Baby 101

I was a teenage mom in 1974, then again in 1975. I got pregnat for the wrong reasons, because I had a horrible childhood, had been abused horrendously by my mother who constantly raged and beat me. Plus my father was MIA. I wanted to be loved. I should have gone to school and gotten a college education so that I could support myself later and have a good self-esteem. Instead I ended up on welfare and had a life of being abused by men. I am now back in school at age 54, married to a wonderful man for the last eight years, and had at least $250,000 woth of therapy in my life. I didn't come out of the womb like this, I was taught to be messed up from an early age. Teenage girls are still being taught messages based on a male chauvinistic world-view. They are taught to dress like prostitutes and that the only ways to have any value is to open their legs and subsequently spawn. Women need to cry out to save these young girls. They need to mentor young women who are going down the wrong path. But mostly the media needs to support this change in direction instead of feeding on these young celebrities' failings in order to sell advertising. The magazines and news outlets are only in it for the money. If women stop buying the magazines until they start to support this change in the way we see women, the magazines will start to get the message. Women might not make as much as men for the same work, but they certainly hold the pursestrings and control most of the spending in this country. Vote with your wallet!

I was a teenage mom in 1974, then again in 1975. I got pregnat for the wrong reasons, because I had a horrible childhood, had been abused horrendously by my mother who constantly raged and beat me. Plus my father was MIA. I wanted to be loved. I should have gone to school and gotten a college education so that I could support myself later and have a good self-esteem. Instead I ended up on welfare and had a life of being abused by men. I am now back in school at age 54, married to a wonderful man for the last eight years, and had at least $250,000 woth of therapy in my life. I didn't come out of the womb like this, I was taught to be messed up from an early age. Teenage girls are still being taught messages based on a male chauvinistic world-view. They are taught to dress like prostitutes and that the only ways to have any value is to open their legs and subsequently spawn. Women need to cry out to save these young girls. They need to mentor young women who are going down the wrong path. But mostly the media needs to support this change in direction instead of feeding on these young celebrities' failings in order to sell advertising. The magazines and news outlets are only in it for the money. If women stop buying the magazines until they start to support this change in the way we see women, the magazines will start to get the message. Women might not make as much as men for the same work, but they certainly hold the pursestrings and control most of the spending in this country. Vote with your wallet!

When I read this story, what stood out most to me is the glamorization of being a teen mom. Perhaps the magazine didn't mean for it to come off that way but JLS sure made sound that way. To me it does not send the right message. Sure, she's a teen mom and it was hard but she's mentioning that the labor was really easy, that she just bought a new house, that Casey is an amazing dad, that her mom is going to be there to support her when she needs it.... not one mention about the fact that she has "special circumstances" or that she was paid $1 million dollars for that story and photo shoot, or that at 16 years old this couple is engaged (which is another crazy twist)... I applaud the girl for making a very grown up decision. I think that if she wasn't in a position financially it would absolutely be way hearder and perhaps she wouldn't be engaged. But the reality is that celebrities/stars choose their profession, they have to remember that they have automatically volunteered to be role models. Especially if you're on a show where the audience is children. I think she should do an interview/story that isn't so "glamorous", one that talks about how it's extremely hard to soothe a screaming baby, extremely exhausting to wake up every hour onthe hour to nurse a baby, how a lot of women, young and old are single parents because the father of tehir child doesn't stick around, how sometimes you have to make a decision to either drop out of school or try to find a job but at that age you won't make enough money to support yourself, your child and daycare. I believe that with the career path and fame this young girl has, she will be fine financially but I think as a role model and also as a young girl, she has no clue what she has done to her life and to the lives of the young girls out there watching her. It is important to remember what is right and wrong, perfect and far from it and she has come off like everything is perfect. Even that picture of them eating bagels and serving coffee/tea....? I don't know, I wish her and her family all the best and hope that young girls looking on have role models intheir lives to guide their misconceptions the right direction.

When I read this story, what stood out most to me is the glamorization of being a teen mom. Perhaps the magazine didn't mean for it to come off that way but JLS sure made sound that way. To me it does not send the right message. Sure, she's a teen mom and it was hard but she's mentioning that the labor was really easy, that she just bought a new house, that Casey is an amazing dad, that her mom is going to be there to support her when she needs it.... not one mention about the fact that she has "special circumstances" or that she was paid $1 million dollars for that story and photo shoot, or that at 16 years old this couple is engaged (which is another crazy twist)... I applaud the girl for making a very grown up decision. I think that if she wasn't in a position financially it would absolutely be way hearder and perhaps she wouldn't be engaged. But the reality is that celebrities/stars choose their profession, they have to remember that they have automatically volunteered to be role models. Especially if you're on a show where the audience is children. I think she should do an interview/story that isn't so "glamorous", one that talks about how it's extremely hard to soothe a screaming baby, extremely exhausting to wake up every hour onthe hour to nurse a baby, how a lot of women, young and old are single parents because the father of tehir child doesn't stick around, how sometimes you have to make a decision to either drop out of school or try to find a job but at that age you won't make enough money to support yourself, your child and daycare. I believe that with the career path and fame this young girl has, she will be fine financially but I think as a role model and also as a young girl, she has no clue what she has done to her life and to the lives of the young girls out there watching her. It is important to remember what is right and wrong, perfect and far from it and she has come off like everything is perfect. Even that picture of them eating bagels and serving coffee/tea....? I don't know, I wish her and her family all the best and hope that young girls looking on have role models intheir lives to guide their misconceptions the right direction.

well im opinion as a teen mom...no being a teen mom isnt glamorous but what is glamorous is that jamie lynn realized the mistake she made by becoming a mother at sych a young age and she took responsiblity for her actions as well as her fiance.in most teen parent situations the father isnt always so willing to be involved.besides most teen parents are in very bad financial situations and jamie lynn is clearly well of.people should just be proud and admirer her for stepping up and being an adult in a not so easy situation.

(my post was cut short). Anyhoo, the magazine promoted motherhood as this fabulous pastime or something. Having a baby is hard work, and I hope they stressed that issue to keep other little girls from making that same mistake. What will work for this celebrity won't work for you young women in the real world. I hope that she's emotionally ready to take care of this child.

Having this little girl on the cover of a magazine clearly sends the wrong message that it's okay to be pregnant. It's okay to mess up your life by having a baby at such a young age. What non-celebs fail to realize is that Jamie Lynn lives in a glamorous, unrealistic world of wealth, so she has money to afford a baby. They also don't seem to understand that she set a poor example for the young women looking up to her. TheThemagazine

Teen pregnancy isn't always bad and adult pregnancy isn't always good either. It's generalizations like this that cause discrimination and prejudice of every kind. I was 16 when I was pregnant and anyone that knew me could have told you that I was both emotionally and situationally able to care for my daughter and did. I can admit that not every youth can say they've gone through real life experiences by the time they're 16, or at least enough to make them adult minded to a point, but the same goes for some 20-somethings too. I graduated from the best high school in the state and am successfully completing my undergraduate degree at The University of Chicago. I am also married and can say that I have lived and live that happy home life that some of you don't think is possible for teenaged newlyweds or parents. Unfortunately people judge based on assumptions. We are great parents and have not encountered anymore problems than a new parent at any age. Maybe we should stop judging people and start looking at their maturity levels and situations before coming to conclusions. She obviously has the means to support a child and took a brave route by not terminating the pregnancy. Let's question her parenting abilities once we can observe it.

Teen pregnancy isn't always bad and adult pregnancy isn't always good either. It's generalizations like this that cause discrimination and prejudice of every kind. I was 16 when I was pregnant and anyone that knew me could have told you that I was both emotionally and situationally able to care for my daughter and did. I can admit that not every youth can say they've gone through real life experiences by the time they're 16, or at least enough to make them adult minded to a point, but the same goes for some 20-somethings too. I graduated from the best high school in the state and am successfully completing my undergraduate degree at The University of Chicago. I am also married and can say that I have lived and live that happy home life that some of you don't think is possible for teenaged newlyweds or parents. Unfortunately people judge based on assumptions. We are great parents and have not encountered anymore problems than a new parent at any age. Maybe we should stop judging people and start looking at their maturity levels and situations before coming to conclusions. She obviously has the means to support a child and took a brave route by not terminating the pregnancy. Let's question her parenting abilities once we can observe it.

i agree that this article was glorifing teen pregnacy, maybe not on purpose but thats reality. She as a mother will never face the hardships a typical teen would. Does money buy happiness? Maybe not. But it will buy jamie an easy pass through life.

I think the two page photo in OK! says it all regarding why teens should not have babies. The baby is in a bouncer on a countertop (which should never happen for any reason, a bouncer should never leave the floor) and neither of the parents had an eye or a hand on the baby. What OK! and Jamie Lynn did (by publicizing her "happy home life") was irresponsible, and is certainly glamorizing teen preganacy.

STOP focusing on it so much. It's not right, and things do happen, but people. This is the wrong message, and it's only a matter of time before a young stud uses this in a line to get his Willie wet. Been there seen that not pretty in high school. The real world is not so nice a fair. Celebes are in there own world.

Maybe it's time another rag-mag did a serious story on the downside of teen pregnancy.
Something tweens & teens will read.
Like Teen People, for instance.

You know, and a story on the positives of using birth control, perhaps.
Oh, wait, I forgot, the Bush Admin. doesn't want our children to know about sex and how to protect oneself from pregnancy & disease. 8 years of neglect and abuse.... how truly damaging!
I wonder how many illegitimate children were born under his rule.
And is he willing to foot the bill for all those in need of diapers and healthy diets?
I doubt it.

This isn't the 1960s!
Support you local Planned Parenthood!
Support Sex Ed in school!
Our kids know WAY more than we did.... at least let's give them the tools to make the right choices.

I had my little boy when i was 17, and im 21 one now and I can assure every young girl out there that as "glamorous" as it may look to them- seeing a 16 year old with a "perfect" life and a gorgeous little girl and no worries in the world! well-- thats not how it is in reality. And unless your a millionaire, it's hard. One of the hardest things you will ever do. Sure Jamie Lynn is famous and thats why everyone is curious about her story and its understandable why she would be on the cover of a magazine, but the young girls that get excited and think that they will be okay if that happens to them need to remember that life will never be the same.

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