It's like Laurence Fishburne said in "Boyz in the Hood" "...Any fool can make a baby, but it takes a man to be a father."
Often discussions about teen pregnancy revolve around the teen mothers involved. But what about the young men? Who are their role models, and what's being done to reach them? How are they preparing for these life-altering changes ahead, and do they even want to to be fathers?
Teen fathers join us to talk about how their lives have changed as they prepare to raise a child.
I don't have time to call, but wanted to contribute.
My son called me when he was 20 with news about his girlfriend who was 19, being pregnant. She didn't want to adopt or abort, so he was determined to step up.
They lived together a few months, but their relationship wasn't a good one. My son was determined to be involved in his baby's life. He has a job at a college in North Idaho and he got a lawyer and negotiated a court-endorsed parenting agreement with the baby's mom. He provides the baby health care through his job and every week, they each drive 300 miles round trip to the halfway point (she lives in western Montana now) and trade the baby. So the baby (now 19 months) spends a week with her daddy and the next week with her mommy.
(Edited to add) My son is working full time and pursuing his bachelor's degree AND raising his baby once every other week. He's stretched, but doing it.
I'm proud of my son for not running off and for wanting to parent.
He benefited from family support, support from friends in Idaho, and from his own determination.Jack –Feb 18, 2010 00:00:00 AM
