Something Unexpected: Seasons 1 and 2 Discussion

[Ijustwantsomechips]

It appears Laura’s parents missed the verse about sparing the rod and spoiling the child.  Not that you have to spank your children (although I’m ok with that too from time to time), but the Bible is telling you to discipline your children in some form so that they don’t become brats.  Clearly this heifer has never been disciplined a day and in her life, and look at how it turned out.  

[Soup333]

Does anyone remember Laura telling Anna that it was her last birthday? That after this year it’d be all about her baby? Someone tweeting about the show mentioned she’d told Anna that on the birthday episodes. 

[Ivylady]

5 hours ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

I am sorry you went through that - I bet your sister was (and you can tell me I am out of line) had an attitude of "What?  What is the big deal?  It is NOT about me?" her whole life.  I know a lot of females like that....

Yeah, my older sister is pretty selfish. She definitely needed to grow up more before having kids. She didn't deal with all the attention her kids got. And I see that being a problem for Laura. She's getting attention now because the baby's little, but as he grows, he'll be the star and she'll take a back seat. I don't see her dealing well with that. 

[Chalby]

On 10/9/2018 at 2:24 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

I thought parents are allowed to "opt out" of sex education in public school. 

Definitely they can opt out, and they can also preview the lessons prior to instruction. A lot of parents have come to preview my videos and lessons, but I've only had one student opt out of everything over the years. (It's pretty basic stuff), but kids definitely learn about childbirth and later, contraception options.

[ghoulina]

I'm glad schools teach it; because we've seen how little many of these parents want to do with the whole topic. So I'm glad these teens are hearing SOMETHING. But I don't think it's enough. I think they NEED to hear it from their parents. I think there needs to be an ongoing conversation happening and environment of trust. Look at how many students can't remember half the crap they're taught for their history and science tests. I'm not blaming the schools; they generally do the best with the guidelines and parameters they're given. But parents need to not just shrug their shoulders because the schools go over sex education and wash their hands of it. These are YOUR kids (and your grandkids). You can do better. 

[the-grey-lady]

Emiley's mom is so amazingly needy and insecure; I can't blame Emiley at all for wanting to be elsewhere.

And did I honestly hear Laura's mom (and reproductive expert Laura) lecturing Anna on how women ovulate? You've never discussed this before? With a 15-year-old?

[jacksgirl]

On 10/9/2018 at 2:33 PM, Former Nun said:

From various landmarks (and because the various titles specify "Phoenix") she lives in the Ahwatukee Foothills.   Her cheerleading photo shows her team as "Thunder," so that's Desert Vista on south-south-South 32nd Street in Phoenix.  An affluent-ish area.

Have family there. They call it All-White-Tokie, and it is a very different area in terms of diversity from where we grew up. Well to do area, very pretty, good schools. Their high school made national news a few years ago when some of the senior girls posed for pictures with letters on their shirt and spelled out a racial epitaph. Teenagers are dumb. 

[ghoulina]

1 hour ago, the-grey-lady said:

Emiley's mom is so amazingly needy and insecure; I can't blame Emiley at all for wanting to be elsewhere.

And did I honestly hear Laura's mom (and reproductive expert Laura) lecturing Anna on how women ovulate? You've never discussed this before? With a 15-year-old?

That was a conversation they should have had years ago. I'm of the mind that Kids should know what is going to happen with their bodies BEFORE it happens. 

I can only imagine the horror those girls got when they had their first period. They probably thought they were dying.

[readheaded]

1 hour ago, ghoulina said:

That was a conversation they should have had years ago. I'm of the mind that Kids should know what is going to happen with their bodies BEFORE it happens. 

I can only imagine the horror those girls got when they had their first period. They probably thought they were dying.

Seriously; I never understand why it's so difficult to talk about bodies and their normal processes.  

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 10/13/2018 at 2:07 PM, Former Nun said:

They need to become more familiar with their bible if they're going to use it as a textbook/teaching tool.  There are several instances of premarital sex that seemed well accepted.  Perhaps there are better methods and teachers.

 

This whole "biblical teaching"....I don't want to start anything, I don't, and I want to say that my first hubby and myself brought up our two children in a God centered home and taught them to respect their elders, teachers and peers and us as Jesus would have done.  But to base your whole child rearing on a book that written how many years ago??  In 2018?  In 2000 until now as that is how old your kids are?  (mine are 21 and 19 so I am in the same range)

18 minutes ago, readheaded said:

Seriously; I never understand why it's so difficult to talk about bodies and their normal processes.  

It is not - everyone poops, everyone pees, girls get periods to prepare their bodies for a baby, etc.....it is not that shocking or abnormal.  People have sex to express their love and use proper precautions when needed.  (like until you are 31 like I was!!!)

Per sex ed in public schools:  two years ago I was a middle school (very small student body, maybe 90 kids total) and the 8th graders had a sex ed class taught by a public health R.N.  Parents could opt their kids out of it and I was always surprised at who opted out and who stayed in.  I sat in one day as there had to be a teacher in the room and it was basic but blunt:  a wooden erect penis and she would demonstrate how to put a condom on it, how a Nova ring works, STD's, etc.

Edited October 14, 2018 by Mrs. Hanson

[Former Nun]

2 hours ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

2 hours ago, readheaded said:

Seriously; I never understand why it's so difficult to talk about bodies and their normal processes.  

It is not - everyone poops, everyone pees, girls get periods to prepare their bodies for a baby, etc.....it is not that shocking or abnormal.  People have sex to express their love and use proper precautions when needed.  (like until you are 31 like I was!!!)

Lucky for me, I was comfortable discussing  body parts/activities until I was in my 20s.  I made a decision to stop all that--and to use "adult' terms for body parts and their activities...to the embarrassment of many around me.   If you ARE uncomfortable, surely it's easier to talk about things with your kids when they're toddlers.  I also found it easier to use the real names of body parts; therefore, no need to transition from baby-talk to normal words.  If you use the correct term early and often enough, you can handle it.

[Brooklynista]

I simply do not care about Lexus does she like boys/ does she like girls drama. Like your kid and keep it in your pants for a while. Geesh.

[Ivylady]

Diego saying he'll talk Emiley out of the condoms and make baby #2 is disgusting. I'm just done with him. 

[Scarlett45]

28 minutes ago, Ivylady said:

Diego saying he'll talk Emiley out of the condoms and make baby #2 is disgusting. I'm just done with him. 

I’m glad Emilee has an Implanon- Diego cannot mess with it. He screams domestic abuser to me, the type that would throw away or tamper with a partner’s contraception without their knowledge. 

[ghoulina]

I'm glad McKayla's entire family is trying to talk her out of this wedding. The next step would be - don't pay for it. Don't give her her princess wedding. Make her pay for it. 

I mean, ice cream cake in a field in August? NO ONE should pay for that shit. 

 

Count me in on not caring if Lexus is into guys or girls. I think that's the least of her worries right now. She seems depressed; I think she should be in therapy.

Anyone else see a resemblance between Lily and Shayden? Both thin and blonde with bad skin. 

 

You know, as much as we snark on Laura's parents, I'll say this - they're very supportive parents. There are a lot of conservative, Christian families who would have just written their kid off. It's obvious that they're disappointed in the premarital sex and pregnancy; but to hear her dad tell Laura that there's nothing she could do to push them away, that was very touching. 

 

Not surprising to find out that Emilee's mom also didn't talk to her kid about sex. Ever. As weird and inappropriate as Diego's mom comes off ("brown bag special???"), at least Emilee feels like she cares. 

But Diego's quip about talking Emilee out of condoms was NOT funny. I'm so glad she got Implanon. 

So where are they living? Emilee said her mom doesn't come around much. Are they living at Diego's house?

 

Max can be a punk, but I'm so over Jessica and her manipulations. I feel she constantly ices Max out, then makes him the bad guy. Take the car thing. She sooo wanted it to be a thing where Max was trying to control Chloe. But neither of them really cared. 

And, yes, Max should not have taken a nap in the hospital. But Jessica basically cemented herself at Chloe's side the minute they got there. Max, again, feels iced out. Doesn't know what to do with himself. So he goes to sleep and she's delighted because she can now call him out. 

All of her schemes are so transparent and vile, to me.

[Soup333]

26 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

I’m glad Emilee has an Implanon- Diego cannot mess with it. He screams domestic abuser to me, the type that would throw away or tamper with a partner’s contraception without their knowledge. 

Makes me wonder if he talked her out of using condoms before she got pregnant. Because he said he’d talk her out of it AGAIN. 

6 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

Count me in on not caring if Lexus is into guys or girls. I think that's the least of her worries right now. She seems depressed; I think she should be in therapy.

Max can be a punk, but I'm so over Jessica and her manipulations. I feel she constantly ices Max out, then makes him the bad guy. Take the car thing. She sooo wanted it to be a thing where Max was trying to control Chloe. But neither of them really cared. 

And, yes, Max should not have taken a nap in the hospital. But Jessica basically cemented herself at Chloe's side the minute they got there. Max, again, feels iced out. Doesn't know what to do with himself. So he goes to sleep and she's delighted because she can now call him out. 

All of her schemes are so transparent and vile, to me.

Lexus does need therapy. I think she's depressed too. 

Jessica and her husband are such punks. I can’t stand them. Max is no prize but they’ve treated him like crap since the show started. I bet her little narcissistic heart almost exploded with joy when she realized she was going to be able to dog him for taking a nap while her daughter labored. 

[Scarlett45]

LaKasta and her sister (Emilee’s Mom) look SO MUCH alike. 

[Ijustwantsomechips]

I have to give Chloe credit for one thing.  She does look put together in her talking heads.  I mean Emily doesn’t look bad, just a little plain.  Lexus is a conglomeration of fashion faux pas, McKayla’s harem pants and messy hair are ridiculous and Laura is schlumpy.  Her collar is furled and her hair is a mess. Do something woth your damn selves.  Y’all all live at home so don’t act like you can’t take the time to fix yourself up.  

I was surprised to see Laura’a parents show some joy and humor. Who knew?

As for Krista, something isn’t genuine.  Unless Emilee’s mom is beating her, then she needs to stay out of it, or at least encourage them to work it out.  Did she forget she’s a mother too?  I’d keep my eye on that one. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

"Her and Ashlie had saw me at prom."  That's what I get for not FFing through Lexus's scenes.

[Lynnlynnlynn586]

3 hours ago, ghoulina said:

I'm glad McKayla's entire family is trying to talk her out of this wedding. The next step would be - don't pay for it. Don't give her her princess wedding. Make her pay for it. 

I mean, ice cream cake in a field in August? NO ONE should pay for that shit. 

 

Count me in on not caring if Lexus is into guys or girls. I think that's the least of her worries right now. She seems depressed; I think she should be in therapy.

Anyone else see a resemblance between Lily and Shayden? Both thin and blonde with bad skin. 

 

You know, as much as we snark on Laura's parents, I'll say this - they're very supportive parents. There are a lot of conservative, Christian families who would have just written their kid off. It's obvious that they're disappointed in the premarital sex and pregnancy; but to hear her dad tell Laura that there's nothing she could do to push them away, that was very touching. 

 

Not surprising to find out that Emilee's mom also didn't talk to her kid about sex. Ever. As weird and inappropriate as Diego's mom comes off ("brown bag special???"), at least Emilee feels like she cares. 

But Diego's quip about talking Emilee out of condoms was NOT funny. I'm so glad she got Implanon. 

So where are they living? Emilee said her mom doesn't come around much. Are they living at Diego's house?

 

Max can be a punk, but I'm so over Jessica and her manipulations. I feel she constantly ices Max out, then makes him the bad guy. Take the car thing. She sooo wanted it to be a thing where Max was trying to control Chloe. But neither of them really cared. 

And, yes, Max should not have taken a nap in the hospital. But Jessica basically cemented herself at Chloe's side the minute they got there. Max, again, feels iced out. Doesn't know what to do with himself. So he goes to sleep and she's delighted because she can now call him out. 

All of her schemes are so transparent and vile, to me.

Max cant win for losing with that asswipe family!! I felted bad for him hes a kid!!!

[Lizzing]

6 hours ago, ghoulina said:

Anyone else see a resemblance between Lily and Shayden? Both thin and blonde with bad skin. 

OMG, they could have been siblings.  Lexus definitely has a type.

6 hours ago, ghoulina said:

I mean, ice cream cake in a field in August? NO ONE should pay for that shit. 

We've heard some damn stupid shit on this show, but an ice cream cake for a wedding in a meadow in the summer is pretty close to the topper.

Was anyone able to figure out what was going on with the back of Tylor's head?  When they showed him from behind walking into his mother's house, it looked like he either had a very weird bald spot on the back of his head, or he had something shaved into it.  I think the military is a good option for him, though.  First, they'll take care of whatever is going on with his hair, and he'll be a lot better off than stripping--he's not built for that line of work.  

[Soup333]

9 hours ago, Soup333 said:

Makes me wonder if he talked her out of using condoms before she got pregnant. Because he said he’d talk her out of it AGAIN. 

Quoting myself, but I don't think Diego tricked Emilee or got her pregnant on purpose because he loves her so very much. He doesn't throw off the same possessive vibes as Max, BUT I don't put it past him to talk her out of condoms because it'd be more pleasurable for him or/and to risk getting her pregnant to piss Bridget off. I could see Bridget getting jealous of the time Emilee spent with Diego and that causing an early rift between the three of them. He's not pee on mom's toothbrush vindictive but he is petty.

Someone else said it but Jessica and her husband (does he have a name? Or is he just OfJessica?) are mean girls. They don't operate on a parental level, they act like they're teenagers too, laughing and making fun of Max all the time. It's sad. They made riding to the damn hospital into a huge deal for absolutely no reason. Meanwhile Chloe is miserable and just dying to get there. What's interesting is that for all the shit we've seen them throw at him, he hasn't been disrespectful to them in return. He's not been like any of the other fathers (Tylor excluded). I think he needed help long ago and never got it. 

Spoiler

Emily and Diego broke up maybe???

[ghoulina]

9 minutes ago, Soup333 said:

Someone else said it but Jessica and her husband (does he have a name? Or is he just OfJessica?) are mean girls. They don't operate on a parental level, they act like they're teenagers too, laughing and making fun of Max all the time. It's sad. They made riding to the damn hospital into a huge deal for absolutely no reason. Meanwhile Chloe is miserable and just dying to get there. What's interesting is that for all the shit we've seen them throw at him, he hasn't been disrespectful to them in return. He's not been like any of the other fathers (Tylor excluded). I think he needed help long ago and never got it. 

He's definitely OfJessica. That pathetic lapdog doesn't deserve a real name. 

They make everything so fucking complicated! Jessica, especially, is looking for reasons to point a finger at Max. She wanted so badly for the car thing to be an issue; but Max was all - "It makes no sense to take two cars. We can ride with you." So then she takes the tack of, "But is this what CHLOE really wants??" Bitch, she just wants to have her baby. Shut up! 

I really don't get their outrage over him. I know there's some real time stuff he's done that is unacceptable, but I think most of that came after what we're seeing, no? So really all we're seeing is a kid who hangs around too much. But, I mean, a lot of teen dads bail. He's there. He clearly cares for their daughter. Lighten the fuck up. 

[Scarlett45]

54 minutes ago, ghoulina said:

He's definitely OfJessica. That pathetic lapdog doesn't deserve a real name. 

They make everything so fucking complicated! Jessica, especially, is looking for reasons to point a finger at Max. She wanted so badly for the car thing to be an issue; but Max was all - "It makes no sense to take two cars. We can ride with you." So then she takes the tack of, "But is this what CHLOE really wants??" Bitch, she just wants to have her baby. Shut up! 

I really don't get their outrage over him. I know there's some real time stuff he's done that is unacceptable, but I think most of that came after what we're seeing, no? So really all we're seeing is a kid who hangs around too much. But, I mean, a lot of teen dads bail. He's there. He clearly cares for their daughter. Lighten the fuck up. 

I contend this is projection. All the things she couldn’t do or say to Jessica’s Bio Dad she can say to Max. 

[politichick]

While I agree that Jessica and her husband treat Max rather poorly, if we think he's weird, imagine what they must experience in person. That's no excuse, though, for them to behave that way. 

Emily's mother also is a bit of a baby, but Diego's parents should be encouraging the girl to spend more time at home instead of just taking over. And if the link above is true, they better hope that her mother doesn't ice them the way they iced her. The mother was so weird with her brown bag special. They should not be having any sex at all.

Lexus totally needs therapy and like others, when I saw Lily, I too thought, "She has a type." Lily, however, is miles more well-spoken and articulate than Lexus or Shayden. Why is everyone trying to pressure her to be either gay or straight? Why can't she be bisexual? I think the number one thing she needs to figure out is how to dump Shayden and still co-parent because she doesn't seem all that interested in him. Plus, he's gross.

Laura's parents seem to be coming out of their fog, which is good.  And did Tylor's ex-stripper mother say she used to be in the military?

[teapot]

11 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

"Her and Ashlie had saw me at prom."  That's what I get for not FFing through Lexus's scenes.

I like that better than "her and Ashlie SEEN me..."

 

2 hours ago, ghoulina said:

He's definitely OfJessica. That pathetic lapdog doesn't deserve a real name. 

 

Dead.

[salvame]

On 10/8/2018 at 12:57 PM, Soup333 said:

On 10/8/2018 at 12:48 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

And speaking of, that sex talk was indeed all kinds of awkward, but I was amused by the mother telling Anna that every time a girl has relations with a boy, she loses a little piece of herself.  Mom, I'm not sure that exact horse has left the barn, but one that looks a lot like it has, and Tylor's sweatshirt can tell the tale. 

I do find it interesting that Anna has been with this "older boy" for six months, which means she took up with him right about the time Laura's pregnancy was turning the entire house upside down.  Please get her on birth control.

But I also wonder about the boy--he was nowhere to be seen on her birthday.  Maybe he doesn't want to film (could it even be that his parents wouldn't allow it?!?!?! (assuming he's under 18, which I hope but don't know)), but it makes me think some of drama was manufactured because it doesn't sound like she had NO ONE but her family to spend her birthday with. 

First of all, lol. This sounds so Duggarish to me that I really wonder how these parents have been raising their children.

I, too, have gotten the Duggar vibe from this family. They are the typical fundy family whose standard sex "talk" is abstinence. When their child ends up pregnant, they don't know what they should do - love them or shun them. Probably why they are always awkward with Laura - their religious community tells them they should be shunning/ostracizing, but their hearts tell them otherwise. Sadly, they seem to have learned nothing from their Laura experience - they are trying to use the same end game with Anna. They always strike me as being "shut down" when they are on screen. They show no emotion or even conviction. (so much for "keeping it sweet") Come to think of it, neither do Laura and Anna. If I were their daughter, I would do whatever to get out of that house and just experience something other than being in a house full of Eeyores!

[Ijustwantsomechips]

I read that he had a pretty bad scar from childhood that causes his hair to not grown in that spot.  I’ll see if I can find the article on Starcasm.  

Edited October 15, 2018 by Ijustwantsomechips

[salvame]

On 10/11/2018 at 7:50 PM, readheaded said:

On 10/11/2018 at 4:23 PM, Jake said:

Emilee mentioned that Bridget used to work for the General Practitioner, and that Bridget and the GP had become friends.  I wondered if Bridget had Emilee see that GP because the GP had agreed to waive any charges.  Seeing a pediatrician in town would cost money (co-pays, deductibles, etc.) and Emilee's family didn't seem to have a lot of spare cash.  And we sure haven't seen Diego or his family stepping up and offering to buy diapers or pay any of the bills associated with the birth.  Bridget might not have mentioned the financial situation to Emilee or (having watched Emilee for the last couple of months) has told Emilee and it went in one ear and out the other.

I wondered about that, too.  I also wondered if Bridget just knows, too, that the practitioner is good.  I can't imagine there are necessarily too many doctors in such small rural towns.

Playing devil's advocate here - suppose she wanted Emiley to take the baby there because it would be easier for Bridget to find out what was going on, since she and the GP are friends. Conversely, perhaps this has also been Emiley's doctor, and Emiley  wants to get out of that situation. Either way, she's the mom and should be able to make her own decisions (as long as the welfare of the baby is not at stake). I am more old school and would prefer a GP (never had an OB deliver, or pediatrician care for my kids) but not all parents are of the same mind, and Peds seem to be the accepted norm these days.

[StatisticalOutlier]

13 hours ago, ghoulina said:

I'm glad McKayla's entire family is trying to talk her out of this wedding. The next step would be - don't pay for it. Don't give her her princess wedding. Make her pay for it.

I thought it was very strange how they had that big discussion about the wedding, with all those people talking about McKayla right in front of her.  And not saying very complimentary things.  Yet they're too scared or weak-willed to say they're not going to pay for the wedding.  Even Grandma whatever-her-name-is said, "We'll pay what we can, but we don't have $30,000."  WTF?

Grandpa Tim and wife look sooooo beat up.  And the religious mom--photos from not that long ago show someone who looked vivacious, and now she's so sad and nothing looking.

 

Quote

So where are they living? Emilee said her mom doesn't come around much. Are they living at Diego's house?

I think they're living in some shitty place of their own.  Definitely doesn't look like where Family Diego does their THs on the couch in front of the staircase.  I assumed it was Emiley's mother's house, but since it's not, it has to be their own.  Interesting that there's no big plot point about their living on their own.

 

Quote

 

Max can be a punk, but I'm so over Jessica and her manipulations. I feel she constantly ices Max out, then makes him the bad guy. Take the car thing. She sooo wanted it to be a thing where Max was trying to control Chloe. But neither of them really cared. 

And, yes, Max should not have taken a nap in the hospital. But Jessica basically cemented herself at Chloe's side the minute they got there. Max, again, feels iced out. Doesn't know what to do with himself. So he goes to sleep and she's delighted because she can now call him out. 

 

When she was bitching about him being off to the side, I wondered where exactly there was room for him at Chloe's side. 

I loved how they woke him up at 7:00 and bitched about him sleeping that long.  If you wanted him awake before 7:00, you should have woken him up before 7:00.  He's blamed for his actions while he's asleep?  I can't stand the kid, but I feel for him.  Or would, if I could stand him, which I can't.

 

1 hour ago, politichick said:

And did Tylor's ex-stripper mother say she used to be in the military?

Yes she did.  I think his current step-father was, too--some father-ish man was.

 

There was a second episode that was mainly retread but with a little bit of new stuff, most of which was the kids saying that not only did they not actively try to avoid pregnancy, they were actually okay with it.  "We knew we loved each other, so if I got pregnant, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."  More than one said something like that.

So it wasn't being drilled into their heads that yes, it IS the worst thing in the world.  But of course it isn't, because how have they suffered, really?  Yeah, some of them have had to get jobs, but they still have the parental lifeline to fall back on.  They have to be up at night sometimes, but if they weren't up with a baby they'd be up on their phones.  Lexus has plenty of time to discuss her sexuality with everyone, Emiley is getting back into shape for cheer.  And McKayla is pregnant again, so it can't be that awful.  And now they're positioned to be instagram stars.

I can't really keep everybody straight, but I think each couple has at least one mother who was a pregnant teenager (and one has a grandmother who was a pregnant teen).  And we can shake our heads about how that continues with each generation, but here's the problem:  it takes some pretty fine line-walking to tell the product of a teen pregnancy that teen pregnancy is a terrible thing and will ruin your life.  And I'm sure that some smart teens get pregnant, but none of these teens' moms (or dads) on this show strike me as particularly smart, so they're particularly unable to do a good job of differentiating the two.  And frankly, even if they could, they're talking to teenagers, who will hear "you" and "a mistake" in the same paragraph and decide they're worthless and unwanted.

But this "it's okay if we get pregnant" shows that it has nothing to do with sex education--this is just one bad decision among hundreds that teenagers make all the time, because they're teenagers and that's just how their brains work.  The problem, of course, is that the fallout is massive, but they just don't have the capability to think about that.  Even Laura doesn't have the capability to think about that, even when she's told to her face that she's caused a massive, ongoing disruption. 

So you take that decision out of their hands and parents of daughters, anyway, can drag their daughter to the doctor and get an implant.  But the message there is that they're okay with her having sex, and that may not be the case. 

And the overlay on all of this is that it's no longer permissible to criticize them for getting pregnant--you just have to accept it.  I don't know if it's because it's tied up with sex, and everybody, no matter what their age, is entitled to whatever sex life they want without judgment so we must all tread very carefully there.  But we seem to be okay with criticizing people (adults and kids) who text and kill someone, or who drive drunk, and I'd say that creating a person who will be in an unstable situation that disrupts the lives of everyone in its realm is no less harmful than what these other actions cause.

The bottom line is that somehow these kids have the idea that getting pregnant isn't all that big of a deal, unlike how it used to be.  And it's not, when the teen parents get to play house on somebody else's dime, and the grandmothers start fighting over time with the baby.  I'm glad Anna's around to put a face to the widespread effects--she doesn't have to pussyfoot around about unconditionally accepting the baby, or approving of the situation.

[readheaded]

23 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I thought it was very strange how they had that big discussion about the wedding, with all those people talking about McKayla right in front of her.  And not saying very complimentary things.  Yet they're too scared or weak-willed to say they're not going to pay for the wedding.  Even Grandma whatever-her-name-is said, "We'll pay what we can, but we don't have $30,000."  WTF?

Grandpa Tim and wife look sooooo beat up.  And the religious mom--photos from not that long ago show someone who looked vivacious, and now she's so sad and nothing looking.

 

I think they're living in some shitty place of their own.  Definitely doesn't look like where Family Diego does their THs on the couch in front of the staircase.  I assumed it was Emiley's mother's house, but since it's not, it has to be their own.  Interesting that there's no big plot point about their living on their own.

 

When she was bitching about him being off to the side, I wondered where exactly there was room for him at Chloe's side. 

I loved how they woke him up at 7:00 and bitched about him sleeping that long.  If you wanted him awake before 7:00, you should have woken him up before 7:00.  He's blamed for his actions while he's asleep?  I can't stand the kid, but I feel for him.  Or would, if I could stand him, which I can't.

 

Yes she did.  I think his current step-father was, too--some father-ish man was.

 

There was a second episode that was mainly retread but with a little bit of new stuff, most of which was the kids saying that not only did they not actively try to avoid pregnancy, they were actually okay with it.  "We knew we loved each other, so if I got pregnant, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."  More than one said something like that.

So it wasn't being drilled into their heads that yes, it IS the worst thing in the world.  But of course it isn't, because how have they suffered, really?  Yeah, some of them have had to get jobs, but they still have the parental lifeline to fall back on.  They have to be up at night sometimes, but if they weren't up with a baby they'd be up on their phones.  Lexus has plenty of time to discuss her sexuality with everyone, Emiley is getting back into shape for cheer.  And McKayla is pregnant again, so it can't be that awful.  And now they're positioned to be instagram stars.

I can't really keep everybody straight, but I think each couple has at least one mother who was a pregnant teenager (and one has a grandmother who was a pregnant teen).  And we can shake our heads about how that continues with each generation, but here's the problem:  it takes some pretty fine line-walking to tell the product of a teen pregnancy that teen pregnancy is a terrible thing and will ruin your life.  And I'm sure that some smart teens get pregnant, but none of these teens' moms (or dads) on this show strike me as particularly smart, so they're particularly unable to do a good job of differentiating the two.  And frankly, even if they could, they're talking to teenagers, who will hear "you" and "a mistake" in the same paragraph and decide they're worthless and unwanted.

But this "it's okay if we get pregnant" shows that it has nothing to do with sex education--this is just one bad decision among hundreds that teenagers make all the time, because they're teenagers and that's just how their brains work.  The problem, of course, is that the fallout is massive, but they just don't have the capability to think about that.  Even Laura doesn't have the capability to think about that, even when she's told to her face that she's caused a massive, ongoing disruption. 

So you take that decision out of their hands and parents of daughters, anyway, can drag their daughter to the doctor and get an implant.  But the message there is that they're okay with her having sex, and that may not be the case. 

And the overlay on all of this is that it's no longer permissible to criticize them for getting pregnant--you just have to accept it.  I don't know if it's because it's tied up with sex, and everybody, no matter what their age, is entitled to whatever sex life they want without judgment so we must all tread very carefully there.  But we seem to be okay with criticizing people (adults and kids) who text and kill someone, or who drive drunk, and I'd say that creating a person who will be in an unstable situation that disrupts the lives of everyone in its realm is no less harmful than what these other actions cause.

The bottom line is that somehow these kids have the idea that getting pregnant isn't all that big of a deal, unlike how it used to be.  And it's not, when the teen parents get to play house on somebody else's dime, and the grandmothers start fighting over time with the baby.  I'm glad Anna's around to put a face to the widespread effects--she doesn't have to pussyfoot around about unconditionally accepting the baby, or approving of the situation.

My 67 year old liberal mother has said that the pendulum has swung way too far from the way things were when she was a teenager and girls were shamed and sent away.  She often says that there should be a middle ground where if a girl gets pregnant, she shouldn't be ostracized, but at the same time, the elaborate showers. etc. ought not to be the norm.  My cousin got pregnant at 14 and requested a full nursery theme and a huge shower.  My mom was like, "I was married and self-supporting when I had you, but I couldn't afford very nice and matching things, so I didn't have them."   

[Scarlett45]

1 minute ago, readheaded said:

My 67 year old liberal mother has said that the pendulum has swung way too far from the way things were when she was a teenager and girls were shamed and sent away.  She often says that there should be a middle ground where if a girl gets pregnant, she shouldn't be ostracized, but at the same time, the elaborate showers. etc. ought not to be the norm.  My cousin got pregnant at 14 and requested a full nursery theme and a huge shower.  My mom was like, "I was married and self-supporting when I had you, but I couldn't afford very nice and matching things, so I didn't have them."   

Yes. Making another human being when you have no way to support it and put an unfair burden on your family is WRONG period. None of this girls or guys had a mental disability, or were raped/sexually assaulted (which happens far too often, so I had to say we aren’t speaking about those situations). 

Now having a baby/getting pregnant as a teen doesn’t mean you’re an evil person who doesn’t deserve happiness, or that the parents should shun their grandchild for being a “bastard” or anything of that sort. That’s awful. You can love your child (and grandchild) and still acknowledge that they (the parents) fucked up ROYALLY. Yes there are decent kids who make a mistake and choose not to terminate the pregnancy, but they wouldn’t be on a reality show. They’d be working, going to school, and lamenting how they wish they had waited to give the CHILD parents in a better situation. 

Nothing wrong with having sex or enjoying it (assuming there isn’t coercion or assault involved), but this is 2018- use protection. I have a lot more sympathy for teen parents 70 or 60years ago where there weren’t that many options and it was illegal for single people to access contraceptives in many states- now there is no excuse. 

[Soup333]

21 minutes ago, readheaded said:

My 67 year old liberal mother has said that the pendulum has swung way too far from the way things were when she was a teenager and girls were shamed and sent away.  She often says that there should be a middle ground where if a girl gets pregnant, she shouldn't be ostracized, but at the same time, the elaborate showers. etc. ought not to be the norm.  My cousin got pregnant at 14 and requested a full nursery theme and a huge shower.  My mom was like, "I was married and self-supporting when I had you, but I couldn't afford very nice and matching things, so I didn't have them."   

Didn't Lexus have a full themed, expensive looking nursery?

For a lot of these girls (and Jessica), the shower is a gift grab. For someone like Emilee, who doesn't seem to have a lot of money, I don't really mind. She has high school/cheerleading friends who can chip in and get her some diapers or, more likely, some cute outfit the kid will grow out of quickly. I think some of the family/grandparents might feel pressured to host a great shower even though they're not at all excited about the pregnancy. I don't remember Princess McKayla's shower but her grandparents would mortgage their house if she really pitched a fit over her wedding so I don't doubt it was nice.

[readheaded]

7 minutes ago, Soup333 said:

Didn't Lexus have a full themed, expensive looking nursery?

For a lot of these girls (and Jessica), the shower is a gift grab. For someone like Emilee, who doesn't seem to have a lot of money, I don't really mind. She has high school/cheerleading friends who can chip in and get her some diapers or, more likely, some cute outfit the kid will grow out of quickly. I think some of the family/grandparents might feel pressured to host a great shower even though they're not at all excited about the pregnancy. I don't remember Princess McKayla's shower but her grandparents would mortgage their house if she really pitched a fit over her wedding so I don't doubt it was nice.

I don't begrudge any of them a shower, but in my cousin's case, she specified a particular theme not only for the nursery, but the shower and wanted it held in a hall.  At some point, when you're 14 and have literally no way to support yourself or a baby, someone needs to tell you that you don't get to make those choices because whatever resources there are need to be mostly going toward caring for the baby and not focused on making sure 50 of your closest friends and family have the most expensive matching plates and forks.

[ghoulina]

4 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I contend this is projection. All the things she couldn’t do or say to Jessica’s Bio Dad she can say to Max. 

That probably makes the most sense. It's just awful to watch. I don't even care much for Max, but it's super sad to see how upset Chloe gets, being pulled at from both directions like that. She seems like a people pleaser, but her mother is playing fucking mind games with her. 

 

3 hours ago, politichick said:

Why is everyone trying to pressure her to be either gay or straight? Why can't she be bisexual? I think the number one thing she needs to figure out is how to dump Shayden and still co-parent because she doesn't seem all that interested in him. Plus, he's gross.

I definitely think, with as confused as she seems to be, that she's likely bisexual. However, I think she needs to be SINGLE before contemplating any of that. She has ties to Shayden, as he's the father of her children. And it's mucking her all up. I kind of agree with her mother - that maybe Lexus is waiting for Shayden to end things so she doesn't have to be the bad guy. 

 

1 hour ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I think they're living in some shitty place of their own.  Definitely doesn't look like where Family Diego does their THs on the couch in front of the staircase.  I assumed it was Emiley's mother's house, but since it's not, it has to be their own.  Interesting that there's no big plot point about their living on their own.

I didn't think any TH backgrounds were real, LOL. I just always assume it's like the stock image that comes in a frame. 

The way Diego's mom walked in with the bag of condoms, it seemed like she was coming from another part of the house. Does Diego work? I'm not sure how they could afford their own place, unless it's a family arrangement of some sort. 

1 hour ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

When she was bitching about him being off to the side, I wondered where exactly there was room for him at Chloe's side. 

Exactly! That woman is setting him up to fail. Every damn time. 

 

37 minutes ago, Soup333 said:

Didn't Lexus have a full themed, expensive looking nursery?

Yes. I remember lots of red - maybe a Ladybug theme? It looked nicer than anything I've been able to cobble together for my 3 kids. 

[BravoAddict72]

Laura is my least favorite teen mom on this show. Her little smirk and her attitude drive me crazy! My 11 year old knows more about sex education and birth control than these morons do. I hate how she won't admit she made a mistake and acting all superior. Plus, the way she had to go running to daddy about Tylor cheating a year ago. She drives me nute. And her parents are no better. Telling your children to read Psalms is not a good form of birth control! I am not dising the Bible at all, but I don't think it worked the first time so I don't see why he is still preaching it to his other daughter. And saying that reading the Bible will prevent cheating is not 100% effective either. He seems to have some strange views on things.

 

In another social platform Emilee said Diego doesn't work because he is busy with football so he hasn't provided any support of his daughter. They asked about his parents and she said it is not up to them to provide for Diego's child. I can't with that family either.

[Soup333]

1 hour ago, readheaded said:

I don't begrudge any of them a shower, but in my cousin's case, she specified a particular theme not only for the nursery, but the shower and wanted it held in a hall.  At some point, when you're 14 and have literally no way to support yourself or a baby, someone needs to tell you that you don't get to make those choices because whatever resources there are need to be mostly going toward caring for the baby and not focused on making sure 50 of your closest friends and family have the most expensive matching plates and forks.

Wow. Yes, that's ridiculous.

27 minutes ago, BravoAddict72 said:

In another social platform Emilee said Diego doesn't work because he is busy with football so he hasn't provided any support of his daughter. They asked about his parents and she said it is not up to them to provide for Diego's child. I can't with that family either.

I only watched a bit of the Baby Bumps episode last night but I did see where pregnant Emilee was saying their lives would have to change. She'd have to give up cheerleading and he'd have to give up football because she got pregnant. She seemed sad about it but it seems as though someone is picking up the slack so that these kids can go about their normal high school lives as if the baby was some science project they handled during the off season.

[b2H]

1 hour ago, readheaded said:

My 67 year old liberal mother has said that the pendulum has swung way too far from the way things were when she was a teenager and girls were shamed and sent away. 

I'm 62, so not too far behind your mother, but what I'm seeing with all this is parents who want to be friends with their daughters rather than being parents.  At what point did it become ok to NOT know who your kids are hanging out with and what they're doing?  I remember a day in time during high school when, at the end of the year, it strongly resembled a maternity ward with girls in various stages of pregnancy.  So this is nothing new, but I was in an inner-city school, which is far different from where these girls are.  

If you watch the dynamic with the parents (grandparents, in Mikayla's case), they're all too cautious to just say no to these girls (and any of the rest of their children, as well).  That's probably not a new dynamic.  The girls themselves are too young to engage in any level of critical thinking - hell, these girls barely know where the bathroom is, they're so incredibly naive.  But the parents/grandparents have spent their lives coddling these kids and they wonder why their girls and boys are so clueless, yet entitled.

[eatsleep]

16 hours ago, ghoulina said:

And, yes, Max should not have taken a nap in the hospital. But Jessica basically cemented herself at Chloe's side the minute they got there. Max, again, feels iced out. Doesn't know what to do with himself. So he goes to sleep and she's delighted because she can now call him out. 

All of her schemes are so transparent and vile, to me.

I wonder why no one thought taking two cars would be a good idea?? Who knows how long she'd be at the hospital, like if she had a c-section. It would be nice if they all weren't depended on each other and one car for potentially the next few days.

Ugh, my exhusband was fast asleep and "unable" to be woken when my son went into fetal distress during labor. OMG i was so mad. 

 

16 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

LaKasta and her sister (Emilee’s Mom) look SO MUCH alike. 

Damn, I missed her. Did she also have rotten bottom teeth?

 

1 hour ago, Soup333 said:

Didn't Lexus have a full themed, expensive looking nursery?

For a lot of these girls (and Jessica), the shower is a gift grab. For someone like Emilee, who doesn't seem to have a lot of money, I don't really mind. She has high school/cheerleading friends who can chip in and get her some diapers or, more likely, some cute outfit the kid will grow out of quickly. I think some of the family/grandparents might feel pressured to host a great shower even though they're not at all excited about the pregnancy. I don't remember Princess McKayla's shower but her grandparents would mortgage their house if she really pitched a fit over her wedding so I don't doubt it was nice.

Scarlett/Lexus has a BEAUTIFUL nursery. Kelci did a great job.

 

1 hour ago, ghoulina said:

I kind of agree with her mother - that maybe Lexus is waiting for Shayden to end things so she doesn't have to be the bad guy. 

 

I've missed a lot. They broke up only bc he went to jail? Or for some other reason? Why did they get back together? And why did Lexus and Lily break up? So no jealouse btwn Lexus and Lily's new gf? Seemed very chummy for someone still carrying the torch?

[Mrs. Hanson]

37 minutes ago, b2H said:

I'm 62, so not too far behind your mother, but what I'm seeing with all this is parents who want to be friends with their daughters rather than being parents.  At what point did it become ok to NOT know who your kids are hanging out with and what they're doing?  I remember a day in time during high school when, at the end of the year, it strongly resembled a maternity ward with girls in various stages of pregnancy.  So this is nothing new, but I was in an inner-city school, which is far different from where these girls are.  

I am 53, not too far from any of you folks, raised with progressive liberal minded parents as well.  I would have been HORRIFIED to attend school pregnant (it was not allowed on my HS, graduated in 1983) and I will be even more honest:  my sons are 21 and 19 and I would be embarrassed as hell if one of then had a pregnant girlfriend right now.  (Luckily neither is interested, so.....phew)

I always knew where my kids were, even now when I am divorced from their dad and older one lives with Dad (he is 21, my son not their dad, lol) I could tell you what is in his dresser drawers, closet, etc -  I just know them.  I knew their friends, their schedules, etc - I was not a friend I was the mom and a pretty demanding one at that.  Never wanted to be friends with my kids, they have one mom, one dad.......they have enough friends.

43 minutes ago, b2H said:

they're all too cautious to just say no to these girls

See - that was my favorite part of being a parent!!!  I loved saying no!!!  LOLOL!

[politichick]

I don't get the impression that any of these girls were unaware of the birds and the bees and birth control. They were just too stupid/ignorant/careless to take it seriously, and also allowed the boys to convince them everything would be okay. The chat with Laura, Anna and their mother was a charade because I'd bet money that Anna knows the right thing to do but looked so dumb during the chat because she was embarrassed as fuck. And how sad that her mother is the only one of this lot who was not a teen mom. But was Bridgett actually a high school teen mom or just a young(18-20-ish), single mom? I think her grandmother was a teen mom, though. What a fucking mess.

If I'd gotten pregnant at their age, my mother probably would have dragged me to the abortionist. I sure as hell would not have been celebrated at a baby shower. 

1 hour ago, BravoAddict72 said:

Laura is my least favorite teen mom on this show. Her little smirk and her attitude drive me crazy! My 11 year old knows more about sex education and birth control than these morons do. I hate how she won't admit she made a mistake and acting all superior. Plus, the way she had to go running to daddy about Tylor cheating a year ago. She drives me nute. And her parents are no better. Telling your children to read Psalms is not a good form of birth control! I am not dising the Bible at all, but I don't think it worked the first time so I don't see why he is still preaching it to his other daughter. And saying that reading the Bible will prevent cheating is not 100% effective either. He seems to have some strange views on things.

 

In another social platform Emilee said Diego doesn't work because he is busy with football so he hasn't provided any support of his daughter. They asked about his parents and she said it is not up to them to provide for Diego's child. I can't with that family either.

I, too, would like to smack the smug off of Laura's face.

If Diego's parents are not going to make him work at least part-time to help provide for his daughter and allow him to play football instead, they absofuckinglutely should be providing some financial support. While not rolling in it, none of these people are headed for the poor house. Some if not all of them are homeowners, it seems. The mothers should not have to beg for some diapers.

[Lizzing]

1 hour ago, politichick said:

But was Bridgett actually a high school teen mom or just a young(18-20-ish), single mom? I think her grandmother was a teen mom, though. What a fucking mess.

 Bridget is 43, IIRC, so she was well into her twenties when she had Emiley (26 or 27).  Bridget's mom, however, is only 59 and was a teen mom.   It is a big mess.  I think that may be part of Bridget's anger; she escaped the teen mom curse and had higher hopes for her daughter.

[eatsleep]

Tylor's mother is so pretty! But she was a stripper?

[PityFree]

 Emily needs to tell Diego that is soon as he starts paying for diapers and formula he is welcome to call the kid whatever name he wants, but as long as all the money is coming from Emily‘s side of the family she’ll decide on her name.

[bref]

Tylor's mother intrigues me. She apparently has eleventy-seven children by different dads, was a teen mom, a stripper, and a Marine. Let's give HER a show!

[ghoulina]

22 minutes ago, bref said:

Tylor's mother intrigues me. She apparently has eleventy-seven children by different dads, was a teen mom, a stripper, and a Marine. Let's give HER a show!

I know! I was shocked we'd gone this long without meeting her. 

[Lynnlynnlynn586]

15 hours ago, Lizzing said:

OMG, they could have been siblings.  Lexus definitely has a type.

We've heard some damn stupid shit on this show, but an ice cream cake for a wedding in a meadow in the summer is pretty close to the topper.

Was anyone able to figure out what was going on with the back of Tylor's head?  When they showed him from behind walking into his mother's house, it looked like he either had a very weird bald spot on the back of his head, or he had something shaved into it.  I think the military is a good option for him, though.  First, they'll take care of whatever is going on with his hair, and he'll be a lot better off than stripping--he's not built for that line of work.  

He would not be a good looking stripper his hair was gone in patches ????

[Chris Knight]

10 hours ago, teapot said:

I like that better than "her and Ashlie SEEN me..."

 

Dead.

Let's not forget Scholar Emilee talking about "Diego and I's" prom.

[gonecrackers]

I thought it was Max's mom who was the ex-stripper, or was Tyler's as well??

She mentioned some of his siblings being step kids, so, I wonder how many she's had herself.

Laura's family was actually warm & loving this episode; nice change of pace. The dad said he wasn't concerned about the older son when he turned 18 but is concerned about Laura. Hopefully  Anna will follow the brother's example.

I about wretched with all the McKayla wants this or that & that's what the grandparents want to give her as much as they can, because, that's 'what grandparents do' - spoil the grandkids. Not when you're raising the kid!!  I have to wonder how her siblings are treated because it sure seems like McKayla is the pampered princess. Enjoy the monster you've created there, Tim.

Diego & his mom are sickening. That woman is way too attached to the baby & is very much enjoying replacing Emiliee's mom. I find her very troublesome; it would figure she spawned a Diego.

I agree with everyone here on Jessica - enough with her & her minion husband. I felt bad for Chloe. And what with Jessica hovering over Chloe the whole time there was no room or place for Max there, so she needs to STFU.  I was a little put off by the preview of Chloe giving birth. Especially given she's a teenager I would've thought they'd receive more privacy & no cameras in the room. I certainly hope her step father left the room & wasn't holding a leg or foot; that would be all kinds of wrong too.

I FF past most of Lexus now; so tired of her story line.  Definitely couldn't miss Lily's resemblance to Shayden though; I almost thought it was some kind of a joke because those two could be siblings.

[StatisticalOutlier]

8 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

Nothing wrong with having sex or enjoying it (assuming there isn’t coercion or assault involved), but this is 2018- use protection. I have a lot more sympathy for teen parents 70 or 60years ago where there weren’t that many options and it was illegal for single people to access contraceptives in many states- now there is no excuse. 

But they don't even need an excuse because they said they were fine with getting pregnant.

 

7 hours ago, BravoAddict72 said:

Telling your children to read Psalms is not a good form of birth control! I am not dising the Bible at all, but I don't think it worked the first time so I don't see why he is still preaching it to his other daughter. And saying that reading the Bible will prevent cheating is not 100% effective either. He seems to have some strange views on things.

I'm dying to know if he changes this tactic after he hears about the incident with Tylor's sweatshirt.  On the one hand, pregnancy is unlikely in that situation, but on the other hand...

 

7 hours ago, Soup333 said:

I only watched a bit of the Baby Bumps episode last night but I did see where pregnant Emilee was saying their lives would have to change. She'd have to give up cheerleading and he'd have to give up football because she got pregnant. She seemed sad about it but it seems as though someone is picking up the slack so that these kids can go about their normal high school lives as if the baby was some science project they handled during the off season.

I wonder when that Baby Bumps statement was filmed because in the regular show, she's working out with the goal of getting a $1,000 scholarship for cheerleading, without which she'll be unable to attend college.