If you went from watching Glee to 16 and Pregnant last night, join me in lauding the shockingly seamless transition in our programming choices. Not only did both shows give us a helping of pregnant teen, but 16 and Pregnant met Glee point-for-point in the cheating baby daddy department and in the music appreciation category. Brava!
Flute-player Lizzie had dreams of becoming a musician and going to college. Then she got a baby on board, and those plans came crashing down. She had a 19-year-old boyfriend named Skylar, who put a ring on her hand during the episode but turned out to have cheated on her months earlier. SPOILER: They stayed together, but not without experiencing classic teen-parent financial troubles. Their educations also took a hit, specifically Lizzie’s. Despite getting her high school diploma 5 months early (and subsequently starting college early), Lizzie dropped out to stay home with her baby. By the end of the episode, the young couple was left happy with their baby, but they faced an uncertain future in more ways than one.
But there’s so much to the story. And from that, I’ve carved out 10 pearls of wisdom for you:
++ The youth of today have not lost a love for the arts. Skylar aimed to become a professional glass blower.
++ First there was the East Coast–West Coast hip-hop rivalry. Then there was Team Edward and Team Jacob. Now, there is new dividing line that you didn’t see coming: Trumpets vs. Flute. Says Lizzie: “Trumpets give flutes a lot of crap.”
++ If you want your child to grow up and be in a ska band, you might be too young to have a kid.
++ For the guys: A sign your guy friend might be too emotionally invested in your bromance? He says something like ”I hope this doesn’t change” when talking about your guy time. Never get between a camouflage-clad dude and his bro. That goes for you, too, unborn baby.
++ You should never put off getting birth control because you don’t want to have the gynecological exam. TMI, but thanks anyway, Lizzie’s mom.
++ Grinding is apparently non-optional when attending to a school dance. Lizzie opted out of going to her Homecoming dance because she didn’t want her belly in her way as she did so.
++ There are flying Vs in Virginia!
++ Proposals are nowhere near as adorable as they appear in movies. In fact, they might be 100 times more awkward. And I don’t blame the Crab Shack.
++ There is such a thing as belly rings for pregnant ladies. Not. Cute. Lizzie’s mom observes: “It looks like a toothpick with two pink dots at the end.”
++ Some girls blame themselves for their boyfriend’s cheating. Not okay! I think a semester of boyfriend education classes are in order…
So what about you, Popwatchers? Did you catch 16 and Pregnant? What did you think? And do you share my thoughts about the preview for next week’s season finale (which are, of course: woah and woah!)?
So sad when they commented that their baby just drank $2 of the $4 formula… This show should be a homework requirement for high school.
This is what happens when you stop teaching children that, barring abstinence, a condom is the easiest form of birth control. I’d like them to show one girl who decides to terminate early on.
Yowsers. That would be a short episode.
I don’t think that would be a good idea. That poor girl would get so much crap from people and even though it would be interesting, I wouldn’t want to put someone’s life at risk for good tv.
I don’t think thats the point of this show… but anyway.
She did a 96 rock phone interview today and they did use a condom but it broke.
Has a condom ever really broken? Seriously, people use it as an excuse, but I don’t know a single person that has ever happened to.
of course condoms really break, it happened to me and I got pregnant, luckily I was married and not 16…
That’s…not even cool.
As a high school teacher I concur about the grinding – even in junior high. It’s why I hate chaperoning dances.
I’m surprised there wasn’t a comment about how he bought her engagement ring in a gun shop.
Thank you! The image of young Skylar examining his ring with a rack of guns behind him is forever burned into my memory. Where is this all-in-one huntin’ and marryin’ place located?
I am pretty sure that is a pawn shop
It was totally a pawn shop – did you see all the guitars?
This was kind of a boring episode. Her parents are helping her, the couple is about as stable as they can be. His cheating was a long time ago, he’s since really stepped up. Both of them bonded with the child and are quick to take care of her. Actually, if I was a teen I’d think they make having a kid seem ok(if I was crazy enough to think that way)
Ack! My DVR cut off the scenes for next’s week’s episode! What was so whoah about it?!
OK, this barely relates to this post, but I have a serious pet peeve about the misspelling of “whoa.” That is how it should be spelled. Not, wo-ah. Since you used it twice at the end of your post, I felt the need to comment. Otherwise, I really enjoy your writing! But seriously. Spellcheck.
I never generally say anything, but I, too, have a major pet peeve about “whoa” vs. “woah”. It’s definitely “whoa”. Although I am learning to begrudgingly accept “woah” in the context of the speaker having kind of a surfer/stoner mentality…not really sure why.
Why are the parents of this kids allowing them to have these babies. This is a horrible message to send to teen girls. What mother allows her daughter to have a child at 16! I think this is child abuse!
Janet, Are you suggesting that these parents make their children get an abortion? I’m pretty sure making someone do that would be considered abuse as well…
Its very bad to be pregnant at a teenage age.It just cuts d life of young girls short while growing up.
very eloquent…
When I listened 2 this little girl say that she was going to end her education & stay home I automatically started screaming @ the tv… The 1 thing that would afford the chance 4 her 2 @least financially take care of this child & she let it go… Now I get that it was over whelming & she felt that it was the best 4 her but it was heartbreaking & infuriating watching her just make wrong decisions left & right… I make my 10 year old son watch this show with me. There was a girl in his ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PREGNANT THIS YEAR & I truly believe that awareness is the key & not just about contraception but about why these young people are making the decisions they are regarding having unprotected sex!
How old are kids in elementary school? Up to 11? If a girl in elementary school is pregnant I think she most likely is not pregnant due to actions of her own free will.
I think it’s pretty easy to judge Lizzy for dropping out of school to be a mom. I also think that it’s only a big deal to people because of her age. There are lots of women out there who chose motherhood over a college education and successful career. The only reason anybody is judging Lizzy for this decision, is because of her age. Judge her for being irresponsible enough to get pregnant at 17, sure. But think before you judge her decision to just be a mommy. I am a working mom, and I understand the desire to just be with your kid. Just be glad she’s not out partying, leaving her kid with her parents.
What I don’t understand is why all these people have such a big problem with the show. There IS an option to change the channel for all of you critics. Anyways. We are all human and teens get pregnant the same way a grown woman and man gets pregnant by accident. They may not have the financial support they need but, that’s their problem not yours to criticize. So what if the parents are allowing it? They are the ones who suffer social and mental issues when the subject of your 15-17 year old child getting pregnant comes up. Having vbeen a teen at a point in time its easy to say we all slip up every now and then. Its only human.
You’re correct, as long as they are not getting help from the government. Then it’s my problem
it’s still not your problem, don’t be ridiculous. just because $0.001 of your taxes would go to them doesn’t make it your problem.
The baby was a blessing in disguise. Honestly, there is no greater was of money and time than getting a degree in music (I say this from personal experience and the experience of all my musician friends).
Im happy for Lizzie cause she did what she had to do as a teen mom. i might be a teenger in high school but i know how to handle my business like Lizzie and keep her baby.
Did Lizzie seem a little robotic to anyone? She was like “we will have the perfect life, we will have the perfect baby”. “You cheated on me, how humiliating, here is your ring, goodbye”. She wasn’t very emotional – especially for a pregnant girl!