Jamie Lynn Spears Pregnant At 16: Is Lynne Spears An Even Worse Mother Than Britney?
Lynne Spears, what were you thinking? Or not thinking and not doing? Did you never sit down with either of your daughters—Britney, now just turned 26, and the divorced mother of two toddlers or Jamie Lynn, 16 and now three months pregnant—and give them The Talk?
You know the one, where mothers warn their daughters about the dangers of unprotected sex: as in, you can get pregnant if you don't use contraception and you can contract any one of a number of dangerous sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS. Or were you too busy pushing their careers to ever have this heart-to-heart with them? Were you too tied up lining up meetings with record company executives, TV networks, publicists and tour managers to check on whether you were instilling personal values and self-esteem in your daughters?
And what kind of mother upon hearing the news that her 16-year-old daughter is knocked up, reacts by picking up the phone and negotiating to get her daughter's photo plastered on the cover of a magazine with a tell-all interview by the daughter and herself inside?
I mean, she's 12 weeks pregnant—that's all—and not even showing—and you are very possibly already making big bucks off of your minor daughter's pregnancy! I say "possibly" since the magazine concerned hasn't announced that they paid for this deal, but since they have been very public about paying for other big cover scoops, there's a good chance they paid for this one. And of course, Jamie Lynn could be getting all that possible money herself. Maybe you aren't getting a cut? But there you are clearly mentioned as a participant, on the cover for millions to see. Still, I wonder, is that all your daughters are to you? A gravy train? And the world is well-aware of how daughter #1 Brit turned out—she's arguably one of the saddest, most messed-up young women in this country and a mother who's lost custody of her kids due to her hard partying and questionable parenting.
A source told Star magazine that ""She picks up guys all over the place. She never keeps condoms in the house and I wouldn't be surprised if she had unprotected sex." Lynne, have you still not had The Talk with her, after her two little surprises?
Then of course, there is the even bigger question—why do Jamie Lynn and Britney choose men who have so little respect for them that they're not careful about preventing a pregnancy? Do Jamie Lynn and Britney feel insecure and unloved? Lynne, what is that about?
And is Jamie Lynn's 19-year-old football-playing boyfriend who she apparently met in church in the Spears hometown of Kentwood, La. just an irresponsible ne'er do well? I mean, it takes two people having unprotected sex—in his case, with a 16 year old—to make a baby!
Apparently Lynn has had to postpone her book deal with publisher Thomas Nelson, who publishes inspirational books and bibles. She was supposed to publish a tome about raising her daughters in Spring 2008. Oops! I guess it's just not the right time for that.
And oops, maybe Jamie Lynn won't be deemed an appropriate role model to continue starring in Nickelodeon's teen hit show, Zoey 101. Her character on that show, after all, is smart and savvy and since I've watched it a lot, I can say that I doubt her character would be careless enough to get pregnant at 16.
Both my daughters—the 17-year-old and the 10-year-old—think it's terribly sad that Jamie Lynn is pregnant and they wonder why that family is so messed up. They can't imagine how she can do a good job of raising a baby when she's just a baby herself.
But on the other hand, she and Lynne can think of the publicity and the potential opportunities to potentially make more money if they decide to go that route. There are the "We're So Happy" cover photos taken with 19-year-old dad Casey, the potential engagement photos, the potential wedding photos, the photos of the baby's beautiful nursery, the first pics of the baby after it's born and the "How I Got My Figure Back" photos and exercise routine feature.
After all, Jamie Lynn's already pregnant, why not cash in?
As a mother, I just have to make the plea to other mothers of teenage daughters: You've got to talk to your daughters about being responsible.
What do you think readers?
Follow Bonnie Fuller on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bonniefuller
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Is there a rewrite of Lynne's book on xistian parenting scheduled?
Lynne Spears isn't exactly Donna Reed. And her messed up kids aren't that much different from messed up kids all over the country. The only difference is that they're on the cover of a magazine. Also, this article seems to assume Britney got pregnant by accident, when she was obviously looking forward to cranking out a couple as soon as the ring was on her finger.
While a lot of this doesn't relate to the article, it does explain how the media has taken over our brains.
http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html
None of my business.
Bonnie,
Oh, how brave of you to wave the flag of "I'm a good mother, Spears is a bad mother" bandwagon and just wait for all of the other astute readers to pat you on the back.
What a coward you are, (and amazingly, most of the country is as well), to unmercifully crucify this young girl who has given no indication that she is either promiscuous or incapable of learning to be a responsible mother. Are you a perfect mother, Bonnie? Please, let me go get a gold star for you. That's what you want, right? To feel good from the misfortunes of others?
It is a great myth in our society that all young mothers are bad, perpetuated by classist politics that took root during the Roosevelt era. How odd that evolution would work this way, making the ideal age for a woman to have their first child about 18, which supports the norm of couples getting married in their late teens throughout 99% of history, and yet curiously, now, in the year 2007, the genetics of human beings have shifted and now it is impossible for a young mother to be a nurturing, competent, successful mother.
It's a myth that teenage mothers are inherently bad. What is true is that mothers who allow themselves to be in this position (pregnant in a society that requires men and women to be in their early to mid-twenties before they can sustain a family) are more likely to have other problems that influenced a decision that for them is self-destructive. The point, then, is that though the initial pregnancy may be limiting and self-destructive, the effects may be overcome if the parents have the right support.
It is very possible for young mothers to be successful. Whoppi Goldberg and HER DAUGHTER are prime examples. Why don't you have the courage to discuss overcoming challenges instead of gloating and fishing for comments that make you feel good at the expense of the Spears?
Just for the record;
16 yo Blond idiot raised on TV + 19 yo football player + Louisiana = out of wedlock baby.
What is the surprise here?
They will all be living in a trailer park soon enough.
Steps Up Onto The SoapBox;
I cannot believe the feigned surprise and indignation that we have a 16 year old tart that is knocked up. We have created a society generally being infected from California where children are taught no manners and are not allowed to be punished since the state knows best how to raise your children. The “children are just small adults and should be listened to and not punished” crowed has gotten their way. A parent spanking a child is looked upon like a leper in this day and time and we wonder why she is pregnant. She is pregnant because this narcissistic self absorbed society cares more about who Britney is boffing then what the Supreme Court is doing. We care more about who has a boob job and what pills someone is taking then asking if these are good people and yes we should ask. In this day and age where we are not suppose to judge others or speak against the PC crowd guess what we have gotten what we have sown. We have a 50% out of wedlock birthrate in some areas and we do not call that and issue. We have schools that cannot teach kids to read and write and do math because some other kids have not been taught to behave and they have to be allowed in school. America I salute you. We have brought it on ourselves.
I can't believe the amount of sanctimonious pinheads who have come out to express shock, horror and outrage. Is this the first teen pregnancy ever? Hell no! We have an epidemic of pregnant teenagers in this country. Jamie Lynn is a mirror reflection of our culture, and how abstinence doesn't work. Teen pregnancies show us just how freaking ignorant kids are, and how we ALL have failed to provide them with common sense.
What especially gets me going is that some people are screaming about the hypocrisy - the so-called Christian mother with a pregnant 16 year old. Those people shouting act as if this was the first time a Christian has failed as a parent or human being, or that a celebrity made a choice to be a moron. Everyone throwing stones is so full of shit.
A Christian think tank did a survey and found out that Christians have the highest divorce rate:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/10/31/walking_the_walk_on_family_values/
That's right. The jerks who take the moral highground and responsible for the most broken homes.
Surprised still? Shocked that boys and girls are irresponsible and that some Hollywood parents are scumbags? I'm as disappointed in Jamie Lynn and her mother as I am of the rest of us throwing stones at them, or acting as if this is something new. If you're all going to continue having a big laugh or fill yourselves up with inflated outrage, why not direct that energy into something smart and rewarding like taking responsibility for yourself and your own kids?
What do I think?
I think people should set examples for their daughters by getting up off the couch and living their OWN lives and following their own passions rather than watching fake people live fake lives on TV shows, and then being shocked when real life intrudes.
If your daughter still seems to need a female celebrity to follow, steer her toward one who seems to be about more than just fashion, buying and selling stuff, sex, and hair. Admittedly non-perfect Angelina Jolie, Faith Hill, and Oprah all seem to be about more than just looking gorgeous and selling us more stuff. If you just have to have the TV on for your kid, though, buy a good copy of Anne of Green Gables, all the versions of Little Women, various Hallmark Hall of Fames and watch them with her.
Get outside and enjoy nature, go volunteer at a local charity, or pitch in at the animal shelter. Exercise together. Cook meals together. Take regular family outings that expand horizons.
Studies show kids end up being most influenced by their parents over all other influences, so don't get too outdone over Britney. I mean Jamie. Whoever.
See, not all white trash lives in trailers.
Well said, Ms. Fuller, very well said.
The media breathlessly reports that 16 year-old Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant. The announcement was repeated every hour on all of the news channels with all the fanfare of a major world event. The gossip mavens wallowed in the scandal of it all, Most of them tried desperately to link it somehow to the other Spears females. There's one question no one has asked. Why isn't anyone talking about statutory rape? If this sixteen year old is pregnant someone should be arrested.
This is as asinine as the New England grammar school that voted to hand out birth control pills to eleven year olds. As above, if these kids are having sex, someone should be in jail.
Hollywoods royalty strikes again,I think of it as disgusting that a child is pregnant.! what kind of mother does she have? we already know what kind of mother she will be, another Spears,brat,living a life of fantasy,Good role model!At leadt she made it past 15.
Why is anyone surprised at the Lynne Spears or for that matter Jim Spears. There are so many stories of child stars gone bad because of the same thing, they were an income to their parents. And Lynne Spears writing a parenting book is a joke, she should have wrote an anti-parenting book, a what not to do. The section on letting her 13 year olds 16 year old boyfriend spend the night in the same room with her daughter would be real interesting. I do wonder if Jamie wasn't telling her mom what to do, like if Lynne didn't let Casey spend the night and screw her daughter Jamie would withhold her allowance. Let's face it Hollywood is filled with child stars and parents that do the same thing. Hollywood is the land of the "gimme's", spoiled people who lived spoiled lives and Jamie Lynne Spears and Brittany are products of that lifestyle. So so why are we surprised? Oh, by the way, Casey may be arrested and jailed for statutory rape.
No one would probably be very critical if it weren't for several factors. She apparently wrote a book on Christian parenting. When she obviously knows literally nothing about it. As far as I can see, her response to her daughter's pregnancy at 16 was hardly like mine when it happened to my daughter. I don't call allowing a baby to have a baby being a responsible parent. That is about as irresponsible as she can get. She has one daughter who made a terrible mother and lost custody of her kids. Now she is going to try for two????? In fact, she comes off as being a very immature shallow person herself. It might be a cruel thing to say. I can see why both of her daughters are the way they are.
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