Teen Mother-to-Be Jessica Shafer Makes Pregnancy Sound Glamorous

Mary Thatcher
Mary Thatcher, Yahoo! Contributor Network
May 15, 2010 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
Jessica Shafer of Modesto, California may make other people say "So what?" in response to her being pregnant, but she goes one step further: advertising every detail of her pregnancy to the world. While human reproduction will get the same response of "So what?" from most people, those same people will be horrified to know that someone so young is not only engaging in irresponsible, high-risk behavior, but to make it sound like the greatest thing in the world is simply, well, wrong. First of all, Jessica is much too young to be having sex and second, she is unemployed with no visible means to support and care for the baby, which she plans on naming Lilia. Then there is the problem of "Where is the father of the unborn baby?" in all of this. Jessica claims she plans on marrying the boy who impregnated her, but so did Bristol Palin (looks like Levi Johnston chickened out on her; she won't be marrying any time soon). It does sound like Jessica will wind up being a single mother, as the majority of pregnant teens do. In 2002, statistics reported that less than 8% or pregnant teen girls get married. That's a pretty frightening statistic and one that truthfully says that girls who have sex with boys are not physically bonded to get married. Since the birth of a child never strengthens a relationship (there is evidence the birth of a child can not only strain a relationship, but cause divorce among married couples), especially when the couple involved is in their teen years with no real relationship in place, it is inevitable the girl winds up carrying the burden of pregnancy, no pun intended.

Jessica has received a number of congratulations cards and messages due to her publicizing of her pregnancy (personally, I am not sure how getting pregnant became such a gargantuan accomplishment in our society). Neither do I think she should be commended for having sex at an unusually young age and being unmarried. Jessica claims she is a straight-A student and wants to go to college, but exactly who will take care of the baby? Most colleges do not allow babies to live in dorms with other students due to safety. What was going on in her head when she decided to have sex with a guy who is largely nameless? If Jessica really was academically ambitious, she never would have had sex with a boy. Secure females never look to males for self-esteem, and think that sex will make a woman "whole and perfect." Long gone are the days that women should be kept barefoot and pregnant, forbidden to enter school, especially college, and are treated as little better than baby machines. Should Jessica Shafer be respected as encouraging and glamorizing teen pregnancy? Definitely not. Her publicizing of her pregnancy will only encourage more girls to engage in high-risk behavior with boys, get pregnant, and become another statistic, and one on welfare. Welfare and teen pregnancy is a sensitive issue and should be, with good reason. Maybe the one unanswered questions is, Where exactly were Jessica's parents when she was busy getting pregnant? Is it possible she became a statistic because her mother was one, too? Cycles tend to repeat themselves, but the cycle of teen pregnancy is destructive to the social fabric because it encourages destructive, high-risk behavior. Not only is pregnancy never an accomplishment at any age, but must never be treated as being glamorous.

Published by Mary Thatcher

I am a freelance writer and I also work for a trade magazine publishing company.  View profile

30 Comments

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  • jake's mom3/2/2012

    i totally aagree with the writter..where is she gettin money to support these kids..welfare of course..she can't work with 3 babies..she gets paid from youtube.wow what a job..kids are expensive u need insurance n all sortsa stuff n shame on her mother for supporting her..saying its ok have as many babies you want you can live at home,we will help you..those kids will grow up with barely a father..mmm nice...give it a yr and she will be pregnant with someother guys baby..specially if she knew she got pregnant on b.c.wil lilia why would she chance it again..theres always the i.u.d or the shot..she;s only thinkin aawww how cute babies are cute i wanna dress them pretty n not nothing else.cause she has her mommy to help

  • MiKa932/16/2012

    Hmm,,,u 4got to add that not only is she pregnant again with TWINS, she is also getting divorced to her twins' father...im not tryna bash her or anything, but i actually commend her, to an extent, for being an amazing and positive mother/person during so much crisis. Making the best out of things is one thing, but making Youtube vids, saying "everything happens for a reason", and not protecting hers or her childrens' privacy is another. She IS making the best of things, but she really needs 2 keep these things 2 herself 4 the sake of her future.

  • Jess11/9/2011

    I think you need to do a new blog now that she is pregnant again and getting married!
    Don't worry, eventually people will lose interest and she'll have to get a real job!

  • Cat maniac10/10/2011

    This is not fair. Its fake. Not true. She got pregnant from birth control! She's 19. Yes, she has a baby, so? At least she didnt have an abortion. She is to loving to do that. She is such a good mom. Her baby Lilia is so well brought up already. Lilia has the best mommy ever! Jessica didnt conceive. This is just a bunch of lies. Her boyfriend at the time was not hidden. He was on her youtube channel. Her current boyfriend is to. She made her channel to show the world about teen moms. She does at FANTASTIC job. You don't know her so if I were you I would quit trying to make yourself feel better by harassing her.

  • Yahoo9/3/2011

    C'mon, a "so what?" attitude? What do you expect her to do, sit in the corner and cry? Maybe it was a mistake getting pregnant as a teen but she is definately not irresponsible. I lost my virginity when I was 11 and I do not feel it made me "whole and perfect" and I'm not proud of it either. Want do you think is the "right" thing to do? Make a video complaining about all that crap she is going through? Your really sick trying to pick on a girl doing her best to be the very best for her baby.

  • VintageLucikins8/9/2011

    Wow, very poorly written but that explains your stats:
    716,700 Views.
    22 Fans

    I think somebody's Jealous...hmmm...here's a story for you Teen Mom raises child, maintains youtube counts attends highshcool full time, Graduates with 4.0 and cant get the approval rating of a freelance writer who didn't do enough hard work to get a dare I say it..."Real Writing Job", and figured hey let me put this chick on blast she has viewer's and they will come a running to defend her honor, Nice Job, Good Work, Feel better?

  • Kyra Bennett7/12/2011

    First of all, she is NOT on welfare, she IS in college, and she is NOT a single mom. She is not dating Gabe (the "nameless" father) , but she's in a strong, long-term relationship with a guy named Drake who she's known for years. He is fully dedicated to Jess and Lilia. Also, she didn't ask for all the stuff viewers sent her, people wanted to send it so she gave them an address. As for "glamorizing" teen pregnancy, watch her video "Being a Teen Mom". That should clear things up.

  • Emily : )5/7/2011

    Hmm, very badly research indeed. even tho this is very outdated, surely if you are going to write an article about someone you'd do research first?! you say the fath is nameless, haha the name of her channel has the name of the father so how does the father remain nameless? you must not have watched any of her videos, she doesnt make teen pregnancy look good, she just shows how a teen gets on with being a mother. blimey, we live in 2011 having sex at the age of 16, 17 or even 18 is not too young. you need to get yourself updated to this day and age. a tip for you if you are meant to be writing an article maybe do more research and actually print the truth rather than making up a load of Bull!

  • cali83252/28/2011

    I can tell you right now that this article is a bunch of BULL and horribly researched, I dont see many facts in this more opinions than anythng! I know Her and Gabe and attending high school with them, maybe if more children had parents like they are to Lilia there would be more decent people in the world. They are taking full responsibility for there actions...and at 18 years old thats pretty good! Most kids there age would not be able to handle this situation, but they do it everyday with a smile on their faces. I hope one day I can be a wounderful mother like Jess.

  • Kayjen2259/11/2010

    Oh my gosh! Seriously? Exucse me ma'am but have you ever even seen one of Jessica's videos? Jessica Shafer is one of the biggest influences of my life and I have never even met the amazing woman. And yes, she is in fact a woman! She is an adult. Yes she may be young but that does NOT in any way take away the fact that she is deeply in love with her beautiful daughter! I have seen every single one of Jessica's videos and she inspires me so much. Not to have a child but she shows the reality of having a child so young. Her youtube account even says that her and Gabe (the highly involved father) are in their own words "facing reality with a positive attitude." I am seventeen and a senior in high school and I just found out that I myself am 4 weeks pregnant with my first child. I have the support of my family and the father of my child whom I have been with for over a year. Jessica has shown me the reality of having a baby and I know that there is NO way it will be easy. Jessica is my insp

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