Teen Mom

[twinkle555]

OMG season 2 is riiiidicccc. Maci is def my fave!

Btw,Maci's friend is an AOII! She goes to visit her at her dorm and there are letters behind the door and pandas everywhere..very cool.

[KSUViolet06]

I don't think Farrah was ready to move out. If you're falling for Craigslists scams, maybe you need more help in making financial decisions. lol. I think she should at least still be in contact with someone in her family in case she has an emergency (such as being out of $3,000).

Gary and Amber need to clean their apartment. Also, if you have been proposed to and broke it off 3 different times, maybe it's just not going to work. lol.

[littleowl33]

I haven't watched this week's episode yet, but ugh... I HATE Farrah.

1. She treats her parents like complete crap. Yes, they've had their issues, but being constantly snotty and not allowing them to come to her apartment or see their grandchild is ludicrous after all the support they've given her (buying her things, taking care of her baby while she went boy-chasing, letting her live in their house and guest house rent-free, etc). When she was setting up all that nice furniture in her new place I was just thinking, I know she didn't pay for all that...

2. I think the fight with her mom in the first episode is being blown way out of proportion. I have no idea what happened, but I really don't think it was as bad as she's making it out to be. I could be wrong here, though.

3. When it was her baby's first birthday all the focus had to be on her or she got cranky. She made herself a birthday shirt. She got a mani-pedi with a baby. A baby does not want a mani-pedi. She wants to go to the playground or the zoo or something, not sit in a chair while strangers file her nails. So, who was that really a present for? And at dinner when Farrah was trying to read the really long birthday card and no one was listening (becasuse the baby doesn't care what's written in there), she threw a hissy fit because shockingly, her parents wanted to pay attention to the baby on her birthday.

She vacillates between acting like a jealous sibling and treating a one-year-old like her teenage BFF. She really needs to grow up and stop withholding access her baby in order to manipulate her parents.

I think Tyler is being a jerk recently - and I really liked him in his 16 and Pregnant episode, too! Bummer. Catelynn is blah.

I hate the way Gary and Amber act in front of their child.

Maci is the only one I like, really.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by littleowl33

I haven't watched this week's episode yet, but ugh... I HATE Farrah.

1. She treats her parents like complete crap. Yes, they've had their issues, but being constantly snotty and not allowing them to come to her apartment or see their grandchild is ludicrous after all the support they've given her (buying her things, taking care of her baby while she went boy-chasing, letting her live in their house and guest house rent-free, etc). When she was setting up all that nice furniture in her new place I was just thinking, I know she didn't pay for all that...

2. I think the fight with her mom in the first episode is being blown way out of proportion. I have no idea what happened, but I really don't think it was as bad as she's making it out to be. I could be wrong here, though.

3. When it was her baby's first birthday all the focus had to be on her or she got cranky. She made herself a birthday shirt. She got a mani-pedi with a baby. A baby does not want a mani-pedi. She wants to go to the playground or the zoo or something, not sit in a chair while strangers file her nails. So, who was that really a present for? And at dinner when Farrah was trying to read the really long birthday card and no one was listening (becasuse the baby doesn't care what's written in there), she threw a hissy fit because shockingly, her parents wanted to pay attention to the baby on her birthday.

She vacillates between acting like a jealous sibling and treating a one-year-old like her teenage BFF. She really needs to grow up and stop withholding access her baby in order to manipulate her parents.

I think Tyler is being a jerk recently - and I really liked him in his 16 and Pregnant episode, too! Bummer. Catelynn is blah.

I hate the way Gary and Amber act in front of their child.

Maci is the only one I like, really.

It's not her keeping her parents away. It's the court. And yes the fight WAS bad. Her mom jacked her in the face, cutting her lip, and threw a tshirt at the baby. Farrah called the cops and when they got there, her mom had a knife in her hand and refused to put it down when the cops told her to. In one episode an officer told her that her mom was 1 warning away from being shot.

I feel like there has been alot of abuse between both of them. Farrah being a snot, and her mom hitting her and verbally abusing her. In the first season her mom open-hand slapped her across the face. So I don't know what they're past is, none of us do unless we knew her personally. I think she's come a long way since the first season as far as being a mom.

Sidenote: In the birthday episode, Sophia looked HAPPY getting her pedicure. I could see if she was screaming and crying but she was smiling. And if I looked back on my baby birthday pics and saw that my mom did that for me (made the shirt, had a mommy and me day, etc) I'd feel pretty damn special.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by littleowl33

3. A baby does not want a mani-pedi. She wants to go to the playground or the zoo or something, not sit in a chair while strangers file her nails. So, who was that really a present for? And at dinner when Farrah was trying to read the really long birthday card and no one was listening (becasuse the baby doesn't care what's written in there), she threw a hissy fit because shockingly, her parents wanted to pay attention to the baby on her birthday.

Children like different things. You go based on what you think your child wants and not based on what other people's children want/what other people think your child wants. There's no problem if your child is happy and it is a safe activity.

Parents are the premier authority and not the grandparents. If Farrah wanted to speak, her parents should've shut up and let her have the stage. It is HER child and their grandchild. Parent trumps grandparent ANYDAY in my book. The fact that they wouldn't let her call the shots is potentially a sign of tension in their relationship and the lack of respect that they have for her as a parent.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Children like different things. You go based on what you think your child wants and not based on what other people's children want/what other people think your child wants. There's no problem if your child is happy and it is a safe activity.

Parents are the premier authority and not the grandparents. If Farrah wanted to speak, her parents should've shut up and let her have the stage. It is HER child and their grandchild. Parent trumps grandparent ANYDAY in my book. The fact that they wouldn't let her call the shots is potentially a sign of tension in their relationship and the lack of respect that they have for her as a parent.

While she was living with them, IMO, she should have been more respectful. They do not HAVE to take her and her child in, rent free, and babysit for free (which appeared to happen a lot in the first season).

The picture of her face proves to me her mom was completely out of line. I can understand not wanting to much contact with her, but I wish she'd allow just enough to make sure someone is keeping up with her. She might be a mom but she is still very young.

Amber gets out of line a lot...that much yelling isn't going to lead to discussions. It'll lead to arguments. I find her hard to watch. Maci is my favorite because for the most part she seems to be the most mature of them all. Except for her one lapse of judgment in thinking she could live in a house with her college friends and Bentley, she seems to have a solid plan for the future and wants a parenting relationship with baby daddy even though he seems to be an asshole.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Alumiyum

While she was living with them, IMO, she should have been more respectful. They do not HAVE to take her and her child in, rent free, and babysit for free (which appeared to happen a lot in the first season).

Yeah. She and her mom have issues. Farrah having sex and then a baby at such a young age could've been a correlate of that craziness.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Parents are the premier authority and not the grandparents. If Farrah wanted to speak, her parents should've shut up and let her have the stage. It is HER child and their grandchild. Parent trumps grandparent ANYDAY in my book. The fact that they wouldn't let her call the shots is potentially a sign of tension in their relationship and the lack of respect that they have for her as a parent.

This is a big issue with teenaged parents who have to depend on their parents for help. Grandma steps in and helps provide for the kid, babysits, while mom is at school, work, etc. They spend so much time helping care for the child and forget that their daughter is, in some senses, an adult now (with a kid of her own). So they feel that they have the right to parent their grandchild too (because they don't see their daughter as mature enough to parent).

This is how grandparents end up in these types of conflicts with their teen daughters and babies. Not realizing that even though they help out a lot, the baby belongs to mom. No matter how young or immature you think she might be.

[ASUADPi]

The girls from Teen Mom are on the cover of US magazine and the title is something along the lines of their "hard lives".

First, why are you wasting a cover story on them?
Two, they had sex and got knocked up at like 16, of course their lives are going to be hard? Why the hell are you publicizing it?

IMPO I don't think this show makes girls look at teen pregnancy as something they should attempt to avoid. With all the attention the girls are getting, the media is making teen pregnancy out to be a "good thing".

As for Farrah, she is a snot. I watched when she was first pregnant and she was a bitch to her mom. She expected her mom to buy her a car. She expected her mom to let her continue to be a cheerleader, to go out with her friends and then to watch her kid so she could go boy hunting. She is completely immature. Obviously, her and her mom have a horrible relationship, but the reality is that we have no clue the circumstances surrounding any of her moms reactions. Parent's are humans too, they have a breaking point. Considering Farrah's craptastic behavior, I wouldn't be surprised if the knife incident was mom getting to that major breaking point.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by ASUADPi

The girls from Teen Mom are on the cover of US magazine and the title is something along the lines of their "hard lives".

First, why are you wasting a cover story on them?
Two, they had sex and got knocked up at like 16, of course their lives are going to be hard? Why the hell are you publicizing it?

IMPO I don't think this show makes girls look at teen pregnancy as something they should attempt to avoid. With all the attention the girls are getting, the media is making teen pregnancy out to be a "good thing".

As for Farrah, she is a snot. I watched when she was first pregnant and she was a bitch to her mom. She expected her mom to buy her a car. She expected her mom to let her continue to be a cheerleader, to go out with her friends and then to watch her kid so she could go boy hunting. She is completely immature. Obviously, her and her mom have a horrible relationship, but the reality is that we have no clue the circumstances surrounding any of her moms reactions. Parent's are humans too, they have a breaking point. Considering Farrah's craptastic behavior, I wouldn't be surprised if the knife incident was mom getting to that major breaking point.

I suspected it would glorify teenage mothers when I first heard about the show, but I highly disagree, after seeing it, that it in any way makes being a teen mom look like a "good thing". To me, the only one that appears to be leading a fairly normal life is Maci, and even she constantly deals with the desire to hang out with her friends, who are all off at college partying, when she really has to stay home with Bentley. Caitlyn and Tyler gave up their daughter and have a roller coaster relationship, Amber and Gary fight constantly and Amber is shown working hard while Gary frustrates her by sitting around, Maci keeps getting left behind by her friends and broke up with her boyfriend, and Farrah's life in this season looks downright depressing. To a teenager, not being able to get a boyfriend, not being able to be with your friends, having to work 24/7, etc...well that's all a big deal to a lot of teenage girls.

Farrah was a complete brat and a bitch, but that's no excuse for abusing your child. I don't care if there is a "breaking point", physically hurting your child isn't ok. Period.

[DrPhil]

This show showcasing white teen parenthood. There would be a completely different response to the show if it were nonwhites. There also wouldn't be a magazine cover.

This is similar to the pregnancy pact movie that came out. That movie would've been completely different if it was about nonwhites and about poor whites.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

This show showcasing white teen parenthood. There would be a completely different response to the show if it were nonwhites. There also wouldn't be a magazine cover.

This is similar to the pregnancy pact movie that came out. That movie would've been completely different if it was about nonwhites and about poor whites.

I've wondered about that...why all the moms were white (and for the most part middle class+).

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Alumiyum

I've wondered about that...why all the moms were white (and for the most part middle class+).

I hypothesize a few reasons, including but not limited to:

1) Most of the viewers are white.
2) Nonwhite teen parents holds a different connotation therefore the critics and viewers would respond differently.
3) They may feel pressured to address different issues if they showed nonwhite teen parents, such as the correlates of poverty and family background for poor white teen parents and most Black and Hispanic teen parents.

4) With all of the above, it's more "fun" for everyone involved and the viewers to focus on their parenting, relationship troubles, and Farrah's mom. However, I get clues from a couple of the kids showcased that they are from working class or poor families (as are many of the viewers).

Even delving into the topics of Farrah's mom, the US magazine cover, and why some think this show downplays teen pregnancy is surprisingly a lot more intense than discussions of this show tend to be. Some people really want to treat this show as The Jersey Shore or The Real World.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I hypothesize a few reasons, including but not limited to:

1) Most of the viewers are white.
2) Nonwhite teen parents holds a different connotation therefore the critics and viewers would respond differently.
3) They may feel pressured to address different issues if they showed nonwhite teen parents, such as the correlates of poverty and family background for poor white teen parents and most Black and Hispanic teen parents.

4) With all of the above, it's more "fun" for everyone involved and the viewers to focus on their parenting, relationship troubles, and Farrah's mom. However, I get clues from a couple of the kids showcased that they are from working class or poor families (as are many of the viewers).

Even delving into the topics of Farrah's mom, the US magazine cover, and why some think this show downplays teen pregnancy is surprisingly a lot more intense than discussions of this show tend to be. Some people really want to treat this show as The Jersey Shore or The Real World.

Some of the reasons make sense to me...though didn't they have a new set of moms? Were all of them white, too? Too lazy to Google...

Caitlynn-Tyler and Amber-Gary seem to be from working class families, but Farrah's family appears to be fairly well off to me, as does Maci's (I see middle class to upper middle, but of course it's hard to tell). I know Farrah's new situation sort of covers this, but I wish they'd add a mom that doesn't get support from her family. The show has some potential to teach a lesson and not every teen mom will get to live with her parents and have help with the bills.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I hypothesize a few reasons, including but not limited to:

1) Most of the viewers are white.
2) Nonwhite teen parents holds a different connotation therefore the critics and viewers would respond differently.
3) They may feel pressured to address different issues if they showed nonwhite teen parents, such as the correlates of poverty and family background for poor white teen parents and most Black and Hispanic teen parents.

4) With all of the above, it's more "fun" for everyone involved and the viewers to focus on their parenting, relationship troubles, and Farrah's mom. However, I get clues from a couple of the kids showcased that they are from working class or poor families (as are many of the viewers).

Even delving into the topics of Farrah's mom, the US magazine cover, and why some think this show downplays teen pregnancy is surprisingly a lot more intense than discussions of this show tend to be. Some people really want to treat this show as The Jersey Shore or The Real World.

I agree. I think MTV was going after a specific target audience (white girls from the burbs) for this show plus the fact that teen pregnancy in white upper-middle class America is still highly stigmatized and looked down upon. I haven't seen all of the episodes but from what I have seen these moms are the only ones in their respective social circles who are teen moms.