Strollerderby : republican national convention

Are Shotgun Weddings the Best Answer to Teen Pregnancy?

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:11:00 GMT

Teen pregnancy is certainly foremost on the nation’s brain these days. With one in three girls in the U.S. pregnant before the age of 20, this is not a bad thing. But many commentators are concerned that the national dialogue about teen pregnancy that has resulted from the Palin affair has made teen moms seem like heroes. I’m concerned, more specifically, that few have questioned whether shotgun weddings between teen parents-to-be are the best way out of a very difficult situation.

The Palin family has been careful to stress that Bristol Palin and her baby father’s, Levi Johnston, will eventually get married. Bristol may have gotten pregnant by accident out of wedlock, but she’s keeping the baby and she will marry the father—so she gets a standing ovation at the Republican National Convention. In other words, there’s nothing wrong with getting pregnant as a teen, so long as the accidental pregnancy gets turned into a traditional family unit.

There is no doubt that marriage can be the best choice for teen couples who are truly in love and committed to raising their baby together. But let’s not forget that there are numerous options available to teen parents. The couple could stay together but delay marriage until they feel certain that they want to spend their lives with each other. This would improve their odds of staying together, since teen marriages are two to three times more likely to end in divorce than adult marriages. Or the couple could break up, but co-parent the baby, along with the help of both of their families.

Clearly, Bristol and Levi are under undue pressure as teen parents-to-be. “Having the eyes of the entire country staring at you because of your baby’s mama’s mama is the biggest shotgun to aim at a young man’s head,” writes Marlene Davis in the Vancouver Sun. Not to mention the perks offered to Johnston by agreeing to play the part of father- and husband-to-be. Any 17-year-old, even one who proclaims himself a “f****n redneck” who doesn’t want kids, would have a hard time making a decision based on his authentic desires in this scenario.

But what about teens who don’t have the eyes of the world on them as they navigate the very difficult decisions they are faced with after an unplanned pregnancy? Marriage, particularly the first few years, is difficult even for mature couples in their 30s, who have solid working lives and are absolutely certain of their commitment to one another. Should this difficulty be added to the trials of raising a baby at 17?

Photo: Rick Wilking, Reuters

Is Teen Really Marriage That Bad?

What Do Special-Needs Kids Actually Need?

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:07:00 GMT

At the Republican National Convention, Sarah Palin promised “the parents of special-needs children all across this country” that, if elected vice-president, she would be their advocate. Since this is an issue that has not come up in any other presidential election, many Americans don’t know what Palin’s promise entails. What exactly, Slate asks, do parents need in order to help care for their special-needs children?

Babies like Trig (pictured), who has Down syndrome, don’t really need special care; they just need baby care for a longer period of time than other children since their development is slower. For instance, many babies with Down syndrome don’t walk or sit up on their own until they are two.

Breastfeeding—which is strongly encouraged for mothers of babies with Down syndrome—is more difficult, since babies like Trig frequently fall asleep and have less control of the muscles in their mouths. And frequent doctor visits are required throughout the childhood of all special-needs children, as well as regular physical therapy and pre-speech sessions.

Hmmm, think Palin will support universal healthcare?

Photo: USA Today

Palin's Children: The Best Part of the RNC

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:00:00 GMT

There's nothing like adorable children to take the edge off of soul-crushing political events. By far the best part of the Republican National Convention came last night when Piper Palin gave her baby brother Trig a spit bath during their mother's speech.

Unfortunately, to watch this clip, you do have to withstand Sarah Palin bragging about her city council days in the great state of Alaska (because serving on city council is sort of like running the country….), but at least you don’t have to hear the part of her speech when she jokes that hockey moms are pit bulls in lipstick. What a champion for women!—I mean ladies. It’s astounding that someone is running for national office who actually makes Dubya sound like a policy expert.

But I digress. The point of this clip is to momentarily forget about Sarah Palin and focus on the important things in life: making sure babies have perfectly slicked back hair.

Photo: alaskareport.com