Hot Topic (5/7): Bristol Palin and Abstinence

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

 From the Chicago Sun-Times blog:

Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, has been making the morning chat show rounds to promote her new role as teen advocate for abstinence.

She appeared this morning on the "Today Show" with her infant son Tripp in tow. She also appeared on "Good Morning America."

Palin, 18, taken position as teen ambassador for the Candie's Foundation -- an organization dedicated to preventing teen pregnancy through abstinence. Palin has had to do a bit of damage control after making statements to Fox News that abstinence isn't realistic -- statements she later said were taken out of context.

Seated next to her father with a peacefully sleeping Tripp on her lap, Palin fielded questions from Matt Lauer on "Today" about her plans to work with the Candie's Foundation.

"He's not a mistake at all. he's a blessing. It's just a lot of hard work and a lot of responsibility."

 

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What do you think about Bristol Palin advocating abstinence rather than sex-ed that includes information about birth control?  Do you think she is an effective spokesperson?

 

Will you teach your teenagers to practice abstinence until marriage or will you teach them about birth control?  Or will you leave the whole matter to the school system to handle?  

 

 

 

[tericared]

What do you think about Bristol Palin advocating abstinence rather than sex-ed that includes information about birth control?  She can do what ever she thinks is best, but I dont think kids are gonna listen to a teen Mom telling them to just say no.

 

 Do you think she is an effective spokesperson? NO

 

Will you teach your teenagers to practice abstinence until marriage or will you teach them about birth control? 

I have always taught my daughter that she should respect her self and her body and it is best to wait until she is married, and I have also taught her about birth control...She is 19 and has never been on a date, not because she hasnt been asked she feels there are more important things to focus on at her age, and thinks girls who have sex before marrage is a thing she doesnt plan on doing...

 

[Mommy_Jenn]

Quoting Cafe GroupAdmin:

 

 

What do you think about Bristol Palin advocating abstinence rather than sex-ed that includes information about birth control?  Do you think she is an effective spokesperson?

 

I think its a big crock of crap.  Who's going to listen to a teen mom about abstinence?  They are going to treat her like a big joke.  I do not think she is a good spokesperson.

 

Will you teach your teenagers to practice abstinence until marriage or will you teach them about birth control?  Or will you leave the whole matter to the school system to handle?  

 

 

 Birth control but that abstinence is nice too :P

[cdgoldilocks]

I think she can be a great role model. She is living with the "consequences" of not waiting until she is married, educated, and "ready".

Ideally, women and men wait until they are completely ready to raise a baby to have sex. Realistically, it doesn't happen often. That is why with my own dd, I have discussed all the options available to her and encouraged her to come to me if she is thinking of having sex. As a parent, all we can do is inform our children and hope they make the right decision.

[Sanela20]

What do you think about Bristol Palin advocating abstinence rather than sex-ed that includes information about birth control?  Do you think she is an effective spokesperson?

If she wants to do this than she should, who are we to tell someone what they should and shouldn't do. I guess we will see how effective she will be.

Will you teach your teenagers to practice abstinence until marriage or will you teach them about birth control? 

I have a long time before I have to deal with this with my kids, but when the time comes I plan on teaching my kids to practice abstinence, because I believe that it is the best way to avoid situations like this. Also, I believe it is important to repect yourself and your body. Birth control is also good to tell them about, but I think the more you teach about abstinence the better, adding birth control might make them think that there is a way out of getting pregnant and other things. But then you can't control everything your kids do, you can just teach and raise them the best you know and just hope for the best. 

[PurdueMom]

Bristol Palin is the perfect example of how effective teaching 'abstinence only' works.   

[maw_maw]

 I think she would have a great influence on teens since she made the wrong choice and now trying to make right choices, shes not a bad person, she just made a bad choice in a realistic world!

[IhartU]

The fact is that she is from a well to do family, her and her baby that was born out of wed lock will never be on Public Assistance or want for anything, so how CAN she be an advocate? Who is going to relate to her? Her situation is totally different than most of the underage, unwed mothers out there...

[bree79001]

 

      Even if she reaches one teen, that teen could be a rolemodel to another teen and so on and so on. I support what she is doing 100%. 

[acrogodess]

Realistically, I cannot be with my kids at all times and their father had sex since he was 15 and I had sex at 18. I think we'll teach them about respecting their bodies and about being safe. I will tell them that abstinence is the only way to be 100% safe both with STDs and pregnancies. I will also tell them about birth control, especially condoms with help protect against STDs and pregnancies. I will tell them it's up to them to be safe and that anyone who pressures them to NOT take of themselves does NOT really love them.

[leigh76]

I think it doesn't hurt for her to try.  I am not sure how many teens will look at her as a role model.  But like the PP said if she can convince just 1 it's better than none. 

I will teach my daughters to wait until they are older.  I won't say wait to marriage but I might say try to wait til your done with college.  I think education comes first and boys tend to be a distraction to that.  But I'm aware that it may be difficult to do that so I will be teaching them about other ways to protect themselves should they decide not to wait.  Information on birth control is out there.  They'll hear it from t.v, school, and their peers so why not their parents too.