Teen Dads

[Triana]

[seabeyond]

1. Almost like? More precisely, exactly like. Took a second to process the term teen dad.

You made me think, that would not have been the case with the term teen mom

[Triana]

4. Isn't it strange? It's like: "wait, what?" - then: "Well HELL yes, has to be!" n/t

[MineralMan]

2. Very true.

[mopinko]

3. single dads are heroes.

so they say.
yeah, talk about your double standard.

[YarnAddict]

5. Who says they are heroes? n/t

[mopinko]

6. well, all the ones i know think they are.

all have a sad tale to tell about the failures of their ex-wives/baby moms, and how they "rescued" them.
my ex always had more support than i did when he had his kid every other weekend.

my mil used to drive me nuts because she always referred to her sons' time taking care of their kids as "babysitting". even tho she knew i hated that. i always told her than unless he was actually sitting on them, it was not a correct terminology.
but i have heard that a lot.

[excringency]

11. Men calling it babysitting...

...is one of my pet peeves. One cannot babysit one's own child. I believe this stems from the notion that the majority of unpaid labor has seemingly little to no value in this country and is performed mostly by women. Childcare, housework, shopping for groceries, having sex with a partner when one is totally exhausted, etc. are just a few of the forms of unpaid labor that keeps this nation running. That they're usually performed by women make them, in many minds, not "real work." By simply acknowledging that one is doing one's share of taking care of one's child has to be excused in some way. Therefore a man who ventures into what is seen as women's work (read unpaid labor) is doing the world a favor.

[Nay]

14. That's a perfect explanation right there. Not only do women do reams of

unacknowledged work, the nature of the work itself is denigrated because women are doing it. "If women do it, it's pretty fucking worthless" -- so men get a thousand props for washing a dish or stopping by the store to pick up a carton of milk once every six months.

[excringency]

19. And yet...

...it seems to me that this type of work is what allows the economic engine to roll along unimpeded. I wonder what the long term economic outcome for "Teen Dads" is compared to "Teen Moms?" I would love to see a comparison.

[Nay]

20. Oh, of course it's important work. But because it's mainly done by women, it

is automatically shit not worth doing. When women become a majority in any previously male occupation, the salaries go down. When women outnumber men in college, men stop going. If it becomes a 'female thing,' it gets cooties automatically.

[mopinko]

22. i raised 5 kids

i admit i didnt do a lot of housework, but somehow people always had clean clothes and dinner on the table. and i homeschooled for 8 years. took care of chronically ill kids.
i also did a ton of the "guy work", like home repairs and remodeling, landscaping, snow shoveling and firewood hauling.
i went to bed exhausted every night for 30 years.
oh, and made it so the "man of the house" could climb the corporate ladder.

but ask my stbex, or the kids, they will tell you i am a lazy ass who did zip.

yup, completely w/o value.

[Nay]

15. They also all seem to get a girlfriend pretty quickly and saddle her with lots

of the work related to the kids.

[mopinko]

23. while single moms

are radioactive.
wouldnt have ended up with husband #2 if it werent for the fact that kid was with the ex for an extended time when we met. once the kid showed up the relationship got a lot tougher.
he NEVER participated in her care AT ALL. in fact, he was an ass to her.

i shoulda run.

[PotatoChip]

8. I've heard it said many times. (nt)

[riderinthestorm]

7. Oh yes, so true... Nt

[LeftinOH]

9. Teen "dads" have the luxury of remaining anonymous...

..not anonymous to the girl whom he impregnated, of course.

But the teen dad is anonymous because almost never is he the one saddled with childcare, nor are his parents/guardians.

[brer cat]

10. Boys will be boys

and girls will be sluts, I guess. It was certainly true when I was a teen, and I doubt that much has changed.

The headline did give me a moment of pause. Don't see "teen dad" very often.

[valerief]

12. Ain't no "almost" to it. They're totally absolved. Cuz, you know, men. nt

[Marr]

13. Huh. I can't speak for anyone else, but I've always had a more harsh

reaction towards the teen father. Just being completely honest here-- I wouldn't be an ass to them in actual fact. People make mistakes. But my emotional, gut reaction has always been annoyance at the duo's lack of planning and self-control, with the heavier dose handed to the boy. I'm male myself.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

16. Guys also brag right up until they say, "It's not mine."

[appalachiablue]

17. Boys and men are responsible for their sperm.

[tclambert]

18. To all those teen dads out there trying to raise their children by themselves, I say:

"You're imaginary, aren't you?"

[PotatoChip]

21. Some say unicorns exist, but I've never seen one.

[Comrade Grumpy]

24. I was a teen dad. Not on purpose. Use birth control, kids.

I didn't serve my son well by having him at 17.