (educated women tend to be too busy to breed in their middle school years)
- Sex education (just to be sure)
- Condoms
- Updated legislature regarding the age of consent and marriage
Here’s the scoop:
Mum-of-two Rifca Stanescu was 12 when she had her first child Maria. She urged the girl not to follow her example – but Maria gave birth to son Ion while only 11. Rifca had married jewellery seller Ionel Stanescu when she was 11 and he was 13.
They eloped because Rifca feared her father wanted her to marry another village lad in Investi, Romania. She was forgiven when she had her daughter – making her mum, also Maria, a great-gran at 40. Son Nicolae was born a year later. The young mum later tried to persuade Maria to stay at school. But Maria left to wed when she was ten – and had her baby six months later.
Rifca cuddled grandson Ion, now two, and said: “I am happy to be a grandmother but wished more for Maria.” via thesun
First of all the youngest grandmother does not look 23 years old. What would make her want to marry at 11 years old? Why did she not stop her daughter from marrying at 10 years old? They are children, they do not know what is good for them.