Tina Fey: Sarah Palin offered Bristol to babysit her child at SNL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No big deal.

So, when your daughter is 18 and 7 months pregnant, you'll volunteer her to babysit for a 3-year-old at 11:30 on her birthday? Or think it's a good idea for her to take that on, seven months pregnant, late at night, even if she asked for it?

Wow.

I guess my kid's lucky that I think it's a big deal.

Then again, my kid is going to know how a condom works, so she'll go to college instead of the OB ward at Wasilla General.

Must be so nice to have this "perfect well educated" child. Im sure as a parent you're child will be a perfect reflection of you. Good luck with that.

There's plenty of daylight between "perfect" and a completely avoidable pregnancy that will change the course of this child's life, and very likely prevent her from having an opportunity to find the success that mother has. And if you don't think that helping your kids avoid pregnancy is part of good parenting, or celebrating their birthday, or getting their pregnant, school-skipping butts off of your campaign trail even if they are a good pro-life accessory, then you have pretty low standards.

Some parents have high hopes for their daughters. I do. My mother did, too. I can't remember a time when my parents didn't stress to me that I needed to work toward a future where I could be independent, educated, and living to my potential-- which for them meant college. I think that it's a reverse-elitism to pretend that "real people" not striving for their children's future (and her older son, Track, went into the military after dropping out and losing an athletic scholarship) is somehow "authentic." Anyone on this board want their daughter to be pregnant in high school and screw herself out of a future? Anyone want their son to impregnate a girl and then marry her at 18 before even spending the college funds you've been saving since his birth?

I will accept my daughter no matter what she does. But if she were to get pregnant at that age-- and carry the baby-- I would know that I had failed her on some level. And if would most certainly not be a "gift."

Oh, and on her birthday, I wouldn't offer her up to someone else to work so that I could score points with them.

But if that's unreasonable, or elitist, or bitchy, so be it. I'm proud to be a bitch who wants my daughter to have a future.

Bravo, poster! I completely agree. And you may call yourself a bitch, but you're definitely not a pitt bull!

[Anonymous]

I, too, have high hopes for my daughter, which do not include getting pregnant at age 17, but which DO include offering to help another person on occasion, when needed.

The pregnancy issue (and especially, lack of contraception education) is a big deal.

The skipping school issue (if it exists) is a big deal. Tough you don't really know if Bristol is doing poorly in school, if she has a private tutor for a while, or what she is doing.

the being volunteered to babysit someone else's child is NOT a big deal, and you are being unreasonable in thinking it is.

[Anonymous]

I know lots of lovely families that did teach their children about contraception. And guess what, some of their children did get pregnant (or get other children pregnant).

As a matter of fact, there are MOMS on this board who get pregnant by mistake.

No one can predict what mistakes a teenager will make while rebelling and growing up. I feel like we're back in the 1950s, gossiping about the family with the pregnant unwed daughter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know lots of lovely families that did teach their children about contraception. And guess what, some of their children did get pregnant (or get other children pregnant).

As a matter of fact, there are MOMS on this board who get pregnant by mistake.

No one can predict what mistakes a teenager will make while rebelling and growing up. I feel like we're back in the 1950s, gossiping about the family with the pregnant unwed daughter.

I don't think it's gossip. I think we're speculating that IF Obama's daughter (as a teen) ended up pregnant, the GOP would not be as kind. So there's an undercurrent of hypocrisy in Palin's actions and right wing PR surrounding it. Furthermore, it is absolutely ridiculous to force this child - which she is - into a marriage in order to somehow remedy the situation.

In terms of babysitting for Fey's daughter, offering Bristol is indeed ridiculous (if there is truth to this). Should a teen who's 7 months pregnant make the rounds with her mother? Who cares if it IS SNL? Is this some kind of reward? What message is Palin sending out to young girls? Palin believes in abstinence, her daughter is pregnant and soon to be married, and is now touring the nation with her mother? Do we really need to see more of Bristol?

[Anonymous]

I wonder how many of the posts in this thread are by the same poster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In terms of babysitting for Fey's daughter, offering Bristol is indeed ridiculous (if there is truth to this). Should a teen who's 7 months pregnant make the rounds with her mother? Who cares if it IS SNL? Is this some kind of reward? What message is Palin sending out to young girls? Palin believes in abstinence, her daughter is pregnant and soon to be married, and is now touring the nation with her mother? Do we really need to see more of Bristol?

I don't understand this. Does Bristol need to be kept at home under lock and key? What is wrong with someone who is 7 months pregnant going out with her mother?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder how many of the posts in this thread are by the same poster.

I do get the feeling there is one, very animated poster, who is just incensed by the entire "Bristol-Palin-was-up past-a-pregnant-teen's-bedtime-at-the-filming-of-SNL" concept. Everything about the existence of Bristol Palin seems to offend this particular poster and his or her life values.

So be it.

What I am wondering is why *I* keep soming back to this non-issue thread.

Something wrong with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
In terms of babysitting for Fey's daughter, offering Bristol is indeed ridiculous (if there is truth to this). Should a teen who's 7 months pregnant make the rounds with her mother? Who cares if it IS SNL? Is this some kind of reward? What message is Palin sending out to young girls? Palin believes in abstinence, her daughter is pregnant and soon to be married, and is now touring the nation with her mother? Do we really need to see more of Bristol?

"Who cares if it is SNL?" If my mom had been in demand enough to do SNL back when I was 17, you bet I would have tagged along -- whether I had a baby bump, a cast on my leg, or a bad case of the flu! She would have had a hard time keeping me home!

[Anonymous]

Get over yourself.

Just because she's pregnant, doesn't negate her from being treated like any other teenage girl in the regards of being volunteered to do something, by her Mother.

And I've always found that those who were critical or harsh and judged other parenting to the extent that you are, It usually has a way to bite you in the ass, later.

[Anonymous]

I think that she was just being polite... it was probably not a sincere offer, just one tot connect with Fey. Sort of like "we should get together sometime" but never setting a date

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that she was just being polite... it was probably not a sincere offer, just one tot connect with Fey. Sort of like "we should get together sometime" but never setting a date

Yes, that's what I was trying to say earlier in this thread but you said it better and more succinctly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And I've always found that those who were critical or harsh and judged other parenting to the extent that you are, It usually has a way to bite you in the ass, later.

Oh - so I guess Sarah Palin's ass is in need of some Neosporin?

[Anonymous]

First, full disclosure: I don't KNOW the Palins personally so all of this is conjecture based on my observation of them on TV.

I have noticed that Sarah Palin is more often accompanied at public appearances by two of her family members than the others: Bristol and Trig. It appears to me that Trig is there because he is 6 months old, and that Bristol is there to babysit while Sarah works. I have no idea how these people themselves feel about this situation, but personally I feel very sorry for Bristol. She was denied information about and access to birth control, is being forced to have a baby at 17 and to marry another 17-year-old who has publicly stated that he doesn't want kids, and is being used as an unpaid nanny for her baby brother. And apparently also is forced to babysit for any other random kids in her mom's vicinity too! But who knows, maybe she's thrilled with her life. Hey, who wouldn't be a teen mother and babysitting slave if it got you backstage at SNL?!

[Anonymous]

Large families very typically call on older siblings to help babysit for younger siblings and it is generally not viewed as infringing on their rights. Nor is asking them to unload the dishwasher, mow the lawn, wash the car, or help with the laundry. It's just part of being a member of the family and teaches children the importance of loving and helping one another. That Bristol volunteers or is simply asked to help care for Trig is totally normal. That she might be asked to look after another small child for one hour is also not earth shattering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First, full disclosure: I don't KNOW the Palins personally so all of this is conjecture based on my observation of them on TV.

I have noticed that Sarah Palin is more often accompanied at public appearances by two of her family members than the others: Bristol and Trig. It appears to me that Trig is there because he is 6 months old, and that Bristol is there to babysit while Sarah works. I have no idea how these people themselves feel about this situation, but personally I feel very sorry for Bristol. She was denied information about and access to birth control, is being forced to have a baby at 17 and to marry another 17-year-old who has publicly stated that he doesn't want kids, and is being used as an unpaid nanny for her baby brother. And apparently also is forced to babysit for any other random kids in her mom's vicinity too! But who knows, maybe she's thrilled with her life. Hey, who wouldn't be a teen mother and babysitting slave if it got you backstage at SNL?!

You did well with the disclosure, admitting that you don't know the Palins and your conjecture is based on. . . TV coverage. Which is always so accurate.

How was Bristol "denied access to birth control"? You assume the Palins themselves denied her this access, I suppose. Do you understand that she was attending public high school in Anchorage, where she did receive traditional sex education that included information on birth control? Or was that not reported on TV? Guess not.

How do you know Bristol is "being forced to have a baby"? Was that on TV, or just more conjecture on your part? Do you know anyone who thought they didn't want kids at 17 and changed their mind? Have you ever known any teenagers who babysit for their younger siblings? Do you know that Bristol was "forced" to babysit for any random kids in her mom's vicinity?

As a liberal Democrat who thinks TV is not the best source of news, or the best source of fodder for "conjecture," I am LMAO.

Just curious, critical posters: What did the Gores do wrong to lead poor Albert III astray? Did they deny him access to information about the dangers of alcohol and drugs? Because all those arrests for DUI and drugs in his car must be the result of poor parenting and even stupidity on the part of the Gores, right? Or does that rule only hold true for Republicans? The rules governing hypocrisy apparently hold true for those in both parties, if this thread is any example.