Bristol Palin and her man split

Bristol Palin, 18-year-old daughter of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and mother of 2-month-old Tripp, is not a statistic. But as word spreads of her recent split from 19-year-old fiance Levi Johnston, she joins 13.6 million parents raising children alone. With this break up, her baby becomes one of the 26 percent of children under the age of 21 growing up in a single parent household in the United States.

Bristol Palin, still working on a degree from Wasilla High School, is already a part of a startling 3% percent upswing in the number of teen parents in this country. Although teen pregnancies and births decreased every year from 1991 to 2005, the number jumped in 26 states in 2006. The increase, called "fairly remarkable" by experts, occurred among white, black, and Hispanic teens aged 15 - 19.

Some experts blame a culture where sex seems to be everywhere, on TV shows that younger kids are watching, and a culture that reveres pregnant teen celebs like Jamie Lynn Spears and cheeky, way-too-together fictional pregnant teens like "Juno." Others say abstinence-only education and de-emphasizing birth control may play a part.

If either of these opinions are on target, the highly profiled Bristol Palin certainly stands in the center of them. While her mother is an outspoken advocate of abstinence-only education, birth control restriction, and banning abortion, Bristol Palin said openly in a FOX interview that abstinence-only education "isn't realistic at all." If that link is correct, then she would know.Regardless, Bristol Palin is now a single teen mother, facing all of the challenges those statistics predict, and more.

What comes next for Bristol Palin as she moves from the break up that happened weeks or "a while ago" (according to different sources) and into life as a single mother?

How can this girl raising a child get beyond the statistics that say that, as a teen mother, she is more likely to have sole parenting responsibility and be a high school dropout?

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/paren...l-palin-428698

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I hope the father still plays an active role in his son's life. I'm sure he probably got wet feet and scared, after all he's only 19.

Originally Posted by Black Mamba

Bristol Palin, 18-year-old daughter of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and mother of 2-month-old Tripp, is not a statistic. But as word spreads of her recent split from 19-year-old fiance Levi Johnston, she joins 13.6 million parents raising children alone. With this break up, her baby becomes one of the 26 percent of children under the age of 21 growing up in a single parent household in the United States.

Bristol Palin, still working on a degree from Wasilla High School, is already a part of a startling 3% percent upswing in the number of teen parents in this country. Although teen pregnancies and births decreased every year from 1991 to 2005, the number jumped in 26 states in 2006. The increase, called "fairly remarkable" by experts, occurred among white, black, and Hispanic teens aged 15 - 19.

Some experts blame a culture where sex seems to be everywhere, on TV shows that younger kids are watching, and a culture that reveres pregnant teen celebs like Jamie Lynn Spears and cheeky, way-too-together fictional pregnant teens like "Juno." Others say abstinence-only education and de-emphasizing birth control may play a part.

If either of these opinions are on target, the highly profiled Bristol Palin certainly stands in the center of them. While her mother is an outspoken advocate of abstinence-only education, birth control restriction, and banning abortion, Bristol Palin said openly in a FOX interview that abstinence-only education "isn't realistic at all." If that link is correct, then she would know.Regardless, Bristol Palin is now a single teen mother, facing all of the challenges those statistics predict, and more.

What comes next for Bristol Palin as she moves from the break up that happened weeks or "a while ago" (according to different sources) and into life as a single mother?

How can this girl raising a child get beyond the statistics that say that, as a teen mother, she is more likely to have sole parenting responsibility and be a high school dropout?

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/paren...l-palin-428698

*********************

I hope the father still plays an active role in his son's life. I'm sure he probably got wet feet and scared, after all he's only 19.

shoulda wrapped it up then

True that. "Don't be silly, wrap your willy" is what my health teacher said in middle school.

I just think it's sad because I don't want to see the kid suffer from all this.

yeah and if he didn't have one to wrap, my high school football coach said this(in regards to the triple option, but it works both ways )when in doubt, pull it out

Originally Posted by Black Mamba

True that. "Don't be silly, wrap your willy" is what my health teacher said in middle school.

I just think it's sad because I don't want to see the kid suffer from all this.

Originally Posted by matthughesfan21

yeah and if he didn't have one to wrap, my high school football coach said this(in regards to the triple option, but it works both ways )when in doubt, pull it out

Ummm...that doesn't always work. I have one of my kids to prove it...

[NateR]

Originally Posted by matthughesfan21

shoulda wrapped it up then

Even so, condoms are only effective 9 out of 10 times.

[Bonnie]

I'm sure Bristol isn't going to become a high school drop-out statistic like so many in her position and I'm sure she'll have strong support, at least on her side of the family, don't know about the daddy's side.

I say definitely preach abstinence, but not sure, it's realistic in regards to these kids today as for the sheer mass that are sexually active at such a young age. They are exposed to so much at such an early age. They see and hear things that they shouldn't even those with diligent parents.

It's the age of the information highway and these kids are speeding right along not realizing that they are not equipped yet to handle these "adult" situations. Heck, a lot of adults aren't equipped to handle unplanned preganancies let alone kids having kids.

BTW, I agree with Dawn on the "when in doubt, pull it out" theory. More than likely it's "too late to close that gate" 'cause the tadpole's heading upstream already.

[TexasRN]

I helped deliver a girl who had her tubes tied and her hubby had a vasectomy. Still got preggers. No birth control is 100%. Only abstinence truly prevents pregnancy. Some options are a better bet than others though.

~Amy

Originally Posted by Bonnie

I say definitely preach abstinence, but not sure, it's realistic in regards to these kids today as for the sheer mass that are sexually active at such a young age. They are exposed to so much at such an early age. They see and hear things that they shouldn't even those with diligent parents.

To a certain extent, I don't think it's realistic at all. An old friend of mine from high school swore up and down the she treasured her virginity and wanted to hold on to it. Not even 6 months after high school did she lose hers.

But speaking from experience, I can also argue the fact that it can be an achieveable goal (holding onto your virginity) and overriding your hormones (mind over matter). I guess I'm just different and have more important things on my mind then screwing every Tom, Dick, and Harry.

"Keep your rocket in your pocket... Mr. Spaceman."
I wish her the best. Its hard being in that situation no matter how well off your family is or isn't. I hope that fellow decides to man up and play an active roll in his sons life. Just glad she decided to have the baby and not abort it! To me she was brave.