Nickelodeon Star Reports that She is Pregnant

Oh, where to begin with this one! Jamie Lynn Spears has announced exclusively to Ok! Magazine that she is pregnant. Pregnant at 16, and cashing in on what is a shock to parents everywhere. Jamie Lynn Spears is the star of the Nickelodeon show "Zoey 101", and is also the younger sister to none other then the perfect role model Britney Spears.

Talk this morning is centered around several aspects of this whole situation. The most burning questions are:

1. Is the relationship, meaning the sexual relationship between Jamie Lynn and her boyfriend not illegal? The 19 year old Casey Aldridge is the reported father of Jamie Lynn's little bun in the oven!

2. What will Nickelodeon do with the tween popular "Zoey 101"?

3. What possessed the Spears family to announce the pregnancy so early on? Also just how much was the "tell all" worth this time?

Jamie Lynn said in the Ok! Magazine piece and as reported on the Today Show that the message she wanted to send to other teens was this "I definitely don't think it's something you should do; it's better to wait. But I can't be judgmental because it's a position I put myself in."

What are parents to do in this time in our world when sex "sells"? What are we suppose to tell our Pre-teen children and younger that watch these shows with young children who are now reporting that they are going to be parents? The ole birds and the bees stories just are not going to work anymore! Situations like this with high profile child actors are forcing parents to have conversations earlier and earlier with their children. In some cases even sooner then we ever thought would be necessary.

How do you even begin to have a conversation with 8 to 10 year olds about the consequences that could forever effect their lives? Where have the family values in our society gone? When did it become okay to have sex with basically random people and not protect ones self better against early pregnancy and disease?

Lynn Spears says that she found out about her teen daughters pregnancy around Thanksgiving and she "didn't believe it because Jamie Lynn's always been so conscientious. She's never late for her curfew. I was in shock. I mean, this is my 16-year-old baby." If other reports hold true here, then the 19 year old Casey Aldridge is the live in, yes you read that correctly live in boyfriend of Jamie Lynn! In this case the curfew would not be important, this pregnancy more then likely occurred right under the elder parent Spear's noses, so to speak.

We need to keep a better eye on our children, we need to be more aware of where they are and who they are with. If you have to call your child every 5 minutes, do it! If you need to follow your child to be sure they are where they say they are, do it! We as parents, and even children who are hanging out with their friends need to learn how to better protect ourselves, we need to better understand the consequences of our actions. If your child is not showing enough responsibility in other aspects of their lives then do not permit them to be in a situation where their immaturity can shine through!

No teen, no matter where they come from, what they've made of themselves, or no matter how mature you think they are, is responsible enough to handle the rigors or parenthood. Protecting our children from themselves and others is our responsibility until they are no longer under our roofs, until they show that they are responsible enough to handle very adult issues, do not put them in adult situations.