Like Mother Like Daughter: Pimping the Kid Already
Lynn Spears sells her kids and now we find out its generational–that mom-to-be Jamie is selling baby pics for $1 million of a baby that isn’t even born.
I’m outraged about a lot of things regarding this fiasco. Why, for example, isn’t this young girl coming out and telling kids–her fans–that this is wrong? That she screwed up! That having sex before you’re an adult is not only immoral but has consequences that not every family can deal with? Here she is saying that it’s all OK. I cannot believe this.
And why is the show, Zoey 101, still on the air? Shouldn’t Nick pull that damn show off the air? Isn’t airing the show saying that Nick supports this type of behavior? Why is it OK for a sixteen year old to have a child? It’s not!
It’s incredible that before this child has even come into the world, Jamie and Momma Lynn, the real tragic, pathetic excuse for a parent, has sold the kid out to OK Magazine!
December 21st, 2007 at 11:46 am
WHY? you ask. BECAUSE JLS is smarter than you think & certainly smarter than older sis. Whether she “wanted” to get pregnant or not, and I think she did as “her way out” of being controlled by Mom for the next 2 years until she turns 18 when the trust fund money is partially all hers, once preggers she thought through the consequences and was likely the one who insisted on this deal, having this all planned out (& with what will follow) BEFORE announcing the glad tidings to Mom. She was going to have to make the transistion to “adult” status anyways; here she gets a $1 million dollar signing bonus, a “fresh face” to market, there’s a good chance the Zoey franchise can be extended in some fashion (50/50), and she gets to be upfront about have sex regularly with boyfriend, rather than skulking about a la sis. This one is SO leaving Mom in the dust when she’s 18!
(Think Bridget Moynahan, or more to the point, think Traci Lords twenty years ago. Jamie will make more legit money off of this than Traci but less than Bridget as the latter had had a career beforehand.)
Oh, by the way, if someone did decide to prosecute “daddy” in either LA or CA, and IF convicted even as a misdemeanor for sex with an under 17 year old, one or both of those states likely require Level 1 Sex offender Registration. They do even in “blue-state” Massachusetts. But I agree, its unlikely anyone especially local in LA would want to really screw-up the gravy train.
[Can't believe I actually posted on this!!]
December 21st, 2007 at 1:37 pm
I totally agree with you Matt. Zoey 101 season 3 ends at the end of Jan and season 4 is already in the can for a feb start. I think they ought to yank it and I can’t believe they are considering doing a show with her about being pregnant at 16 etc. She should emancipate herself from her mother.
I can’t believe her mom is so naive to think that just because she is a great student and is home by curfew this couldn’t happen.
In Louisianna it is a felony if he was 19 at the time of conception and with papa spears pissed at the whole thing he might look at options for charges.
December 21st, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Jeanne says:
“She should emancipate herself from her mother.”
I don’t think so. A 16 year old is still a child, being pregnant doesn’t change that. Why should she try to go it on her own to an even greater degree?
December 21st, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I am torn on this one. For one I don’t think sex at 16 is immoral per say. Of course its smarter to wait, but most kids don’t. And she actually DID say that its better to wait, given what she is going through right now. I think that taking the show off the air would probably send the right message, that pregnancy has consequences (even for the Spears). Of course she wont be facing the same consequences as most teens that get pregnant. I do not believe that Jamie is rich, not Britney rich anyway. But there is the contract issues. Does her contract specify that she cannot become pregnant? Otherwise, Nick puts itself into a legal bind. Of course they could still pay her, AND pull the show in that case. I think that is probably what parents of kids in the target age range are thinking should happen. She plays a character on the show in any case, not Jamie Lynn Spears.
Also selling the rights of the first pictures is a smart move IMO. The PAPS would be all over her if she didn’t and THEY would get the million dollars for the shot vultures that they are. Lots of celebrities have done that for the very same reason.
Whatever happens, I wish her and the baby the best, and hope that she keeps her head on straight as she has done most of the time, aside from getting herself knocked up. And I am proud of her for stepping up.
December 21st, 2007 at 2:54 pm
What a crock! Immoral to have sex before you are an adult??? Where the hell do you get that from?? I thought we were living in slightly enlightened times and that in the majority of people that sort of attitude was dead.
Let’s look at things a bit more simply here: Yes, she had sex before marriage and while still a teen. Yes, she got pregnant. But doesn’t the fact that she faced up to what has happened and is intending to have and raise the baby show that she has some morals?? (and no, I am not saying that abortion is immoral – it just isn’t my choice). So she is selling the pictures – Big Deal! If someone was throwing money at me for pictures of my baby, knowing that the alternative would be a guaranteed papperazi crush, damn straight I would take it. It is the media and it’s consumers that have created that type of thing.
I, for one, say good luck JLS. You will need it. I just wish you had a more obviously stable support system.
December 21st, 2007 at 3:34 pm
I say emancipate herself because obviously her mom doesn’t have time for her. If she did this might not have happened. But, it has. You can’t go back and change it. I agree with the show yank, her selling the first photos like tomkat did because at her age she’s gonna need that money!
BTW, anyone know where Mr. Spears is these days?
December 21st, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Personally I think that Lynn Spears is a crappy mom. That said, I see no proof that she doesn’t have time for her kids. And Jamie seems to look up to her, as did Britney before she got herself involved with Fed-Ex.
Look what happened to Whitney Houston when she got herself involved with Bobby Brown for Gods sake.
This is NOT all Lynn’s fault. Though I seriously don’t think that a parenting book should be her aspiration.
December 21st, 2007 at 5:30 pm
No, it isn’t all Lynn’s fault. And we can’t say whether she spent time with Jamie or not, since we don’t know. Not to mention that a lot of teenage girls are more interested in hanging out with their friends than spending time with Mom – and here we have a teenage girl with the additional demands of school and a television show.
Fact is, raising kids is a crapshoot. You do the best you can with what you have – but there’s no determining the outcome.
I haven’t heard where Mr. Spears is-probably off minding his own business and supporting his daughter.
December 21st, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Rae says:
“Fact is, raising kids is a crapshoot. You do the best you can with what you have – but there’s no determining the outcome.”
I agree.
Jeanne says:
“I say emancipate herself because obviously her mom doesn’t have time for her.”
Jeanne, this doesn’t sound like a solution to anything. In fact, this could very well add another element of painful regret to the relationship. Lynn can always step up here. And Jamie Lynn has many choices, including making her situation better or worse. Taking her mom to court and divorcing herself from her sounds like a sure way to make everything worse.
AussieCarl says:
“What a crock! Immoral to have sex before you are an adult??? Where the hell do you get that from?? I thought we were living in slightly enlightened times and that in the majority of people that sort of attitude was dead.”
Geez AC, lighten up. Matt’s post reflects his opinion and point of view, just like your post is a reflection of you.
I must say that you don’t sound like a parent, which is fine and all, but this situation has everything to do with children. Not just our moral memory of how it was for us, but our moral concern for the next generation.
December 21st, 2007 at 7:06 pm
I’m with you Melissa, I’m torn between this too.
I had my 1st daughter when I was 16 also. Best thing that EVER happen to me. My daughter now had her daughter at 21, and says to me, I can only hope I can be as good as a mom, as you were.
Little does she know, I made mistakes. But I overcame those mistakes and learned by them. The only thing I can think to say is we all learn and grow. No one comes with handbooks.
A. said it best…….
“this situation has everything to do with children. Not just our moral memory of how it was for us, but our moral concern for the next generation.”
Those are some powerful words….
December 21st, 2007 at 7:32 pm
AussieCarl says:
“What a crock! Immoral to have sex before you are an adult??? Where the hell do you get that from?? I thought we were living in slightly enlightened times and that in the majority of people that sort of attitude was dead.”
Obviously if Matt is saying that he must be raising his children with the same set of values. But apparently you have a problem with someone passing this moral code on to their children, as well as proudly voicing that they believe in it? I can certainly see how there could be a problem with this. After all, who would want their son/daughter to date the son/daughter of a man with such values, let alone have them marry into such a disgraceful family?
December 21st, 2007 at 7:38 pm
If we are going to say that it was immoral for Jamie Lynn to have sex at age 16, then we have to say it is immoral for *any* unmarried person to have sex, wouldn’t we?
In my humble opinion, a 16 year old is still a child in her own right. A sixteen year old lacks the life experiences and maturity to comprehend the enormous responsibilies, demands and sacrifices inherent in bringing another human being into the world.
Teens should be focused on learning and growing….getting good grades, setting and achieving goals, recognizing and building on their talents, figuring out who they are and who they want to be, ascertaining their place in the world–not burdening themselves with the responsibilities of raising an innocent child.
December 21st, 2007 at 7:47 pm
I am more surprised at how little I care about this issue than I am that the girl got pregnant, that mom is pimping her hard and that she’s hooked in a million-dollar sucker.
Just another teen pregnancy — which is not to say it’s acceptable or minimal, but it is what it is — not special when compared to all the others. Yeah, this baby-mama brings in the voyeurs, many of whom are just goo-goo with the fact that their lives are now officially better than someone’s in Hollywood, but it ain’t special.
And I say, God bless the little beaverette for scoring a million in cash (some or all of it will find her) and taking advantage of a situation where there’s so many yahoos who want to buy whatever pimp-a-zine the baby ends up in at the check-out line of the local Safeway. More power to her — ESPECIALLY now that it’s too late and she’s knockin-on-the-nine. Shit, be serious: if every teen girl in the country knew she or her family could get a million bucks for it, how many you think would suddenly stop swallowing the pill? Right or not, it WOULD happen, sad as it is… and any of us who have our heads in the real world as opposed to up our butts will admit it.
All that being said…in the end…again…who cares? And why?
Why do we expect her to use this as an “opportunity” to publicly relent or to send a “message” to all the little girls out there not to get pregnant? What kind of message will she be sending. SHE/her family JUST GOT A MILLION BUCKS for the dirty deed!! How credible is she now to be preaching or repenting? What is she gonna sound when she says “do as I say, not as I do…because ain’t none of you lil’ mommies-to-be are gonna get a million dollars like I did…” Please…
It’s a boring, sad story. She’s just another lost kid who made a mistake, like thousands of girls do every year, thousands of girls who don’t rock a mean pay day. Is she any better than little Sally down the road? No.
As for the mom, do we even need to waste a single click at the keyboard to try to convince anyone out there what a “winner” she is?
Happy Holidays folks.
Let the hate mail roll… by the way, Mom had me at 17… so please don’t tell me I DON’T KNOW…
December 21st, 2007 at 7:58 pm
You know, when I said I was stuck on the immoral thing I in NO way was disrespecting Matt.
Morality is individual. I have my own set. I may disagree with a lot of you on what morals should be, seeing as how mine are personal.
I have a funky belief system when it comes to choice. I would never choose to abort, god knows thats been chosen for me by nature. But I will never judge one that does.
In fact, if Jamie chose that route we wouldn’t even be having this discussion, so I am kind of for her morals.
December 21st, 2007 at 7:58 pm
You know, when I said I was stuck on the immoral thing I in NO way was disrespecting Matt.
Morality is individual. I have my own set. I may disagree with a lot of you on what morals should be, seeing as how mine are personal.
I have a funky belief system when it comes to choice. I would never choose to abort, god knows thats been chosen for me by nature. But I will never judge one that does.
In fact, if Jamie chose that route we wouldn’t even be having this discussion, so I am kind of for her morals.
December 21st, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Oh, and for little its worth, she isnt 36 months younger than her boyfriend even if he is 19, so the 3 year rule doesnt apply.
Also, she will be 17 (far too young ALSO IMO, but it is what it is) when she has this kid.
December 21st, 2007 at 8:00 pm
“Einstein’s Mom Says:
December 21st, 2007 at 7:38 pm
If we are going to say that it was immoral for Jamie Lynn to have sex at age 16, then we have to say it is immoral for *any* unmarried person to have sex, wouldn’t we?”
I would say no, we wouldn’t, exactly for the reason you stated in the rest of your post, which is basically the same point Matt made:
“In my humble opinion, a 16 year old is still a child in her own right.”
I agree with the remainder of your post, as well.
December 21st, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Oh and Chris.. Beaverette is not a way to address girls. We may start thinking of you as a pig.
December 21st, 2007 at 9:50 pm
I think the real issue here is that JLS had been claiming to be of high moral standards (he lawyers issued a statement in July when a pregnancy rumor surfaced saying, in more words, how dare the public think JLS would go against her devout Christian beliefs and have premarital sex!).
Also, from what I’ve read, “Zoey 101″ is done filming. The fourth and final season was filmed earlier this year, Nickelodeon is just taking it’s time in airing it.
December 21st, 2007 at 9:52 pm
I think there must be a more apt word than ‘immoral’ in situations like this but I can’t think of it. Lol
December 21st, 2007 at 10:21 pm
When you fix the little typo in christopher pimental’s link, you get this totally stupid site here: http://www.mycpace.com/christopherpimental
Any how, before this CR post, I didn’t even know that JLSpears even existed. I’ve heard of Britney Spears, but I never really cared. What causes me to make a comment, is the call from several posters, for the television network that employs JLSpears to instantly cancel her television program that she appears in.
A TV show might have a few people in front of the camera, but there are hundreds of hardworking people behind the camera. They can’t just instantly cancel the show. There are lots of people with families to support that depend on that show for their monthly paychecks. Hundreds of people in fact. There are contracts with advertisers that can’t be broken.
Have you ever heard the saying “the show must go on?” JLSpears is just a dummy in front of the camera. They can write her out of the script in a heartbeat. There are a lot of innocent, hardworking adults who should not be penalized just because the dumbass decided to get pregnant.
December 21st, 2007 at 10:27 pm
I really have to disagree with this statement Chris P.:
“…Just another teen pregnancy — which is not to say it’s acceptable or minimal, but it is what it is — not special when compared to all the others.”
This is not “just another teen pregnancy” anymore than Bill Clinton’s tryst was “just another” affair.
Jamie Lynn’s public persona is/was iconic to pre-teen children far and wide. Her wholesome, follow-me-as-I-do-the-right-thing image has an impact on our society, like it or not.
December 21st, 2007 at 10:31 pm
What I have a problem with is the judging as immoral of every person who has sex before they are an adult. And by the words he wrote that is exactly what Matt did. As a MOTHER I hope to raise my children to use some common sense and not allow other people to set the standards for their behaviour, good or bad. I trust in myself that I can give them a good basis for that.
Immoral to me is a word that is all too often equated with “sinfull”. And I do not agree with any institution, be it Church or State, telling people that what is essentially normal, human behaviour is wrong. Lets face it – we aren’t talking criminal acts here. Try suspending judgement and replacing it with support. It is what I would do if it was one of my children.
December 21st, 2007 at 10:32 pm
One more comment from me about this (quoting C.P. again):
“All that being said…in the end…again…who cares? And why?”
We do, because we care about children. We care about the pop culture images and the message they are sending to today’s youth. We care because we have to come up with a damn good explanation for the consequence that differs from the image they’ve been fed. And we have to do it before somebody like Star Jones or Linda Ellerbee does it for us.
December 21st, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Since when did having sex have anything to do with moral standards? If you love someone (and she was with her boyfriend for a LONG time in teenage years) then what is wrong with sex?
I agree with most of you with the waiting and whatnot. But I don’t believe she is morally corrupted because she had sex.
Parents need to realize that at certain ages that their kids will probably LIE, and say they would never, but still instill how to be careful to secure their future.
The parents who think that it couldnt be THEIR kid are the ones that seem to be the grandparents in their thirties and early forties.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:00 pm
A – I tend to disagree on a level of who the hell lets their kids…..
Oh shit, my six year old niece sang a Hannah Montana song to me tonight. Never mind…
That said. Zoey is the character they look up to. Jamie is the all too human 16 year old who really doesn’t need the world judging her.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:01 pm
“Since when did having sex have anything to do with moral standards?”
Well, I can’t see us all agreeing on what defines our moral standards, but to answer your question; I think it was when Abraham came down off the mountain with the 10 commandments.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Melissa, I don’t disagree with the humanity of JL. And personally, I wish her well and don’t condemn her anymore than another 16 year old…and I love kids, so my condemnation is thin at every level.
But…her paycheck and contract came with some strings attached. Like it or not, she has influence over others.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:08 pm
Well shit, I am done. I have had sex outside of marriage.
I already questioned the contract if you read back. Not sure it was a part of it. if it wasn’t and they cancel her, they are in for a load of legal troubles, which is why I think NICK is hedging.
All said and done, I am really not liking the coming down on this girl who is taking responsibility. Maybe its just me.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:15 pm
wrt her contract…I wasn’t really talking about the legal terms of it, as much as the figurative concept, the fact that when you put yourself on TV, you have an audience.
You’re watched, you have followers, and that’s the breaks.
Melissa, JL hasn’t done anything that I haven’t done myself. But if one of my daughters comes to me pregnant, and says that it’s ok because Jamie Lynn did it…I’ll be one pissed off mama.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:22 pm
I would hate to think that your daughters are influenced by television characters rather than you.
If your 16 year old gets pregnant, I doubt she will be using Zoey as an excuse in any case, it will be that she is in or was in love. And didn’t use common sense. Common sense is rare in teens in case you don’t remember.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Melissa, my daughters are influenced by everything. They are developing their sense of self and are vulnerable. This is normal and completely typical. As a matter of fact, they are pulling away from me, which is normal as well.
December 22nd, 2007 at 5:52 am
I agree with you Melissa about it not being immoral to have sex when you are a teen. Physiologically ages 15, 16, 17 & up are appropriate for having sexual desires and curiosity. However, nobody disputes the fact that mentally, emotionally, & psychologically a lot, maybe all teens that age aren’t ready. All the education in the world doesn’t give a teen the actual sexual experience and it is not plausbile that education alone is going to save each teen from having sex until they are what the rest of society deems age appropriate.
I believe that the majority of the time when a teen girl gets pregnant it happens because she wants it to. She is looking for love or acceptance, or something that she should be getting from her family and within herself. Not only that but females have maternal and nurturing instincts and it isn’t out of line that they are feeling this at a young age. It is easy enough for us who are in their 30s, 40s, 50s and up to look at these young girls and know that they have the rest of their lives ahead of them in which to raise children. But for them it seems like an eternity.
December 22nd, 2007 at 7:14 am
It seems ironic to come down on Matt for stating that it is immoral to have sex before becoming an adult, when JLS believes it is immoral to have sex before marriage. Her and her family actually agree with Matt. Getting paid for the photos would not have been my choice or my advisement for her. I understand the conundrum of Paps vs. getting paid and getting the photos out there first, but still think it’s a poor choice as it sends the wrong message. Had she gone through the hounding of the paps for a while with people wanting her to talk, people would be more understanding of her doing the interview, but seeing how noone knew until she did this, (because so few people actually care), it makes it look like she attempted to profit and bring the attention TO her. Probably a misconception, but a reality none the less that I think should have been thought through beforehand by responsible adults who truly care about her and her so-called career.
I got pregnant at 21 and can certainly understand what people on the last thread were saying about feeling judged as I was not married either. Personally, I felt too young and can’t imagine being 16 and pregnant, though I had several gf’s who became pregnant at 16 and they chose abortion. That would never be my choice and I do applaud JLS for making a much braver decision to live with all of the judgemental people, announcing it to the world, and not keeping it a secret. Don’t get me wrong, my friends who had abortions went through hell, (some still suffer emotionally/psychologically from the experience), but I do find it much more difficult to make a lifetime commitment to be a parent.
I’m quite sure JLS feels bad enough on her own and does not need people piling on. If she was being flippant about it or had gotten pregnant on purpose I would feel differently. But right now she needs as much support as possible. I went through so much stress while pregnant I was surprised I had a healthy child. So I hope people close to her save their judgement and consequences until after the baby is born.
December 22nd, 2007 at 7:26 am
Teens having sex is nothing new and never will be. The fact Jamie is pregnant is not a shock, but they have handled this very poorly which is no surprise. I agree that she is not just any pregnant teenager. She is a celebrity, and people do see and perceive her differently. She already has financial resources and support most sixteen year olds do not. In one day, Jamie has gone from innocence lost to pimping out the baby’s picture for money. After that, the tabloids will have more charming pictures of the baby and happy mom, and kids will think having a baby looks cool and oh so easy. Of course, no one is going to pay them a millions dollars. They will have difficulty raising a baby at the same time they are trying to grow up themselves, finish school, and establish careers.
I think the Spear family is addicted to public attention. We already know too much about this family and Mama Spear’s new book trying to tell us intimate and sweet stories to counter the bad press they keep racking up is pathetic.
And like Mike said, Jamie is a commodity for the show. As long as she gets them the kind of attention they want or can manage, she is good to stay. If not, she is history and if that happens, don’t worry about Jamie. She will find some other way to keep public attention and the money flowing. That’s what show business is about.
December 22nd, 2007 at 7:27 am
I think EM is right, there has to be a more apt word than ‘immoral’ when it comes to sex before adulthood. ‘Ill-advised’ maybe? ‘Cautionary’?
In any case, I don’t think it is Zoey the television character that would influence kids as much as JLS the real kid whose pregnancy the press will be glamorizing for the next six months and who will have the greater mental impact on kids. Cause real life doesn’t involve the luxury homes and the luxury layette, and all the other things that JLS will likely be showing off soon-but, as Melissa pointed out, a lot of kids lack the common sense to understand that.
No, I don’t believe any young girl will get pregnant precisely because JLS did it-but, if they admire JLS, then it’s going to influence them, consciously or not.
And, no, I don’t think it is immoral to have sex outside of marriage, or necessarily before adulthood-I’ve seen a lot of teens handle it well and use the early relationship as a springboard for adult relationships. It’s the kids who can’t handle it well, who just aren’t prepared mentally for the responsibility that comes with sex, who should be cautioned against it.
I won’t say that JLS is immoral-cause that word just doesn’t fit somehow. I wish her the best, but I just think it is sad, in this day and age, to see any kid give up their young adulthood to raising a child. I wouldn’t trade having my daughter for anything, but, admittedly, now that I am in my forties and I have spent the last quarter century raising children, I do look back and wish I had waited and had a little more freedom when I was younger. I think that tiny bit of regret is inevitable in any teenage parent.
December 22nd, 2007 at 8:38 am
Amen, Rae. We are definitely on the same page on this subject.
And Sophie hit the nail on the head, too, insofar as one of the reasons teens get pregnant: she is often looking for something she is not getting from her family and from within herself. And, to paraphrase Sophie again, as adults we are able look back and understand that there is plenty of time to settle down and have babies, if that’s what they want. But to teens, everything that lies ahead of them seems like an eternity, and they think they are equipped to have it all right now. They really have no concept of the enormous responsibiity it is to bring another human being into the world.
December 22nd, 2007 at 8:40 am
And by the way, where are the Betty Friedans and Gloria Steinhams of this generation?!?!
December 22nd, 2007 at 9:50 am
Nickelodeon should stay away from the teen pregnancy issue. To show where they stand about it is not showing anything about it all and cancel the show. This network is a CHILDREN’S network from ages 5 and up. We had sex education growing up and it was very clear about how to make babies. Though the Spears being child stars probably did not get any of this!
December 22nd, 2007 at 10:36 am
I can’t stand any of the Spears girls. They are all proof that you can take the girl outta the trailer, but you can’t take the trailer outta the girl.
With that said: I have an almost 6-month old grand daughter. Her mother, my son’s girlfriend is 16 and my son turned 19 just before his daughters birth.
My soon to be daughter in law is beautiful, brilliant and a wonderful mother. But she’s still just a kid and being a mother isn’t the best for her immediate future. I suggested both adoption and abortion but they opted for neither.
Was I happy about the situation. Uh, no! But getting angry and stomping my feet wasn’t going to make her any less pregnant.
What I have done is to be very supportive and help out as much as I can. Personally, I believe that a lot of child abuse is caused by stressed out, young parents. So, given that, I’m right there whenever they need someone – even though her own parents aren’t. THAT is the lesson here. It’s NOT about JLS or teaching her viewers about sex and pregnancy, at least in my opinion. The lesson is about family stepping up when something like this happens. And RARELY do we see family stepping up. Instead it’s usually a case of “they made their bed, let them lie in it.”
Do I blame my son’s girlfriend’s parents? Absolutely, and I have told them as much. In fact I told them that they completely fucked up his life and I will neither forget it or forgive it.
They had my 18-year old son living in their home with their 15-year old daughter against my wishes. I told them to throw him out, kick him out, you name it. I told them it wasn’t a good situation or a good idea. They laughed at me. I asked her mother if she was on birth control. She ASSURED me that she was. Turns out she wasn’t and her mother had NEVER taken her to the Dr for any such appointment.
Just as my son’s girlfriend’s mother was responsible for her daughter’s medical care, which should have included birth control of some sort, so is JLS’s mother. Both sets of parents are very much responsible for their daughter’s condition. No doubt about it!
JLS should also loose her show, and any other spot that depicts her as any kind of young, virginal role model. THAT is the consequences of her actions. Letting children believe that all stays perfect when you get yourself pregnant doesn’t do them any good at all. It is not a perfect situation to have a baby at 16 and having her paraded out in front of the cameras as though it’s all good is a disgrace. It does nothing to help anyone in this situation that actually has to live and deal with it in the real world.
December 22nd, 2007 at 10:37 am
Beyond this possibly being about a girl seeking attention from a male because she lacks “whatever”, it may also be a case of taking things for granted. Most actresses/actors have worked their butts off to even get on screen, and they have an ultimate goal for their careers. Getting pregnant, even as an adult, in H-wood can cost someone jobs. It seems JLS road her sister’s coattails into the industry and most likely does not have the same appreciation for where she is at. At her age she is not quite grasping how today you can be front cover, gossip-worthy, and the next, have doors shut in your face.
Who knows, maybe she never really wanted this life, but it was all she knew growing up as Britney’s younger sister. Maybe she just always wanted to be “normal”.
December 22nd, 2007 at 10:51 am
Michelle G, did you ask your son if he was using protection as well?
While I may not admire Lynn Spears or her daughters one tittle, there is a father, and the father’s family involved also. Still a double standard when a young girl gets pregnant.
How many young men have never heard the word “condom” and what it’s used for?
December 22nd, 2007 at 11:10 am
Cheryllynn, I do agree that the male is just as responsible as the female for birth control and pregnancy. Of course, if the male is led to believe that the female is on some form of birth control and she ends up pregnant because she duped him, how can he be responsible if he thought it was all taken care of? I am not saying he is not responsible for the child who eventually arrives because he is. But if he is involved in a sexual relationship with a female who lies to him, there is not much he can do (if he trusts her) unless he insists on double protection (which would probably not be a bad idea anyway…).
December 22nd, 2007 at 11:12 am
“Michelle G, did you ask your son if he was using protection as well?”
Yes. Of course. He also was told about how to protect himself and given plenty of sex talks for a very young age. He was even told where he could get condoms for FREE if he couldn’t buy them. I made sure that my son had ever bit of information he had to keep this from happening. And when he turned 18 I told him to stay away from her because it would only get him in trouble.
However, I also firmly believe that the last chance at fertility stops with my own uterus. Ultimately, it is our responsibility as women to keep ourselves from unwanted pregnancies. It is women who have the ultimate power over pregnancy, not men. It’s just that we prefer to make excuses for not protecting OURSELVES and then act as though somehow it’s the males fault because HE wasn’t wearing a condom at the time that we LET him have sex with us. Shit ladies, step up and take some responsibility for your own f-ing procreation! This bullshit of “was HE wearing a condom” is just that – bullshit! It doesn’t matter what HE does. If YOU don’t want to have a baby then guess what, you will damn well make sure that you don’t get pregnant. Right? There are no accidents in pregnancy. We can not only cure it, we can prevent it from ever taking place!
Regarding my son: what kind of morons have an 18 year old male living under their roof with their 15-year old daughter? What kind of an abject idiot invites that and then is surprised when someone ends up pregnant? I would never have such a thing under my own roof and I don’t know anyone else in my life that would support it, either. If my son hadn’t been 18 I would have grabbed him by the ear and dragged his little candy ass out of that house! But since he was considered an adult it was HER parent’s responsibility to make sure he A)didn’t live/sleep there OR B)make sure their daughter was on birth control – since they don’t believe in abortion but had no moral issue with the living arrangement {{rolls eyes}}.
December 22nd, 2007 at 11:14 am
That should have said “from a very young age” not “FOR a very young age.”
December 22nd, 2007 at 11:22 am
Excellent first hand perspective Michelle.
December 22nd, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Ok, I get it. I think I may have done too good a job in discouraging my children from pregnancy. I was a teenage mother, and I used my life experience as a lesson for my children as a “Don’t Let This Happen to You” manual.
I’ll tell you what kind of morons let a 15 year old live and sleep with not just an 18 year old, but a 21 year old. My parents. And they were all for an abortion too, which I didn’t have.
The mother of the father of my child was the saving grace in my situation. She held her son accountable, and made sure he did right by me. No recrimination toward me or even to my messed up family at the time, just love and sympathy and gentle teaching (maybe a small kick in the kiester once in awhile) It made all the difference in the world.
Anyway, my children are all in their late twenties and early thirties now, and no grandchildren are on the horizon. Phooey!!
December 22nd, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Birth control doesn’t prevent pregnancy all the time, and especially with young people who tend to act before thinking half the time. They often succumb to the spur of the moment, they don’t always think ahead about consequences, and they make bad choices. The ONLY good thing to come of this minor getting pregnant is that it gives us a chance to talk to our kids about making smart choices. Virtually every woman I have spoken to who had sex before they were 18 regrets it. Yes, kids have sex. Yes, parents need to talk to kids. My older kids know that I expect them to wait and they also know the can talk to me if they need to. And we talk about this stuff a lot. While I think boys are equally as responsible, let’s face it–women (girls) have to take the brunt of the responsibility of growing the baby, giving birth, making tough choices. Their lives are forever changed no matter what choice they make.
Now regarding Lynn Spears, what I want to say I can’t. Grrr.
December 22nd, 2007 at 4:48 pm
I can not imagine allowing an 18 year old male–or any unrelated male, for that matter–live under the same roof as my 15 year old daughter. That’s just bizarre! BUT there are some dense parents out there, and I know a set of them…
If it makes you feel any better, Michelle G., my son’s former girlfriend (of 5 years at the time) got pregnant when he was 20 and she 21 which was still way too young, in my opinion. I almost had a heart attack when I found out, but I was grateful for the fact that it had not happened much sooner.
You see, when I learned they were having sex in high school (found condoms in son’s room and confronted him; he admitted it), I called the girl’s mother and discussed it with her. I recommended that she speak to her daughter about it and perhaps get her on birth control so we wouldn’t end up with any little ‘accidents.’
Her mother didn’t believe me, though. She said: “Oh, no, they’re not having sex. Her daddy asked her if they were having sex a few months ago, and she told them they definitely were not.” HUH??? What the hell did they expect her to say?! I could not believe how naive this woman was, and she’s my age! I continued to insist that they were sexually active but it fell on deaf ears. I was astounded, to say the least.
I think she finally believed me when her daughter got pregnant, though.
December 22nd, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Mike Schuler Says: “…you get this totally stupid site here…”
Mike, what are you twelve? A “totally stupid site?”
Is that the best you could come up with? Okay, okay. Does this make you feel better. Um, ouch man, that hurt. Hee-hee.
Ball up, brother. Put your contact information or your little Trench Coat profile when you throw up a pissy little comment directed at me.
Taking pot-shots behind the safety of the Internet at 10:21 PM on a Friday night. Sad, brother. Sad.
Thanks, by the way, for the free pimp of my MySpace site… you pretty much GUARANTEED attention for lil’ol moi.
Here’s a lesson: See the traps, man, don’t fall into them.
And then you went and called the girl a “dumb-ass”. Keep writing, man. Your brilliance just shines through the words.
HEY MELISSA: IF GUYS AR “EAGER BEAVERS”, THEN WHAT DO I CALL GIRLS?
A: I HEAR YOU. WE DON’T ALWAYS AGREE, AND THAT’S COOL.
December 23rd, 2007 at 11:45 am
LOL, sneaky guy admits he was chauvinistic on my MySpace messages but not here lol.
Anyhow, short article pretty much summing up what I have been trying to say here..
A lesson in scorn and unintended consequences
Tribune staff report
December 23, 2007
Jamie Lynn Spears’ career is in serious jeopardy. Now that she’s pregnant at 16, she’s an unfit role model for the impressionable tweens who watch “Zoey 101,” her Nickelodeon sitcom. She’s a slutty tramp. She’s trash. Her boyfriend should be arrested for statutory rape. Shame on her…
… paraphrase of the conventional wisdom last week online and in the air
Anyone who wonders why pregnant teens often don’t “choose life,” as the ad campaign suggests, have only to behold the indignation and scorn with which many have reacted to the announcement that Britney Spears’ kid sister is with child.
I understand the scolding tone. Sixteen-year-olds shouldn’t be having sex, and there’s nothing glamorous or fun or sweet about a teen girl having a baby. Celebrating her condition—normalizing it—would send a bad message.
But moralizing has its price: While heaping scorn on Spears and turning her into an object lesson on the virtues of virtue stands to inspire some girls her age to abstain from sex or be extra careful about using birth control, it also stands to inspire those who do get pregnant to avoid the harsh consequences by obtaining an abortion.
After all, think how much easier it would have been for Jamie Lynn Spears quietly to terminate her pregnancy and continue her life and career as if nothing had happened.
December 23rd, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Okay, Melissa, I admit it… but only to you. (Don’t tell anyone else…) Perhaps the term could be somewhat over-the-edge, leaning towards “boorish”.
December 23rd, 2007 at 2:21 pm
“…She’s a slutty tramp. She’s trash. Her boyfriend should be arrested for statutory rape. Shame on her…”
This does not depict my opinion of her AT ALL.
If JLS was a young girl in my life, and she came to my home, I would give her a hug (to the dismay of Christopher P.) and offer her acceptance and support in any way that I could. I’d dig through my old baby stuff to see if there was anything she needed, and help her tap into all resources available to her.
This is obviously never going to to happen, because she’s not in my world.
But Melissa, I would NOT take her down to the local junior high school and ask her to educate junior highers on how to know when they are in love, and when it’s the right time for them to have sex.
When is the last time you’ve been to a junior high school Melissa? Many of those kids are a mess. Even good kids…it has everything to do with this particular age. In my observation, high schoolers have it way more together than junior highers. And junior high is Jamie Lynn’s target audience.
Melissa, I appreciate your protective defense of a young girl who’s going through a tough thing in life. I’m there with you. I honestly am. And the way I read this board, most of the posters here are sympathetic too. So I’m not sure who you’re talking to when you insinuate that “we” want to string her up by the eye balls and give her 30 lashes.
I’m not seeing it…
December 23rd, 2007 at 2:57 pm
There was no easy way to announce Jamie’s pregnancy. If I was her manager, her parents, or any responsible adult that was helping this child through this situation, I would have as quietly as possible announced Jamie was pregnant, and that she would being taking a hiatus from the TV show until after the birth of her baby. End of publicity — nothing more. It is no one’s business who, when, or whatever. She owes no apology or explanation. It is private. To call her a tramp is as wrong. I agree, she could have terminated the pregnancy and gone on with her life and career. She didn’t, but neither did she need profess she wants to be a normal teen one day and then sells the baby’s picture for a million dollars the next. Maybe these people are so entrenched in LaLa-land they think every pregnant teen can do such things.
I think she needs to step away from the show and refrain from promoting her pregnancy. Kids will only see the sweet baby and never realize the difficulty they will experience if they think their underage pregnancy could be anything like Jamie Lynn’s.
December 23rd, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Careful, A. You and I are starting to sound a LOT alike. Har!
Hug her if you want… it’s cool… I don’t begrudge anyone their feelings… I might disagree, but I don’t begrudge…
December 23rd, 2007 at 3:15 pm
I know you don’t Chris P.
That’s why I drag you into my comments…because you’re great fun.
December 23rd, 2007 at 5:15 pm
A – my quote was a quote. From someone else, which why it was held in quote marks.
I agree that she is not a role model. But then again I don’t think that many of ROLE MODELS should be held as such.
I tend to agree with the smashing of her though.
What happens when you have the Christian right wing saying its not OK to get pregnant, but throw their bullshit at the kids that do? Is that not hypocrisy at its worst?
You said when Abraham came down with the commandments. Who determined that adultery had anything to do with pre-marital sex?
December 23rd, 2007 at 6:35 pm
The Bible has a lot of bad things to say about being a harlot. In fact, it was so frowned upon in Jewish society that, among all the laws in the Old Testament, spiritual unfaithfulness (idolatry) is compared to harlotry. These days, people tend to think of harlots as those who engage in multiple sexual relationships. However, the Old Testament indicates that engaging in even one sexual relationship before marriage (i.e., not being a virgin) makes one a harlot. Engaging in consensual sexual relations with a married person was a capital offense, and those who were found guilty (both the male and female) were executed.8 Consensual sexual relations between an unmarried man and unmarried woman resulted in the man being fined and required marry the woman without the possibility of any future divorce. Essentially, there was no premarital sex, since once you were caught you were married.
December 23rd, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Bible Thumper–what’s your point as far as any relevancy to us, HERE TODAY?
Melissa, I get that you were giving a quote. I was lumping your quote here with your accusation yesterday that we were instating a shunning.
As far as the ten commandments, I see what you’re saying (pre-marital sex is technically not adultery). My point is that a belief in moral absolutes dates back to ancient history, with a belief in God being a baseline for morality.
December 23rd, 2007 at 7:23 pm
A, Melissa was implying again that morality and premarital sex are not related. That is my point to you HERE TODAY.
December 23rd, 2007 at 7:32 pm
I wonder why an 18 year old would think it morally acceptable to move in with his 16 year old girlfriend? Is it his parents fault for that?
Its her parents fault for letting him…..but where does his responsibility come in?
It is ultimately the womans choice what happens in her uterus…well, that is one way to look at it.
In some states he would be held accountable for having sex with a minor, guess we should be greatful they dont live where those laws apply.
I think Jamie’s career is going to take a nose dive for her bad choices. But as for other just average girls that get pregnant that young, what should they give up for their mistakes? If Jamie has to forfit her career, shoud another girl have to give up her education? Or is just her freedom enough?
I dont know her mother, or really anything about them. Im not a follower of the Spears clan. But to make remarks that they are trailor trash or the like, is wrong too! Its ok for us to say she has no morals because she is pregant young, but at the same time some parents use foul language and pass judgement on people they dont know, and that is so morally upright! .. ?
I see alot of double standards here.
Im not condoning getting pregnant that young. I was 31 when I had my first child. And for the record, I wouldnt recommend that either. When somoene is “ready” to be a mother, that number is different for everyone. And some never are.
I think that shows by some of the outrageous things some of the “parents” post at times!
Obviously time will tell whether or not this baby will have good parents.Lets let their actions be the judge.
December 23rd, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Bible Thumper. Do not EVER think that you know what I am implying.
A and I know each other, and I think she can figure out what I am saying.
If you know me, you know that I don’t imply. I say what I think, whether you like it or not.
December 23rd, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Just a side note, it was Moses that brought down God’s commandments to the twelve tribes of Abraham.
It is so human to feel we must help God along in clarifying what he really meant to say in his ten commandments. The purpose of Jesus was to set straight some troublesome and limiting ideas that had formed through the years about God’s expectations of man. Jesus had just two pesky commands — love God with all your heart and treat others as you would want to be treated. At first, those commands seem so simple but in truth are the most demanding of all and pretty much negate the need for the other ten or any others.
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:55 pm
sorry BT, but I’m still not seeing it.
And Lol Compassrose, thanks for correcting. I got that one way wrong… Kind of funny that Bible Thumper didn’t see that.
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:56 pm
And btw Bible Thumper…you annoy me when you talk to me that way.
December 24th, 2007 at 1:26 am
Michelle Says:
“I wonder why an 18 year old would think it morally acceptable to move in with his 16 year old girlfriend? Is it his parents fault for that?”
I wonder why you missed the part of my comment where I was making it pretty apparent that I DIDN’T think it was okay. Perhaps you should change your name to ‘SeeWhatYouWannaSee’?
In answer to the assanine opening sentence in your comment: it was because he was a young punk teenager with over active hormones (like most teen males) and he enjoyed doing the exact opposite of everything he was ever told or taught just for the sake of going against authority and being argumentative. HE was a man. HE was 18. And HE was going to show me that HE could do whatever HE wanted because HE was an adult, and there wasn’t a thing I could do to stop him. Do you get that, dear? {probably not} So when his girlfriend’s shining examples of parents said, “come on in, the water’s fine,” he jumped on in with both feet and flew a great big bird in my direction. He didn’t need MY approval because he had THEIRS!
See, Michelle, occasionally some of us parents end up with little snot nosed brats who think they know it all and can run their own show. Rather than perfect, idealic, morally righteous angels, like you apparently had. Now he is paying the price for being a snot nosed brat who thought he was all grown up a little too soon. He’s a daddy – forever!
Where is his responsibility? Well, now that he made a family it’s his responsibility to take care of it. He is being held accountable by HIS family and he is being encouraged to take care of his baby and his girlfriend,and he is being supported and helped to make sure that he can do that. HIS family is expecting BOTH of them to do what is right by the child that THEY created. Even though HER family totally abdicated any responsibility at all.
HER family decided that they wanted him out of their house THE DAY AFTER the baby came home from the hospital. It wasn’t HER family who was encouraging them to stay together after the baby arrived, it was HIS family that told him to stay put no matter what and that he was not to leave without both his girlfriend and his daughter.
It was HIS family who gave them all a place to live AFTER the baby was born and bought diapers and formula. It was HIS family who purchased her medication, her breast pump, her feminine products and all of the baby’s needs (other than the crib, car seat and stroller), to the tune of $6,000. It was HIS family who gave them a vehicle so that they could get to work and to doctor appointments. It is HIS family who wants them to get married, it is HER family who is making them wait.
So, is that enough for ya there, Michelle? Think HIS family is doing enough to hold up THEIR end in the deal and encourage him to be accountable and responsible for his new family? Or do you think you can try and find fault with HIS family for this, too?
Finally, I think you know where you can put the morally superior ‘you people use foul language’ card. Right? This is the real world, my dear. People swear and it looks like you’ll need to just deal with it. Because last I heard the United States 1st Amendment gives us the right to say any *damn* thing we want to, whether it offends your morally righteous self or not. Your computer comes with an off switch. This is not A Clockwork Orange. You are not being forced to view anything in front of your screen. Feel free to turn that sucker off and go read a book. I suggest Matt’s new one, BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME.
December 24th, 2007 at 5:19 am
My God, Michelle! They’ve all but stolen him! I do completely understand your anger over this.You know the pregnant girl I mentioned in the other thread? After she refused to have an abortion (good for her, poor kid) – oh and she isn’t 17 till the 28th – Daddy has bought her a cottage and she and her boyfriend are living together, several villages away from her family home and away from the boy’s (and he’s 19) – I know his family and I know they will be angry and mortified over this situation. I can see things turning out the same way they have with your son. Hugs, Fiz.
December 24th, 2007 at 6:29 am
“Michelle Says:
December 23rd, 2007 at 7:32 pm
It is ultimately the womans choice what happens in her uterus…well, that is one way to look at it.
In some states he would be held accountable for having sex with a minor, guess we should be greatful they dont live where those laws apply.”
So, bad language offends you, but snotty comments like this – concerning a situation you know NOTHING about – are okay? You have some twisted sensibilities there, friend.
Since you obviously missed it, the boy under discussion is “being held accountable for having sex with a minor”. He has the responsibility of raising a child for the next eighteen years. How much more accountable could he be?
What purpose would it serve to throw his butt in jail? Perhaps you should tell us, since you live where those laws apply.
As I said, raising kids is a crapshoot. There is no textbook, and no guarantees.
December 24th, 2007 at 7:11 am
Michelle Gray — hats off to you for managing such a difficult situation. I know this is not easy but you are doing exactly what needs to be done. In all this, there is a wonderful little baby girl that is loved and needs the people in her life to care for her.
I was a kid, but I remember clearly meeting my nineteen year old brother’s seventeen year old pregnant girlfriend the day they came by the house to say they were getting married and moving into a garage apartment. Her parents were ultra religious and my brother was persona non grata in their eyes. They needed huge amounts of help those first years but it worked. They stayed married, had more children, and he has a very successful professional career. You’re in day to day mode — I’m hoping for those days to be easier in 2008.
December 24th, 2007 at 8:54 am
oh yes hats off Mihelle, you make me laugh
December 24th, 2007 at 9:01 am
did it ever occur to you that I was referring to Jamie Spears and her live in boyfriend?
No, obviously it didnt. But I hate to be the one to tell you, this blog wasnt written about you. And neither was my reply!!
December 24th, 2007 at 9:07 am
Merry Christmas !!!!
Hope you are all blessed this Holiday
as much as you have all been a blessing to me
since I started coming here…
Michelle02
December 24th, 2007 at 9:13 am
“Michelle Says:
December 24th, 2007 at 9:01 am
did it ever occur to you that I was referring to Jamie Spears and her live in boyfriend?
No, obviously it didnt. But I hate to be the one to tell you, this blog wasnt written about you. And neither was my reply!!”
And does it occur to you that the same answer still applies? What would be the point of throwing her boyfriend in jail? He now has the responsibility of raising a child-and that’s a better way to hold him accountable for his actions than locking him up.
Blaming anyone is pointless now – him, her, his parents, her parents. What is done is done. And, regardless of your perception, the main point I have seen expressed on this blog is regret that these two young people will spend their young adulthood raising a child, instead of having the freedom to make other choices.
Why don’t you stop being such a snot, Michelle?
December 24th, 2007 at 10:31 am
I don’t recall JLS being discussed as having an 18-year old boyfriend that lives under the same roof as she and her parents. I do recall her 19-year old boyfriend being discussed. But no recollection to those specific living arrangements being tossed out there, Michelle. So, gosh, I have no idea why I would think that you were responding to my comments about my 18-year old son and his 16-year old girlfriend, and then segueing into your comments regarding JLS.
Regardless, I agree with Rae. Jail serves no purpose in this. If you want to assess legal action how about assessing it to the ones who think that walking away is a better idea? Or worse, the ones who decide that even walking away isn’t good enough and decide to emulate Bobbie Cutts or Mark Hacking? I think it’s been mentioned here at CR that homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women.
I don’t think the issue lies with the young men who want to do what’s right, and are encouraged to do what’s right. The problem lies with the ones who don’t want to assume responsibility for their part in the creation of a child.
I also think that we as women need to assume the responsibility and control that we each possess over our own uterus. That is what we should be teaching our girls. Instead we keep ending up with generation, after generation, after generation looking for love in all the wrong places and possessing some ill conceived notion that having a baby will make everything all right. Why is that? Perhaps we need to look at our own culture as women and figure out what in the hell we are doing to each other?
I think that every time we point a finger at males and shake it in their face while screeching about how irresponsible they are, or stupid they are, or what pigs they are, then I think we are setting them up to prove us right and setting our gender up with a mindset of perpetual victim.
We hold JLS and her sis BS as a role models for our little girls. At 4 we dress them to look like Paris Hilton. Because that is what we want them to aspire to become? Barbie dolls? What ever happened to holding strong women, smart women, women of character up as role models? Actual grown women who have achieved something in their lives, instead of children?
I tend to think that our own actions as women are what is setting our daughters up for failure. If we want to know why 16-year old girls are getting pregnant, perhaps we need to look no further than at ourselves for the answer.
December 24th, 2007 at 10:47 am
For the record, JLS lives in Louisiana/California. Probably Louisiana for the most part now. Her boyfriend lives in Mississippi.
December 24th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Michelle Gray says:
“We hold JLS and her sis BS as a role models for our little girls. At 4 we dress them to look like Paris Hilton. Because that is what we want them to aspire to become? Barbie dolls?…”
Let me just say that I think it’s the parental exception, rather than the normal mother that hold these people up as role models, or otherwise encourage their emulation.
From the time girls are knee high they are typically attracted to things that sparkle and shine, that are pretty, per se. It’s innate for the most part, and parents are swimming upstream to filter the images, song lyrics, fashion choices, and all else pop culture.
Raising girls is tricky, to say the least.
Right now the names I hear in my house are “Audrina” and “Lauren”, and I’m not sure where that will lead. But I remember the day that I overheard my sweet young girl singing a song with her headphones on. I about choked when I realized that the main word to the tune was “promiscuous” (thanks Nelly Furtado…what the hell were you thinking, and who was your target audience??)…
December 24th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Melissa, thank you for correcting me on that one. My apologies, I stand corrected with Jamie Lynn and her boyfiriends living arrangements.
Rae, as for her boyfriend going to jail, youre so right, it would serve no purpose. I merely was making a statment that in some places laws are still on the books about stagetory rape and he should be mighty greatful that he isnt in one of those.
And I agree with you that playing the blame game doesnt help either. I guess I didnt get my point across very well.
I am very well aware of what a crapshoot raising kids is, I spent many years as a fosterparent for troubled teens. Currently I am raising my very first foster child’s daughter.
And I just re-read my post and I dont understand what you mean by stop being such a snot. I thought it was nice. But if I offended ya Rae,,,whoopsie, not intentionally!
Happy Holidays!
December 24th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Yeah, I consider this to be snotty: “But I hate to be the one to tell you, this blog wasnt written about you. And neither was my reply!!”
You didn’t offend me…but I wasn’t the one you set out to offend with that remark, anyway.
As a point of fact, California, Louisiana, and Mississippi-the states in question-do have laws about statutory rape. All states do. The idea that JLS’ boyfriend should be grateful he doesn’t live in such an area is ridiculous-there is no such area that doesn’t have a rape statute on the books. If Lynn Spears was so inclined, she could press such charges-but she’s probably seen the uselessness of doing so.
Happy Holidays!
December 24th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
I believe that most parents do the best job we can raising our children. But we, as parents are only one source of information, role model, and experience for our children. The world is huge and children have so much more to choose from than what we offer them. Just as we did! At some point we have to accept that: [1] we can’t live our children’s lives for them; [2] they aren’t always going to live as we taught them to; [3] hinesight sucks; [4] they are entitled to make mistakes and [5] every person comes into this world for a reason.
December 24th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
If the ages and sexes were reversed in this drama, some of you would be screaming that the boy had been groomed and raped. Double standards.
December 24th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
If the ages and sexes were reversed in this drama, I’d be on the phone to the National Enquirer, reporting the first pregnant male.
December 24th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
At least the girl has money, so I won’t wind up supporting the kid with my tax money while the mama sits on her fat ass eating honeybuns all day.
December 25th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
I have to agree while at first I thought bringing charges sending him to jail would be good I have reconsidered.
Charges that would keep him in society so he can earn money to support the kid would be good but not jail cause then she’ll never get any help from him financial or otherwise.
December 26th, 2007 at 7:53 am
What charges? He graduated last year, so that would make him JUST 19 (if he even is, reports vary) and she will be 17 in April. There is no 36 month age difference, it isn’t statutory rape.
Why would ANYONE think that it would be good to send the boy to jail?
December 26th, 2007 at 10:39 am
Ok, whatever, Melissa. My point was that there is no area in this country that doesn’t have some underage rape statute on the books, as Michelle was claiming.
December 26th, 2007 at 10:53 am
Yes, I know that Rae, but I wasnt addressing anything you said.
December 26th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Oh, okay. Sorry ’bout that.
December 27th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
I think that it is true that this is a personal tragedy/matter/issue for the girl, her boyfriend, and the poor child. I say poor baby because no matter how much he or she is loved, no baby should be born into this kind of chaos. I am not going to censure her personally, because while this is not the outcome I hope for my own children, mistakes do happen.
For the elder Mrs. Spears, this is a payday. Simple, end of story. And for Jamie Lynn Spears, this is not the tragedy that it could have been for many people in such an apparently dysfunctional family. She has money, and will not have to struggle to finish high school or college to support this child as most children would — or else end up on the taxpayer dollar and create a family cycle that would be very hard to break.
BUT — I will censure Nickelodeon and Viacom. I don’t WANT to explain to my very young children that Zoey 101 is pregnant and not married, not an adult, not finished with school yet. I resent the fact that they are keeping this show on the air so that Zoey will not pass out of their little minds (no matter how we keep stuff from them, they still see it) and onto the great beyond of Former Only Mildly Recognizable Child Stars. It ticks me off to no end that they will be at the grocery store and see this teen “role model” spread across the magazine rack in a new ever-expanding state.
If Zoey wasn’t aimed specifically at children, as a role model for them — say, if this show was on CBS at 9 p.m., I might not be so annoyed (and annoyed is what I am, not outraged). Yeah, yeah — we’ll block Nick stations on our DVR and we’ll not go to Universal Studios, and we’ll not buy Nick products — but that doesn’t change the fact that because some lawyer at Viacom didn’t do his job — prohibit a child actress from getting pregnant during this run or face firing — I have to explain other people’s behavior to my kids and explain why it seems OK for them but wouldn’t be for us (my kids aren’t millionaires, more’s the pity). I understand you can’t legally fire someone for getting pregnant. I do. And I understand that kids make mistakes — but most kids don’t have managers and agents and other people telling them how to run their lives and careers. And airing the show to small children seems a poor message.
I guess Disney was really smart to use cartoons…much easier to control.
December 27th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
It’s when he (Disney) started using those mouskateers that the real trouble began!
Very well said Liz, and I agree with you.
December 28th, 2007 at 11:04 am
I was reading that Annette Funicello lost all support for her career from Walt Disney when she wore a two-piece bathing suit in one of the Frankie and Annette movies. He just wrote her off and didn’t forgive her for years!
My, oh my — the times have changed!
December 28th, 2007 at 11:42 am
britney and jamie need to give their children up for adoption!
December 28th, 2007 at 11:45 am
i think that we need to leave them alone and get a life of our own!!! who the !@#$%^& cares!
December 29th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8baqly5cVI
December 29th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
yeah I saw that video. It’s now being said papa spears stayed in LA for christmas because he was so mad at mama spears. He says he hasn’t made a dime of his daughters and is furious at what his ex did by selling her out for $1 million. He did get to see the grand babies on x mas though.
December 29th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
I love that kid in the youtube video. Her funniest one was the pay the rent one.
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:49 am
Ok: It’s ok for you to say that a 16 year old was “pimped” by her mother. You should be banned.
What you are saying here is awfull.. just so awfull.
Pimped..??? Where in the h.ll do get your language from? Please respond.
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:52 am
New baby is coming… That’s all. I’m happy in my heart. That’s all
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Gosh you’re an idiot Kirsti. I know I’m not supposed to feed you…I’m having a weak moment and can’t help it.
fyi–Here’s Websters definition of the word “pimped”: to make use of often dishonorably for one’s own gain or benefit.
It fits. Sorry it doesn’t make you happy in your heart.
January 4th, 2008 at 1:07 am
Does not make me happy in my heart, nix. Here is a pregnant 16teen year old, and we all know that’s not easy.. but what is is, and in this case a baby is. Stop the name-calling. Btw:I don’t think I’m an idiot.
And I don’t think you should feel weak for responding to me. Or feed me..as you call it.
I don’t want to insult you or anything, but what do you mean by “feed” me? I don’t need nothing from you. Fridge is always full in my house.
January 11th, 2008 at 1:21 am
not know in my heart what the fuss is about. No idea why I’m considered a troll. But I know it’s your site… and you like friends. Thank you anyway, for letting me speak, although it was for a short time.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Way to go jamie lynn…..
November 5th, 2009 at 5:25 am
She did well on her mid-terms. Check this out
Since she was young she’s said she wanted to be in forensics or in that field.
She met the District Attorney at the pub w/her father.
He picked her up and she went to court. All the prosocuters were so impressed with her, asking the right questionsetc. She was offered a summer internship at the Van Nuys court house!!!
He told her they have about 1600 peeps in law school who apply and they turn down. She doesn’t have this back ground, but they want her.
I’m so so proud of her. She’s finding her way!!
April 27th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
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