Smart Bitches Trashy Books | All of the romance, none of the bullshit.

Oh, but it’s her fault totally. Yet another Dumb Bitch who is probably trying to oops her boyfriend into marrying her so she can sit on her ass and spend his money on herself.

You see, it’s absolutely necessary for women to spend thousands of dollars every month on their looks to make them barely acceptable to the always-superior-under-every-circumstance-whatsoever male who doesn’t even need to bathe regularly, but once she’s oopsed him and in that way tricked him into supporting her, she had better keep looking *exactly* like she did before she got pregnant - and she’d better do it on about two dollars a month, because his money is HIS.

And contraception never fails, ever. Unplanned pregnancy is ALWAYS, ALWAYS caused by the woman deliberately doing something to make sure she gets pregnant so she spend the rest of her life living off a man.

Contraception is, of course, never the man’s concern.

Honestly, my first thought was “Damn, someone must have slept through sex ed,” before I realized that her sex ed probably didn’t include free condoms and a demonstration on a banana, like mine did.

This is fucked up - not just for her, but for our whole country.

I don’t blame her.  I blame her parents.  I won’t mock her, but I will sure as hell mock her parents, who have thus far shoved two children into stardom to finance their own dreams and then have the audacity to write a parenting book while one of their daughters has seemingly no interest in the two children she won’t show up to court to fight for and the other finds herself pregnant at sixteen.

This isn’t a case of poor sex education, poor morals on the part of the girl in question or a comment on the state of sex politics in America.  It’s a case of incredibly poor parenting.  That’s what people should be outraged about.

This comes on the heels of the news about several more states refusing the “abstinence only” sex ed federal funds BS. No surprise here. Poor kid(s).

Actually, since she’s from Louisiana, she probably didn’t have access to any real sex education in school.  Louisiana is one of those states that has decided that “Abstinence-only” programs are the best idea.  Couple complete ignorance of the topic with the industry she’s in, and you’re sett up for this.

I grew up in Louisiana, thankfully before the abstinence-only program.  My mother also happened to be a biology teacher, so I got “the talk” pretty early in life. 

This is a failure on many levels, from her parents, to her school system, to her boyfriend, to her.  There is no one factor that can be blamed 100%.  They’re all at fault.

What shocks me about the whole situation is that, at least according to Perez Hilton, she and her boyfriend have been living together.  What kind of ass of a parent lets their 16 yr old daughter live with a man/boy? (I know nothing of the father, so I have no clue how old he is.)

He’s 19, Amanda.

I don’t blame her.  I blame her parents.

MUAH! Sing it girl! what you’ve said is exactly what I thought last night when I read the story. Good Lord, Lynne Spears should have been sterilized. The woman has already raised one train wreck of a daughter who is estranged from her and as you said can’t be arsed to go to court to fight for her two children, and now her youngest, the “good” one is pregnant. Know what you do when that happens?? You call OK! Magazine and do a tell-all for God knows how much money. It’s utterly shameful.

Actually, since she’s from Louisiana, she probably didn’t have access to any real sex education in school.

I don’t see this as being about the school systems at all.  She’s on season four of her Nickelodeon show and wasn’t she in show business prior to that as well?  Therefore she’s likely had a private tutor, or at least went to a private school on an in-and-out basis for a minimum of four years.  Child stars are often shorted on their education in general unless they have parents who push the issue.  Which the elder Spears do not seem likely to do.

What I think people should be really appalled at is her mother whoring out STILL, gotta milk that cash cow, esp now that things with Nickolodean is up in the air...that’s what’s really sick and low-class. I mean, people would have obviously found out, but probably not for a while and not in this HUGE everyone is talking about it kinda way.

Lily Allen is pregnant too-and smoking, which is way worse than the “crime” of being 16 and pregnant. *sigh*

Nickelodeon needs to slip some depo into the water.

“You call OK! Magazine and do a tell-all for God knows how much money.”

$250,000, if the rumors are accurate.

I think that if you gave any 16 year old that type of freedom with no apparent supervision, IMO that is the recipe for pregnancy.

Unlimited privacy, money, hormones, and a level of self-determination that you just aren’t ready for.

This isn’t a question of birth control for me, as much as it is about throwing your kids to the wolves to fend for themselves.

Let’s be real most 16 year old girls don’t start having sex because they are hot in the pants they do it to fill a void.

I feel sorry for her.

Jeez....
As Jennifer said above- I will not bring down my wrath upon her head. It goes squarely upon her parents. It is obvious that in that family, there was a serious lack of “The Talk” in any form.

Now having said that I can’t help but think how this reflects RL. I mean- my daughter’s H.S. has a daycare. Not for the teacher’s kids, but for the STUDENT’S! And even my son, who goes to middle school ( 13 & 14 yr. olds, mind) had mentioned a few girls there who are pregnant. Where are the parents? I certainly don’t blame the schools entirely- it’s not their job (IMVHO) to teach our kids their morals/rights/obligations. They are there to teach them “the 3 R’s” if you will. It’s my job- AS A PARENT- to teach my kids right from wrong. In whatever situation life hands them. (Especially since so many schools have been restricted in what they CAN teach in regards to sex-education.)

I just hope to the Gods that she doesn’t take parenting classes from anyone in her immediate family!!

Lorelie made the comment I was going to make. She’s been in a TV show and if she doesn’t have a tutor there, she’s either home schooled, or schooled in California.
The bottom line is, if parents don’t take the steps to protect their kids, no one else is likely to step up to the plate.
Perhaps there should be a call for stricter child labor laws in CA...?

I dunno, I think she deserves every word of the trash-talking.  She did sell her story to a -tabloid-, after all.

I feel bad because the shit is hitting a 16-year-old, but OTOH, that is one hell of a train-wreck of a family. I haven’t read the tabloids, but clearly there are two ways to spin this and still sell piles of scandal and trash:

1. “Ooh, look, another trashy whore in the Spears family! We should have seen this coming.”

2. “The Spears family has managed to fuck up another of their kids. This poor girl never had a chance of being anything but a statistic.”

My boss brings in the tabloids every week. I predict Us and People run with slant #2.

wordver: business34 Yeah, it is just business to the tabloids.

I’m pretty sure that Mommy/Manager sold the story.  That’s another thing that makes this so squidgy.  When Mommy or Daddy makes money off their kid’s back, something’s gone horribly wrong.  Hasn’t anyone learned from the examples Gary Coleman and Macaulay Culkin?  How do you reconcile the parenting of a child with the promotion of a product?

charlene, i am making this remark completely uneducated, but if i had to assume anything, it would be that JL is her babydaddy’s cashcow, not the other way around. she’s had her own show on nick for many years, is britney’s sister, i do NOT think she is hurting for money!! i do not know what this guy does, but he’s 19, and not famous, so i am guessing he doesn’t make anywhere near what she makes, if he works at all. Just saying.

“the examples OF Gary Coleman and Macaulay Culkin”

*headdesk*

almost68 - as in I almost got that post right.

I’m going to piss folks off here, but, I don’t think the current administration has anything to do with a 16 year old tv personality getting pregnant. Signs of a larger problem, I don’t know. It was my understanding that teen pregnancy rates had gone down.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/05/AR2007020500466.html

The terrible part of this story is that the family sold this information to a tabloid and that the Spears family perpetuates the sterotype that folks from the South are idiots.

As the parent of three children, I figured out early on that I am only directing traffic.  They are their own individual selves, even in the womb.  I can suggest, cajole, scream, use my favorite tactic of logical consequences to their misbehaviors. . .  and they still do what they want.  They don’t have to make every mistake in the lexicon, but the hard lessons they have to learn the hard way.  If my daughter turns up pregnant when she’s 16, I will be pissed, but I won’t feel guilty. 

I have given her all the knowledge she will accept.  She is involved in so many extracurricular activities that she doesn’t have time to blink.  Because of personal goals, she is doing great in school.  If she wants birth control, I’ll buy it and bring it home.  Ditto condoms. 

The only other thing I can think of to keep her from getting pregnant is a chastity belt.  And they are a tad (pun intended, I’m afraid) out of fashion.

So I don’t blame the Spears for their daughters’ choices, at least not entirely.  But I think any parenting book from them should be a how-not-to.

OMG!  People are such hypocrits.  I ask you, how many adults were not 1) having sex, 2) desperately hoping to have sex, or 3) thinking about sex all the time at 16.

Puberty is the gods’ way of ensuring that nubile young humans mate...it’s only recently that we’ve become arbitrary in deciding that 16 year olds are not capable of giving birth and raising babies.

“Reforming our collective attitude towards sex and birth control, and lobbying to make birth control options and sexual education available to young people in the US, that’s not the answer at all. No, no, no. Can’t have young people having access to affordable birth control. Or information about sexual reproduction.”

Yep. I totally agree about this, SB Sarah. It sucks.

I am studying in the public health field right now, and my unofficial motto has always been, “Don’t be a fool--wrap your tool,” closely followed by just plain, “Don’t be a fool.” I’m totally seeing Mr. T saying this for some reason.

I get increasingly frustrated when I see the abstinence-only advocates saying their way is the only way. Look, I think it would be awesome if people would wait, but let’s not pretend that’s the only answer! Let’s go to Plan B (no pun intended) and teach them to be smart about sex and birth control, and let’s make it more accessible to those who need it.

A 16 year old shouldn’t be scared to go to the Health Department to get BC--it’s free there. They can get a bag of condoms, dental dams, spermicide, and other things, AND the bags include information on safe sex. They have nurses available to answer questions and counsel them if they want it, or they can take the bag and go. It’s confidential, and a great alternative if they don’t have a PP nearby.

The HD also provides sliding scale exams and birth control like the pill and I think even Depo. This is available in CO where I live, but may not be so much in other states. And if it’s not, I think it shoud be.

Jackie L.
I totally get what your trying to say about teenagers being their own persons and making decisions for themselves and I would agree for the majority of situations such as this, however in this case I do hold Lynn Spears to be of greater responsibilty.  She was allowing her daughter to live intimately with a 19 y/o.  That is totally irresponsible.  Not to mention that she then went and made money off of telling everyone about her family’s personal business.  In every way Ms. Spears has come off as a delinquent mother who sees her daughters more for what they can do for her than anything else.

Rather than engage in further finger pointing (I spent 10 years teaching drug abuse prevention, so I’m an expert at the “ain’t it awful” game), a donation to Planned Parenthood is spot on.  They’re manning the barricades, but it’s a lonely fight. 

When I worked outside the home, I always earmarked all of my payroll United Way contribution to go to Planned Parenthood, because I knew plenty of other people who wouldn’t donate to them at all.

Lisabea, please check out this--more recent--story about teen pregnancies statistics:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22114244/

(I’m still looking for that link on more states rejecting federal funds because those are tied to ‘abstinence only’ sex ed)

spinsterwitch, I beg to disagree. More than hypocrisy, I believe ignorance reigns on this (and many other) arena. Too many people truly and honestly believe that today’s morality is the only morality standard that counts, period, full stop. And too many more just don’t know--nor care to know--about history.




spamword: perhaps93 --as in, “perhaps the states are rejecting abstinence only sex ed because it plainly doesn’t work?”

More important for me than the issue of blame (for the record, I vote for the parents. Living with her boyfriend at 16?  That is insane.) is the issue of damage control among her fan base.  IMO one of the reasons that teen pregnancy is a problem s that teenagers do not completely understand the consequences of a pregnancy, the magnitude of the responsibility, and just how thoroughly it can derail their own futures.  Jamie Lynne Spears has the financial resources to come through this crisis and be “okay” in a way that 99.99% of her fans can not.  What kind of message does it send to 12-16 year-old girls if a year from now she is photographed by the paparazzi looking great, living a normal 17-year-old life but occasionally toting an adorable little baby?  It is frightening. 

As for what should be done about it?  My heart goes out to this girl who is only 10 years older than my first-grade daughter.  Part of me hates the idea of her being fired by Nickelodeon for this mistake.  I am sure she feels persecuted and humiliated enough.  But another part of me wants my daughter and all of the other little girls out there to see that when this happens your life can never be the same again, NEVER.  I am glad I don’t have to make the decision.  My thoughts and prayers are with this poor girl.

Here are the links, both from the Washington Post

Abstinence Programs Face Rejection
More States Opt to Turn Down the Federal Money Attached to That Kind of Sex Ed
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/15/AR2007121500773.html

Slightly older article: SEX EDUCATION
Abstinence-Only Sex-Ed Funds Cut Off by Kaine
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/12/AR2007111201716.html

Jamie Lynn says she wants to return to Louisiana to raise the baby in a normal, family way.  Yeah, good luck with that, honey.  You’ll need some parenting classes (ones NOT using your mother’s book) and restraining orders against the media.

I have to wonder that if she didn’t make an announcement she was pregnant, would anyone have noticed?

For what it’s worth, I agree with the above comments that sex education is not where it needs to be.

But...this girl annouced it. I can’t help but to think that she got pregnant to get attention. And we’re giving it to her, encouraging other teens to do the same.

I don’t think she’s the victim of bad parenting and a bad education that we’re making her out to be. I think, in this case, it’s intentional.

I’m confused… did the kid herself come out first with the news? or did she confirm it after someone else (mother, manager, whomever) let the cat out of the bag for her?

Either way, the one I’m the sorriest for is the baby.

Lynne Spears’ parenting book is on hold!  “Delayed indefinitely.” Right on.  She has obviously lost the reins on that family and the last thing she needs to be doing is giving others advice.

I gave money to Planned Parenthood a week ago after I learned my sister was voting republican because of “family values.” At least this way I feel like I’m effectively preventing abortions rather than making them less safe to obtain.

I almost pooped my pants this AM, when I woke up to this.  My girls are almost 8 and 10 and they LOVE the Jamie Lynn.  Well, not anymore if I can help it.  They used to feel sorry for her that her sister was so screwed up and wonder if she was sad about Britney.

Well, my job now is to use old JL as an example of “What Not To Do With Your Life”. I am so pissed about this (this being the media coverage of this)it is unbelievable. As mentioned, we will ee pics of her with her perfectly adorable child in designer clothing and life will go on for JL. My youngest is still young enough to think that older kids get to do whatever they want. Zoey and JL. And I’ll be damned if I let them get exposed to media that says that her life as a rich teen w/ no bumps in the road of life is the way every teen girl should live.

Well I wish there was an afterschool special for this one because this issue has become a springboard for the sex talk in my house. My 10 yr old will probably get it tonight. I’ll be damned if I let my girls think this was a good idea whether stated or implied.

OMG!  People are such hypocrits.  I ask you, how many adults were not 1) having sex, 2) desperately hoping to have sex, or 3) thinking about sex all the time at 16.

Lots of us, but we were also smart enough to use fricken birth control properly.

Lots of us, but we were also smart enough to use fricken birth control properly.

That’s not quite fair, Kalen.  Birth control is never 100%.  My daughter was a birth control baby, despite my having been using the pill effectively for years.  The only thing that works 100% is not having sex in the first place… and hey, even that didn’t work for Mary.

This so should not be news.  I feel sorry for her, but, how many other 16 year old girls get pregnant?  I teach Kindergarten and I can tell you that the vast majority of the parents of my students are younger than me (I’m 27).  In fact, I would say the average age that they had their first baby was probably 17 or 18.  I work in an inner city school and these kids live in the projects.  These kids need to be reported about, not some girl who has plenty of money for the nannies that can raise her kid. 

On another note, what happened to parents teaching their kids about sex and how not to get pregnant?  We had sex ed in school, but it was after I had the talk from my mother.  And I do tend to blame Jamie Lynn’s mother.  Who lets their 16 year old child live with her boyfriend?  That’s insane. 

I just don’t understand why this is news.  Have any of you seen any video of the paparazzi following Britney around?  Is it any wonder these young girls have such trouble?

Ouch.  God forbid the conservative Christians be associated with any unplanned pregnancies, especially at Christm.... oh, wait.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Christian publisher said on Wednesday it has called off a parenting book written by Lynne Spears—the mother of troubled pop star Britney Spears and her pregnant 16-year-old sister, Jamie Lynn.

“We have postponed the book indefinitely,” said Lindsey Nobles, spokeswoman for Tennessee-based Thomas Nelson.

Nobles did not give a reason for the decision, which followed news on Tuesday that Jamie Lynn Spears was three months pregnant.

So you don’t blame the father equally, Amanda?

That’s what I mean. Why are we always picking on the women?

Well, I think ‘affordable birth control’ was not the problem for this 16-year-old...she’s the star of her own show!  I also don’t think it was an education issue...um, her big sister just had 2 children and look what a mess she is. If that isn’t an in-your-face example of why not to get pregnant or put yourself in a position where that might happen, I don’t know what is!

She’s not some sheltered flower who was unwise in the ways of the world. And why was a 16-year-old dating a 19-year-old in the first place? That bespeaks of a parent who is not there to make sure her child is kept out of trouble. Just because she is 16 and making a lot of money is no reason to bolt and not continue to keep an eye on her and parent her.

I was actually wondering, where is her Dad? The Mom (Lynn?) is usually the one on TV or the tabloids, etc. I never hear boo about the Dad. Maybe if he had been involved more, one wouldn’t be pregnant at 16 and the other soooo messed up. Then again look at Lohan’s Dad.

They aren’t parents. They’re leeches.

I agree her father should have definitely been in the picture as well. 

I just don’t think this should be news.  There are many, many other girls in much worse economic situations dealing with this and we don’t see them on the news.

I’ve read that she’s under the age of consent in La ..so Casey theoretically could face stat. rape charges.

They started their relationship when she was 13, according to articles on the OK mag. report.

He’s supposed to be off at college now.

She’ll recieve one million dollars later from Ok, once they publish baby pictures. 

I keep thinking of that young man sent to jail for oral sex with an underage female.

INHO, the young woman has been exploited by her mother all her young life..and I wish her the best. I hope she is able to aside large sums of money for counseling.

Tough thing to do..raise a child at her age.

Well, this should be a fun topic to talk over with my daughter.  She doesn’t think much of Britney, but she’s a fan of Zoey 101 so I’m interested to hear her opinion before I start in on my What Should We Learn from This? speech discussion.

If that isn’t an in-your-face example of why not to get pregnant or put yourself in a position where that might happen, I don’t know what is!

Yes, that’s certainly an example that worked for me.  My older sister was pregnant (and subsequently married) at 16 and it was disastrous for all parties involved, most of all for the child.  “Older siblings: making idiotic mistakes so you don’t have to” is how I always thought of it.

One thing I haven’t seen mentioned is the age of consent for California (or Louisiana).  I think it’s 18 in California, which will prove interesting for the 19 year-old boyfriend if 18 is the AoC and if law enforcement chooses to make an issue of it.

How funny, Rebecca - we were thinking of the age of consent angle at the same time.  I had that same situation with the oral sex in mind: I felt so bad for both of those kids when I heard about that case.

Hey fiveandfour,

It was on my mind because I read the age of consent issue on another blog.

Just went to CNN and there is an explaination of the applicable Ca or La laws and a write up of the case involing the 17 who was jailed for 2 years.

In CA he could be facing a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on exactly how many years older he is then she is.

But, as the article points out, the law is not universally applied in any reliable way.

I’m slightly foaming at the mouth here at the comments, especially this one.

My girls are almost 8 and 10 and they LOVE the Jamie Lynn.  Well, not anymore if I can help it.

You’re kidding me right?

The girl is sixteen and apparently she was having A LOT of sex, but now she’s no longer a role model for your daughters because she’s been “caught”.

I find that train of thought confusing. Maybe because I see a girl owning up to responsibility despite the type of mother she’s had. She didn’t murder anyone, didn’t rape or molest a child, kick puppies, or stick cherry bombs up cats butts, but somehow she’s no longer a role model.

So...taking on responsibility at a young age is reprehensible to you?

And because she is sixteen she’s not supposed to be happy that she’s bringing a child into the world?

So… her being pregnant and to save face(fans) she has to walk around looking depressed for 6 more months?

WTF?

And somehow it’s her parents fault that the girl willingly spread her legs knowing the possible consequences?

You have to live on Mars not to know the birds and the bees by sixteen. But it’s still the parents fault...hmm…

And as a side note becoming a Mom at any age is hard.

And somehow it’s her parents fault that the girl willingly spread her legs knowing the possible consequences?

Jamie Lynn and her boyfriend are no doubt responsible for the consequences of their action here.  But I believe when most commenters express their outrage against the parents it is because the boyfriend was a LIVE-IN boyfriend.  Jamie Lynn is under-age.  What kind of irresponsible parents let a 16-y-o girl have a live-in boyfriend?  And same goes for the boyfriends’ parents.  I would disown my son if he shacked up with a 16-y-o girl.

I’m not slammig Jamie Lynn, Melissa.

It IS hard to be a 16 year old mom.

It is difficult to be a child star.

Putting the two together...really tough situation.

Isn’t abstinence only sex education a bit of an oxymoron?  What is it exactly?  My sons are well grown so that’s not something I’m up to date on.  Is it where young people are taught to be abstinent?  Cause - as if that’s really going to happen.

I’m definitely not bemoaning how DUMB it was to let underage teens live together. But at the same time what can you tell a regular sixteen year old with her mind set on doing something vs. a sixteen year old who is probably supporting her mother?

I’m not saying there wasn’t any bad parenting, because come on...What I’m saying is not all teen pregnancies are the cause of bad parenting. The cause has to fit every solution. What about the great parents whose teenagers get pregnant? Would you still blame the parents for the child’s actions? I doubt it.

And Rebecca what you said didn’t make me foam at the mouth. I was pointing out being a Mom period-point-blank is hard no matter what age.

Now it especially sucks for her because the world will condemn her and shake their heads sadly.

Isn’t abstinence only sex education a bit of an oxymoron?  What is it exactly?  My sons are well grown so that’s not something I’m up to date on.  Is it where young people are taught to be abstinent?

Strangly, yes.  I’m seventeen, and what they teach in my state is that no form of contraception is 100% sure-fire anti-baby, except abstinence (which, being the absense of sex, not a way to make it safer, I would not classify as “birth control").

Basically, they’re just telling us that there is no reason to teach us to swim, even though we live on a small island surrounded by water, because some people who can swim do drown.  If you can drown anyway, why waste brain cells learning to swim?

The trouble is that a lot of teens get the idea that no form of birth control really works.  Whoever devised the sex ed curriculum thought that this would make kids go “oh, well, I’d better not have sex, then.” Teenagers, instead, think “oh, well, why bother to use any birth control, then, if none will work?”

But, as the article points out, the law is not universally applied in any reliable way.

I grew up in California.  Whether or not this is prosecuted is often dependant on the younger party’s parents and if they wish to push the issue.  Considering this boy’s been living with her I don’t think the Spears will be trying that.

I advise yearbook and newspaper at a high school in Texas and every time we do a story on pregnancy or parenthood or birth control, we’re told we contribute to the problem of teen pregnancy by making it acceptable. We have 23 noticeably pregnant girls in our halls this semester. The local university can no longer give out discounted birth control. They have to charge full price. They no longer offer HIV testing. Ten years ago the county I live in had more cases of STDs per capita for teens 14-19 than any other in the nation. And we still insist on teaching abstinence only sex ed because to do anything else is to condone sex outside of marriage.

Well, I’m not a fan of abstinence only -but abstinence does work. I have drilled both “Don’t have sex!” and “If you do, use a condom and something else!” into my kids. I was relieved when at senior prom counseling this year (mandatory) the students at our Catholic school were told “Don’t be stupid.” Slipped in at the end (pun) was a “If you are stupid use protection.” moment that recognized reality.

It seems that we’ve shifted to an attitude that requires young girls to have sex. I know my daughters, Jamie’s age, frequently get invited to hook-up with a guy so they can see if they want to date. Yeah, F*&^ me, so I can see if want to take you anywhere. What kind of freedom is that?

Melissa,
Did you think that I expected JL to represent all that is good and kind and right in the world for my 8 and 10 yr old?

I would never leave that responsibility to anyone beside myself and my husband and possibly our parents and my friends.

You see, I do live in the real world. I’m a healthcare professional who has met and worked with hundreds of families. 

However, I do choose to let my kids watch TV as a source of entertainment and I let them watch real shows because they live in the real world.  My neighbors have exceedingly more salacious histories and lifestyle that 1 16 yr old pregnant female, but I can shield my kids from those stories, I didn’t get a chance with this one.

Yesterday I was pissed, but today, I can appreciate the endless uses this story will provide as a teaching tool.

PS, when my kids got home from school yesterday, it was already over with, they are much too excited about the holidays to worry about old JL.  So, its in my back pocket until we need it.

“Whether or not this is prosecuted is often dependant on the younger party’s parents and if they wish to push the issue.  Considering this boy’s been living with her I don’t think the Spears will be trying that. That is what I was going to say.  My sister is a social worker in WI.  WI law enforcement would not go after this young man on their own~they are too close in age.  The parents of the younger party could press charges, but like you pointed out, that is unlikely in this case.

Law enforcement will act on their own if there is a much bigger age difference. Not sure what it is, but I know that social agencies have to report any underage pregnancy and the age of the father.  Law enforcement will only act if the parent of the underage girl wants to press charges, the age difference is X amount of years, or the girl is younger than I think 15.

I doubt this would have garnered the news coverage it did except for the Britney situation (and her mother’s book, of course).  Someone elsewhere pointed out that when Beyonce’s 17 year old sister got pregnant barely anyone blinked.  And honestly, my response was affected by the Britney situation, too, because my first thought was that Jamie Lynn may not escape the kind of life her sister seems to be living. 

In any case, I don’t think it’s fair to blame Jamie Lynn for what is clearly a mistake (not that any child should be seen as a mistake, but the pregnancy was unplanned, obviously), but I do kind of wonder what’s up with the parenting in this family.  Not that perfectly wonderful parents can’t have kids who mess up, but IIRC Lynn Spears was quite aggressive in getting her kids out into the spotlight.  Am I wrong about that? No matter what, there are clearly issues within the family.

As for Jamie Lynn being a “role model” perhaps she’s now more than ever poised for that position, not as the “pure innocent” that some might want her to be, but as a young girl who has now taken on a very adult responsibility.  Although it may not be what Nick wants to portray on its network, I think they also have a chance to create a different kind of show around Jamie Lynn, one which features a girl being forced to be an adult woman and struggling to make the best choices under less than optimal circumstances. 

No, it’s not the image of abstinence that the administration would like to promote, but clearly that image doesn’t reflect US reality.  I don’t see any reason Jamie Lynn can’t still be a role model, even though the values she’d be modeling have changed somewhat. 

Personally, I think showing how hard it is for these girls to be part of the adult world as young mothers might do more than any abstinence-focused sex-ed program in communicating the long-term impact of teenage sexual activity and the shortcomings of any birth control method.

Sorry, but I’m one of the ones who said she’s an idiot, and I stand by that. She IS an idiot. At 16 in the entertainment industry, and as an actress who has been working for several years, she knows EXACTLY what kind of responsibility it is to maintain her hair, weight, looks, etc. It has been drummed into her probably since her SISTER started on the Mickey Mouse Club. But absolutely since SHE started acting. In fact, in most actors’ contracts on a series there are clauses about when and how they can cut their HAIR.

So while I don’t “blame” either one of them, and I think she’s getting a bum rap in the press, I DO think she’s an idiot, because she should have been aware that even with precautions, she could still get pregnant, and there should have been some consideration given to IF she became pregnant, what would that do to her career. Cold, but that’s the way this business works.

And when she started getting serious with this guy, her mother should have sat her down for this talk. And if she didn’t, you can bet your ass her agent, publicist, and people at Nickelodeon all did.

“Slut” comments, though, are uncalled for. From what I could tell she has been in a steady, committed (I hope) relationship for a number of months. Considerably longer, in fact, than her sister’s first marriage.

You have to live on Mars not to know the birds and the bees by sixteen. But it’s still the parents fault...hmm…

Just because you know the birds and the bees doesn’t mean you know how to prevent the consequences of the birds and the bees. 

If the schools aren’t teaching sex ed and the parents aren’t teaching sex ed then where are kids supposed to get reliable information? The internet? Their equally clueless friends?

Because if the daycare at my former high school and the number of people I knew personally who got pregnant before we graduated are any indication there sure are a lot of kids who live on Mars.

Parents can’t ignore it, or choose to believe their little angel won’t have sex until their 30 and married, or that they’ll figure it out for themselves because they don’t live on Mars.

When parents take that tact their child ends up knocked up at 16!

I fall more on the Lynda the Guppy side of thought that others. Robin, I don’t see anyway that JL can be a role model. No sixteen year old can be a mature, responsible parent. In most cases, the baby and the teen mother would be better if the baby went up for adoption. I volunteer in a food bank and our neediest people are children who droppped out of school to have their children. JL has the advantage of being rich but most kids end up on assistance and trapped in poverty. Because they are children themselves, their judgment is usually lacking.

I read in the paper today that her mother has had to put her book on parenting on indefinite publishing hold.  Ha!

She isn’t the first sixteen year old to get pregnant and she won’t be the last sixteen year old to get pregnant. In a perfect world in which adults talked openly and intelligently to teenagers about respect,sex, love, disease, and birth control, there would be accidents. Far from perfect, we live in a society in which we pretend our teenage children don’t have sexual feelings. There is a very vocal part of the community that equates celibacy and virginity with virtue and morality.  The whole abstinence policy is just part of an anti-woman culture, which denies women the right to their own sexuality.

Having a pregnant 16 year old doesn’t make Jamie Lynn’s mom a bad parent. Plenty of good parents have children who became pregnant. But selling her daughter’s story to a tabloid does make Jamie Lynn’s mom an evil bitch who has used her kids for financial gain their entire lives.

I don’t feel a bit sorry for her.  SHE MADE IT A HUGE DAMN DEAL.  She called the press.  She made it into an interview.  SHE IS EATING IT UP.  SHE IS LOVING IT.

If I didn’t think she was that smart I’d swear she did it on purpose to boost her career.

Cruel of me?  Why yes.  But ALL of those little Hollywood twits are smart enough to know about condoms and babies and sex.  THEY ALL KNOW.  And yet they are still stupid and use their children as props to their own fame.

Waste of babies on those women.  Completely.

No sixteen year old can be a mature, responsible parent.

While I don’t think the *average* sixteen year old is ready to be a good parent, I know several women who had babies when they were not yet adult who were and are wonderful young women and mothers.  One in particular got pregnant at 14, and she was from a very, very good family (close ties, affluent, white, stable).  Her parents decided that she would have to make her own way as a mother, and though they provided some help, she had to work, take care of her baby, and make all major decisions on her own.  She turned out to be a responsible and determined young mother, and in a wonderful turn of events, she eventually married the baby’s father—more than ten years later—and they are now a happy family with more children. 

Certainly it’s not the norm, and there are many factors involved in determining how any young mother will fare.  But I’d love to see the romantic sheen knocked off being such a young mother for other girls who don’t truly understand the consequences of sex, “protected” or not.  I’d love to see a venue where other girls can see one of their peers struggle with the choice to be a parent at such a young age, to see that babies aren’t there to provide one with comfort and companionship, that they’re not animated dolls, that they’re not cute novelties.  If someone like Jamie Lynn Spears could be part of that kind of sex ed, I think her experience might provide a really good example, even if she’s not a role model in the traditional sense. 

Of course, I’m cynical enough to think that none of that will likely happen, so my idealism isn’t bolstered by much faith.

While I do place the majority of the blame on Mama Lynne for being more concerned about making her daughters into meal tickets rather than actual parenting, I can’t waste sympathy on Jamie Lynn. She had a huge What Not To Do warning plastered all over Big Sis Britney.

I have no qualms with a 16-year old girl having sex, but it annoys me when said girl is in a position where she has better access to top birth control than other girls her age from her hometown. Yeah, she sheltered, but she doesn’t live in a bubble and hasn’t heard of a condom or doesn’t have Internet and can’t look up this stuff on her own.

I can’t say much about the guy because I know next to nothing about him, but you know as well as you’re going to shit tomorrow, that he’s not going to do a damn thing to pay for this baby given that he knocked up a Spears.

And I’m shaking my head over the mother of the father-to-be. She’s just filled with pride at becoming a grandma, despite the fact that her son may have committed statutory rape and the person carrying her grandchild just got her driver’s license. Of course, the grandma-to-be is probably more excited to have access to that Spears money than anything else.

And no, I definitely don’t feel sorry that she’s going to be in the public eye. If you don’t want the attention, you don’t have to have it. Nobody had to know about this. It honestly isn’t our business to know. Production on Zoey 101 finished. It’s done. She could have disappeared, gone through pregnancy, had this baby, and nobody would have been the wiser. When Big Sis Spears is continuing her derailment, who the hell is going to pay attention to you?

Yesterday I was pissed…

So was I after reading some of the comments. What bothered me the most about the comments is that somehow Jamie had become the scum of the world and children needed to be shielded from the likes of her. That may not be the verbatim, but that’s was the gist of some of the comments.

Just because you know the birds and the bees doesn’t mean you know how to prevent the consequences of the birds and the bees.

No, it’s believing it won’t happen to you. It’s being completely unprepared for something SO BIG like bringing a child into the world. But I don’t think that naivety (sp?) is exclusive to teens.

No sixteen year old can be a mature, responsible parent.

Whoever said this I’m curious about your I.Q. I’m personally and professionally offended by this generalization. I was a teenager mother and I can say I did better (Am doing better) than most people older than myself. Also working at a drug rehab center I can tell you some people will never be mature or responsible enough to be a parent. Age is not the defining factor on how well someone will parent. Let alone most girls who end up with babies in their teens and decide to go to traditional school are required to take parenting classes. How many adults have taken a parenting class after giving birth?

My heart goes out to Jamie. Her mother is far from stellar, neither is her sister. I’m hoping she learns from them and is a better mother for it. The baby that hasn’t asked to be born deserves at least that much.

As far as I know, she hasn’t said that she didn’t use birth control. There IS the possibility that whatever birth control she used just failed. It happens. I just saw one of my old high school friends at a reunion; she’s now the proud mother of a ‘not planned, but definitely wanted’ little boy. She’s 23 rather than 16, but still.

Also, I had so many older boyfriends when I was younger. Granted, my mother didn’t allow most of them to get serious, but I did have a 20 year old boyfriend at 17 (same age difference) and that was very serious.

Lastly, yes, those who know about birth control should use it properly. Very true. I’ve known about the birds and the bees and birth control for as long as I can remember. My mom was of the ‘Scandinavian school’: sex is normal, babies are normal, there is nothing to hide so talk about it from a very early age. Aaaaaaanyway. There’s no way you’ll make me believe that none of the women out here have never done anything stupid. No way. Because every girl I know (all educated) have messed up birth control wise at one point or another. I was granted the privilege of getting the morning after pill the morning after I lost my virginity. The guy was a jerk. I was drunk. We all make mistakes. Some just have bigger consequences than others.

I stand by my statement that no sixteen year old can be a mature, responsible parent. Robin, I’m glad you know someone who seems to be the exception to the rule. But I’m having trouble believing that this 14 had as much autonomy as portrayed. I have relatives whose daughter was in a similar situation (affluence being key here) and they made the same claims regarding their 16 year old. However, grandmom and grandpop were really raising the child.

Melissa, what does IQ have to do with it? (I am in the top 1% of the population and actually have paperwork to prove it. Does that make me right?) Every teen mother that I meet can expound at length that they are great and wonderful parents. They are not. Most, agreed not all, would be better parents/decision-makers once they had more years to experience life and mature. While age does not guarantee that one will be a good parent, it offers better odds.

Having a child before you are out of your teens phenomenally increases the odds of spending your life at or below poverty level. It brings additional stresses and factors into the family. It reduces or eliminates a parents options: good nutrition, healthcare, safe neighborhoods, quality schools, etc.  That is the reality faced by most teenage parents. JL just puts a chic, trendy face on a stark reality.

Children shouldn’t be shielded.  It should be pointed at and ridiculed for being so stupid.

HERE KIDS THIS IS WHAT NOT TO DO WITH YOUR LIVES!

Living proof of how not to be dirt stupid.  Both her and Brit.

A random thought to insert into the teen mother comments.  We do cycles in humanity, larger, smaller, etc.  Younger mothers to older mothers depending on our society and life expectancies. Just theorizing that the more and more younger children have kids that we could be, inadvertently as a society, swinging back to younger and younger sexually active children even THOUGH we’re living longer and longer?  Think fiefs and lords and possibly married with babies by 13.

Mmmm I might just be snorting some funny Christmas cookies…

I stand by my statement that no sixteen year old can be a mature, responsible parent.

Again I’m taking this personally, which I shouldn’t, but at the same time I don’t think this situation is completely black or white. And, Lexie, maybe if you definied mature and responsible I could understand why age automatically makes someone a immature and irresponsible.

However, grandmom and grandpop were really raising the child.

If the actual raising of the child is one of your factors than I can tell you I know what 5 in the morning feedings are like. I also know what it’s like to get peed, pooped, and vomited on. My child has never missed an immunization shot, nor have I been reckless with making sure she gets to school every day, on time. Not once has she ever been confused that Grandma was really Mommy. Nor has she ever missed a meal (and yes teenagers do know what vegetables are), gone without clothing, or had a day go by without her knowing she was loved.

Melissa, what does IQ have to do with it? (I am in the top 1% of the population and actually have paperwork to prove it. Does that make me right?)

No, it doesn’t make you right and I’m sorry I should have questioned your common sense or at least your flawed line of thinking.

Having a child before you are out of your teens phenomenally increases the odds of spending your life at or below poverty level.

True for some, but with the same type of reasoning the other “some” go on to live above the poverty level. Kind of a crazy idea here, but having a child would make a person more motivated to graduate from high school, get a college degree, and live a better life for their children.

It brings additional stresses and factors into the family.

Maybe I’m assuming here, but I do believe when anyone has a child it changes the family dynamics. When there is change, there is usually stress at some point.

It reduces or eliminates a parents options: good nutrition, healthcare, safe neighborhoods, quality schools, etc.

Again for some not all. What I’m disagreeing with here is your rash generalization. It could just be semantics, but being a writer word choice is everything.

Melissa:
I think you are taking a set of facts as a personal attack.  First, if you have a child in your teens you are 85% more likely to live at or below poverty level. It’s not a rash generalization. It’s reality. Again, this reduces your options regardless of how motivated you are.

How do you work to support yourself and your child, finish high school, attend college, and still be a full-time parent? It’s over-whelming. Yes, some teens come from families that can afford to have the grandparents continue to raise their child and aid the child in developing their own parenting skills. Too many don’t.

Age offers the opportunity to finish your education, work and have experiences that will develop your wisdom and judgment. Age doesn’t guarantee this but it definitely raises the odds.

Are you really advocating teen motherhood? Do you really believe that getting pregnant at 16 is preferable to waiting until you are older? That’s why JL is not a role model. She can afford to make this situation look easy, even desirable when it’s usually anything but.

I work for Family Planning in my town.

I agree, donations to your local Family Planning (or Planned Parenthood) clinic are a wonderful way to contribute to your community.

But please, don’t just donate blind to “Planned Parenthood” --- you (and your clinic) would be better off looking up your local family planning clinic and donating directly to that clinic.

I’ve donated to “Planned Parenthood”, the Entity, in the past and to this day, I’m skeptical whether my donation actually went toward a clinic in need to help cover the costs of contraceptives, counseling, exams, etc, or toward the cost of the mailings that essentially spam your mailbox six times a year.

From now on, I stick with sending checks directly to my workplace. I know where that money goes and whom it benefits.

My 2 ¢.
:)
~ Krysia

Obviously couldn’t read all the comments. But I was wondering why the US had the worst teen pregnancy rate of all developed countries! Then I saw the ‘abstinence-only’ programme stuff and realised why.

Dude, America is 100 years behind on this stuff. America needs to start ‘developing’ some more, fast.

Then again, teen pregnancies are meant to be compensating for other groups having less children!

Birth Control at WalMart is only $12/month for the generic.

FYI.

spamword: attack78.