MTV's "TEEN MOM" FRANCHISE - How Do Young Eyes-and Much Older Eyes-Really See Teenage Parenthood?
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MTV’s “TEEN MOM” FRANCHISE
How Do Young Eyes—and Much Older Eyes—
Really See Teenage Parenthood?
By Rhonda Kruse Nordin
Building a Culture of Prosperity
Center of the American Experiment is a nonpartisan, tax-exempt,
public policy and educational institution that brings conservative
and free market ideas to bear on the hardest problems facing
Minnesota and the nation.
November 2013
MTV’s “TEEN MOM” FRANCHISE
How Do Young Eyes—and Much Older Eyes—
Really See Teenage Parenthood?
Rhonda Kruse Nordin
Foreword a self-described “gray-haired empty-nester” who has
long written insightfully about families and children,
It would be incorrect to say I became hooked, but to find out.
two years ago, for reasons I’d rather not get into, I
began watching “16 & Pregnant” on MTV on a fairly As she details in the pages that follow, she pursued
regular basis. If you’re not familiar with the show— two routes: holding multiple focus groups with
which is part of a broader “franchise,” as Rhonda demographically diverse girls and young women in
Kruse Nordin packages it—I would describe it as a the Twin Cities ranging in age from 12 to 18, as well
reality show in which main players are expectant as administering nearly 100 questionnaires to girls
teenage mothers and fathers, routinely from working she met at malls, fast food restaurants, gymnasiums,
class and lower-middle-income families, dealing with and the like. None of this was scientific, but it’s all
the inevitably difficult-to-impossible problems faced helpfully suggestive and informative.
by dreadfully young and poorly educated parents
with hardly any money. If I were to summarize her rich findings in one
sentence it might go like this: Despite my own
I would watch the show, of course, through male concerns that viewers see 16 & Pregnant and its
eyes as old as the rest of me, which is to say 65 at spin-offs Teen Mom and Teen Mom 2 as somehow
the moment. And while I found nothing appealing encouraging rather than discouraging too-early
whatsoever about being a kid caught up in the parenthood, those concerns were mostly baseless,
confusion and agony many of the characters were, as viewers took away mostly responsible messages.
I recognized that my eyes and reactions weren’t Here are a few excerpts from “MTV’s Teen Mom
necessarily anything like those of much younger Franchise: How Do Young Eyes—and Much Older
viewers. Might they, for instance, interpret what Eyes—See Teenage Parenthood?”
I saw as pain as something, in fact, romantic?
Might they judge what I saw as compelling reasons Early on Rhonda writes:
not to get pregnant (or impregnate) as ultimately
insufficient reasons to delay bringing a baby into I spent considerable time becoming familiar
the world, never mind their unpreparedness? I could with the shows. I have to admit my reaction
only speculate about answers, which is another way to the first episode I saw wasn’t pretty. I hurt
of saying I just didn’t know. So I asked American as I considered the fear, sadness, anxiety,
Experiment Senior Fellow Rhonda Kruse Nordin, and relationship-sparring between the young
Center of the American Experiment 1
mothers and their partners compared to the speaker, and family advocate, perhaps best known
joy my husband and I shared upon the birth for her exceptionally helpful and well-received book,
of our sons. I found nothing—absolutely After the Baby: Making Sense of Marriage After
nothing—about the shows to glamorize teen Childbirth. She is also an American Experiment
pregnancy or teen motherhood Senior Fellow, and in keeping with her invaluably
distinctive voice contributed the distinctively titled
I followed the teens’ share of what some might “Jumping Rope and Imprinting Marriage” to a
describe as bone-headed moves and longed 2012 Center Symposium, Fragmented Families and
to see the mothers exercise good judgment, Splintered Classes. My great thanks to her for this
morality, common sense, and old-fashioned very good analysis, very good read, and in keeping
responsibility as they worked through everyday once again with her uncommonly insightful take on
dramas in their quest for love and a better life. families, this important contribution to the Center’s
I wanted to see them triumph, and I cheered high-priority work in strengthening marriage.
when they did. Within weeks, I too was
hooked. Mitch Pearlstein, Ph.D.
Founder & President
Reporting on one of her “at-risk” focus groups, November 2013
Rhonda writes of a participant who “confessed that
she sometimes wanted to have a baby after watching
an episode,” with the young woman saying: “It wasn’t
so much that being a mom looked glamorous, but the
babies were so cute; I love watching them. And the
girls were cute too!” To which another participant
objected with emphasis. “I disagree! I thought they
all had sad, pathetic lives. It made me want to stay
as far away from getting pregnant as possible.”
Similarly, Rhonda writes: ‘“What makes me sad,’
admitted one of my teens, as she sat back to reflect on
our time together discussing a particularly poignant
episode, ‘I really can’t imagine how hard their lives
must be as young, poor, and single mothers. But
what makes me even sadder is that most of them
don’t have a clue about how good their lives could be
if they just made a few different choices.’”
I count no fewer than four variations of “sad” in
these blurbs.
Rhonda’s analysis also deals with questions of policy,
as in how easy and quick it can be for a young single
parent to electronically sign up for combinations
of federal and other programs which enable many
people, and not just young ones, to worry very little,
if at all about money when making babies.
Rhonda Kruse Nordin is a Twin Cities author,
2 MTV’s “TEEN MOM” FRANCHISE How Do Young Eyes—and Much Older Eyes—Really See Teenage Parenthood?Introduction going to have a baby. She had been whisked away
to a home for unwed mothers. I envisioned Janet in
A number of months ago, I was charged with her sparsely decorated dorm room, dressed in a light-
exploring the debate regarding MTV’s popular cable colored smock, sitting in a rocking chair reading or
shows 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom. My research knitting, preparing to give birth to a baby that would
questions were, first off, do these shows discourage be given away to a stranger, never to be mentioned
teen pregnancy, as their producers purport, or do again. As a teen in the ‘60s, this is not what you
they glamorize the lives of young mothers, as critics wanted. You simply did not want to be that girl—the
accuse, and therefore encourage teens to become subject of whispers and source of shame and sadness
pregnant? Second, what messages, exactly, do teens to the people who loved you most.
take away from the Teen Mom franchise?
Teen Pregnancy Moves to
As a gray-haired empty-nester, I am more inclined
to tune into shows aimed at my demographic and
Primetime TV
was unfamiliar with the Teen Mom franchise at the
Fast forward 50 years. Janet could be the star of
time of my assignment. But as a researcher of topics
MTV’s popular Teen Mom franchise. The unscripted
pertaining to family formation, I rallied for the task
reality television “docudramas” MTV launched in
and committed to learn as much as possible about
2009, including the first of its cable shows on the
the recent media obsession with teen mothers. My
topic, 16 and Pregnant, feature high school girls
mind quickly turned to my childhood friend Janet.
dealing with the hardship and struggles of unplanned
teen pregnancy. Sensitive subjects are covered—
Janet and I grew up together in the 1960s in my
morning sickness, parent reactions, boyfriend and
hometown. She was several years ahead of me and
girlfriend interactions, and challenging decisions.
I watched her every move. A starting guard on
The episodes depict the life-changing and always
the basketball team, a center-stage actress in the
complicated journeys of first stars Maci, Catelynn,
school musical, and a candidate for the cherished
Farrah, and Amber who quickly captured the hearts
homecoming court, Janet was a superstar. Yet there
and loyalty of viewers in numbers that surprised even
was no better position to view her than from behind
the market-savvy executives at MTV. Riding success,
the bushes outside my grade school. There, I caught
MTV introduced Teen Mom in 2009 and Teen Mom
a glimpse of Janet each day as she passed by with
2 in 2011. These spin-off shows allow audiences that
other senior high students en route to lunch. With
surpass 2 million viewers per episode a window into
bleached-blonde, shoulder-length hair arranged in
the lives of the young mothers who had given birth
a tidy flip, a flowing skirt, and white bobby socks
in 16 and Pregnant.
and loafers, Janet waltzed by, arm in arm with her
boyfriend, stylish himself with his crew cut, crisply
Under the tutelage of the nonprofit National
pressed khakis, and heavily adorned letter sweater.
Campaign to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy,
Their group was the embodiment of “cool.” They
MTV supplements its shows’ storylines with
were cheerleaders, letter winners—winners, all
messages pertaining to safe sex and abstinence and
of them—laughing, chatting amicably with each
thus stealthily offers public service announcements
other as they moved in tight circles that screamed
to deter teen pregnancy. MTV reports that the
even then of lofty social status. I wanted to be like
overwhelming majority of teens aged 12 to 19 have
them—to be like Janet.
seen 16 and Pregnant or Teen Mom and say the
shows help teens better understand the challenges
Then, one day, Janet was no longer on the path.
of pregnancy and parenting. In addition, parents
Whispers abounded, “She’s P-G. You know:
appreciate the discussions fostered around the shows.
pregnant!” It was a word none of us dared say out
Sarah Brown, CEO of the National Campaign to
loud. We absorbed the news in disbelief: Janet was
Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy, has also
Center of the American Experiment 3applauded MTV for focusing on the issue. It appears from a portion of the public that adores the cast of
to be a win for MTV. characters, passionately follows their lives, and drives
their popularity.
While I hadn’t wanted to be in the shoes of my
classmate Janet in 1966, she was far from alone when It appears MTV is earnest in its efforts. Since 1997,
she faced the prospect of a teen pregnancy; teen MTV has partnered with the Kaiser Foundation to
birth rates then were actually more than double the address pressing sexual health issues facing young
rates of today. A young mother back then, however, people in the United States and has successfully
rarely faced her pregnancy alone, as 80 percent of blended popular media and social issues to create
couples elected a “shotgun marriage.” Or if not, a girl public information campaigns that promote health.
or young woman likely placed her baby for adoption. MTV’s collaboration with the National Campaign to
Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy is the first,
Even then, however, by the mid-1960’s teen births though, in which MTV has created and promoted
were on a downward trajectory, with some roller original programming that includes education on
coaster effects.1 By 2011, just a few years into Teen pregnancy prevention, safe sex, and birth control.5
Mom’s existence, the birth rate among teens was
at the lowest rate in seven decades, reflecting a First-hand Research
decline in rates for all subgroups of age, race, and
ethnicities. 2 3 I spent considerable time becoming familiar with
the shows. I have to admit, my reaction to the first
Motives & Critics episode I watched wasn’t pretty. I hurt as I considered
the fear, sadness, anxiety, and relationship-sparring
Yet there are critics of the shows who are suspicious between the young mothers and their partners
of MTV’s motives. Does Teen Mom, in fact, glamorize compared to the joy my husband and I shared upon
teen motherhood and thereby encourage teens to the birth of our sons. I found nothing—absolutely
become pregnant? It doesn’t appear so, since teen nothing—about the shows to glamorize teen
pregnancy rates, as just noted, have declined. This pregnancy or teen motherhood.
fact notwithstanding, critics still question whether
MTV sensationalizes the lives of the teen moms to I followed the teens’ share of what some might
attract viewers. Does MTV fuel the popularity of describe as bone-headed moves and longed to see the
these shows and pump up the profits of its advertisers mothers exercise good judgment, morality, common
and thereby exploit the problematic social issue of sense, and old-fashioned responsibility as they
teen pregnancy? worked through everyday dramas in their quest for
love and a better life. I wanted to see them triumph,
MTV is the world’s premier youth entertainment and I cheered when they did. Within weeks, I too
brand and reaches more than half-a-billion was hooked.
households globally. It is the home of the Millennial
Generation and a pioneer for creating programs that I then corralled teenage girls from a variety of
young people love.4 Could advertisers and MTV walks of life in the twin cities area to watch the
be making a lot of money off this franchise and its shows with me and discuss their views. Just the
partnership with the National Campaign to Prevent exercise of gathering feedback from teens taught
Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy? The shows do me something about the Teen Mom franchise. First,
indeed drive profits for MTV and the companies contrary to the shows’ popularity, not all teens in
that advertise in the Teen Mom timeslots—that’s my life tuned into MTV, and their reaction when
business. Yet the intent, producers say, has never asked about these shows quickly placed them into
been to glamorize teen pregnancy, and they did not one of two camps: They either loved the shows,
anticipate the media and tabloid frenzy that resulted never missed them, and could recite the names and
4 MTV’s “TEEN MOM” FRANCHISE How Do Young Eyes—and Much Older Eyes—Really See Teenage Parenthood?situations of all the mothers and their babies, or they I was not disappointed: The young women shared
abhorred the shows and scoffed at the very thought freely. Some were more familiar with the shows
of wasting time watching them. Few were neutral. than others, but all willingly offered their opinions
Over time, I conducted numerous focus groups with nonetheless.
upwards of 35 girls aged 12 to 18 and additionally
collected nearly 100 randomly administered surveys • Ninety percent said the shows do a good job
to girls I approached at malls, fast-food restaurants, portraying the struggles and challenges of
gymnasiums, or wherever there happened to be teen pregnancy and unplanned parenthood.
gathered a public collection of young women open to
my inquiries. While by no means conclusive, results • Sixty-six percent said the shows encouraged
seem to justify the efforts of the Teen Mom franchise them to practice safe sex.
as well as shed light on its shortcomings.
• Seventy-three percent said the shows
Few of the survey respondents claimed to be weekly depicted choices and sacrifices of teen
viewers, though 70 percent had either watched the mothers.
shows “a few times” or “a few times per month” and
deemed themselves knowledgeable enough to share • Eighty-five percent said the shows
their views. Roughly half watched with friends, ten discouraged them from motherhood at this
percent watched with a mother or another family time.
member, and the remainder watched alone. “I
didn’t want anyone to know I was hooked on these Overall, respondents mostly agreed that the shows
shows!” exclaimed one young viewer, fearful that make life as a teen mother look difficult (69 percent)
others would judge her for her “obsession with the and life as a teen mother unappealing (77 percent).
stars and their babies,” which seemed, she admitted, Score, again, for MTV.
“like a really big waste of time. But their lives are so
interesting to me!” she justified, “I just have to watch!” Deeper reflection in the focus groups, however,
revealed that nearly half of the teens believe
Purposefully, I selected focus groups that I suspected some episodes glamorize teen motherhood. One
would lend a useful juxtaposition of thought. Two participant said, for example, “It never really seemed
of the groups I met with congregated before their that the mothers had to give up that much. Most
youth meetings at a church in a well-to-do suburb. of them were able to go out and party and they had
White, upper-middle-class and college-bound, these boyfriends and friends. It’s not like their lives stopped
girls professed to being closely connected to their after they had a baby.”
families, which I suspect based on my knowledge of
the community are mostly stable two-parent families. Another participant from one of my at-risk groups
A few other groups were fairly diverse ethnically confessed that she sometimes wanted to have a baby
and were drawn from suburban neighborhoods and after watching an episode: “It wasn’t so much that
schools of less financial means whose students were being a mom looked glamorous, but the babies were
reputed to be hard workers and who achieve lofty so cute; I loved watching them. And the girls were
goals just the same. Two additional groups were cute too!”
composed of minority students participating in a
faith-based community program for at-risk teens; “I disagree!” objected a different member of this
most were without stable families and often struggled same focus group, shaking her head back and forth.
academically, socially, emotionally, and financially. “I thought they all had sad, pathetic lives. It made
In addition, I had a host of conversations with me want to stay as far away from getting pregnant
young women who socioeconomically, I suspect, fell as possible!” Despite differences of opinion among
somewhere in between. friends and classmates (most in each focus group
Center of the American Experiment 5knew one another before participating), I was struck schoolyard ahead of me in the ‘60s.
by the level of respect, the absence of criticism or
judgment they showed each other or directed toward Following a burst of laughter that signified agreement
the television moms who may have made choices among the participants, a conversation ensued
“different than their own” and that they deemed about the importance of parental influence. This
resulting in “unfortunate circumstances that I would was not so much about their influence on the sexual
not want.” More often than not, the consequences behavior of the girls—“because we are still gonna
for MTV’s teen moms made them sad. have sex!” exclaimed one young teen, resulting in
a whooping thumbs-up response from the rest of
Some of my interviews identified weaknesses in her group—but about the “risk-taking choices” that
program content. Several interviewees thought often lead to pregnancy. Most did not want to hurt
the shows had not adequately developed storylines or disappoint their parents, which was thought-
about safe sex or explored the alternatives of provoking to me as well as for a few of the girls who
adoption and abortion. Those closest to the front admitted that their mothers had given birth early
lines of motherhood said the shows stopped short of in life themselves and were raising them as single
portraying realistic responsibilities of motherhood. mothers. In other words, whereas giving birth
young and raising a child alone may have been the
“The shows are soap operas for our generation,” said situation in their own home, it was not the approved
one participant who had become a mother within or preferred choice for the daughter.
the past year. “They concentrate on the relationships
of the girls and their moms and the fathers of the Pregnancy blights the educational prospects and
babies, but they really don’t show us what 24/7 consequently the occupational opportunities for
motherhood is all about. Being a mother is a lot many young mothers.6 This reality was in the
harder than what is depicted on television. And forefront of the minds of my college-bound teen
role modeling? Well, if you want to learn how to act interviewees. “I can’t imagine having a baby right
with your boyfriend or your mom, or whoever you now! I am so excited about going to college,” offered
are having a problem with, you aren’t going to learn one who joined our focus group before bouncing
anything positive to apply to your life from watching off to her church’s youth gathering. She planned to
these shows.” play basketball for a nearby university. “My whole
schooling—at least the high school part of it—
When asked about the greatest deterrent to has been focused on going to college and getting
becoming pregnant, 60 percent of my survey a good job after that. I think only about getting
respondents cited “personal goals that don’t include an education, then having a baby. I want to be
parenthood yet.” This response was clearly the married first, too. Maybe I am old-fashioned, but
predominant theme for “motherhood avoidance” this is the way that makes sense to me.” Even the
among focus groups whose participants planned to girls whose plans after high school remained blank
head to college. Others shied away from parenthood slates recognized that having a baby would preclude
because of the responsibility, and of course a them from “working and making money.”7
substantial number dreaded their parents’ reactions
to an unplanned pregnancy they knew would Remarkably, only a fifth of the survey respondents
certainly interfere with their education or other goals. cited a desire to “marry before having a baby.”
Whether white, black, rich, or poor—or whatever And other than a young woman mentioned above,
other adjectives one might use to differentiate my marriage as it pertained to motherhood never came
focus group participants—universally, the sentiment up. Ponder that one.
regarding a teen pregnancy now was “my mother
would kill me”—a vernacular that has not changed Less than two percent of teen mothers who do
one iota since my friend Janet traipsed across the graduate from high school go on to earn a college
6 MTV’s “TEEN MOM” FRANCHISE How Do Young Eyes—and Much Older Eyes—Really See Teenage Parenthood?degree before the age of 30.8 Like Janet, it’s not double today’s rate. Rates peaked at 97 births per
uncommon to get stuck in a low-wage job, to be 1,000 teens after World War II, yet teen pregnancy
under-employed, and to earn less over a lifetime. was considered less a social problem then and in
Yet few focus group participants cited the financial most aspects remained under the radar of economists
responsibility of motherhood as a deterrent, and in and the general public. No one calculated the cost
discussion most agreed that the cost of having a baby of teen pregnancy, because it simply wasn’t
or the cost of caring for it had “simply not entered considered the social or economic concern that it
their mind.” Ponder that one, too. Not surprisingly, is today.16 The huge difference, as noted, was that
more than half of teen mothers seek government most teen mothers were married during those earlier
assistance to support their families within the first years. And if not married at the time of conception,
year of giving birth, and, at some point 80 percent they got married shortly thereafter. Together, young
of unmarried teen mothers collect welfare.9 couples cared for their children and few fathomed
turning to the government for any type of assistance.
Why It Matters
In the 1960s, nearly 90 percent of babies born to
Despite the steep decline in teen birth rates over teen mothers who weren’t married were put up
the last decades, the issue of teen and unplanned for adoption—that was expected and is what my
pregnancy remains a concern. More than 700,000 friend Janet originally decided to do, and why I
teenage girls in the United States become pregnant could so clearly envision her at the home for unwed
each year, resulting in about 400,000 births (factoring mothers.17 18 All that was to change radically.
in abortion and fetal loss). It is estimated that one of
every ten children in the United States is born to Babies now born to teens routinely grow up in
a teenage mother, with the United States, despite single-parent homes, which increase their
recent progress, having the highest teen birth rates likelihood of living in poverty, experiencing
of any country.10 11 reduced educational achievement and attainment,
having physical and emotional health problems,
Teen pregnancy and childbearing present a and interacting with child welfare and criminal
number of immediate and long-term challenges justice personnel.19 20 It also reduces the chances of a
for the mothers and their babies and are also at mother marrying at a later date.21
the root of many costly public health and social
problems facing our country.12 This is why I care Reality TV versus Real Life
as an individual and why all of us should care as
taxpayers—and why MTV may have partnered Romantic relationships of teen mothers tend to
with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen be problematic as witnessed on the shows.22 “It’s
and Unplanned Pregnancy in the first place. Teen interesting that the moms on Teen Mom always
births are expected to cost taxpayers more than have boyfriends in their lives. I am dying to find a
$11 billion this year.13 Cost estimates by guy to date,” giggled Jennifer, the 19-year-old mother
policymakers, practitioners, researchers, media, of a one-year-old daughter.
and states vary, yet according to Dr. Saul Hoffman
of the University of Delaware and Dr. Rebecca It is really lonely living alone in our little
Maynard at the University of Pennsylvania, all apartment, caring for my baby—just us. But it
estimates are conservative.14 is really hard to find a boyfriend, and I guess
I understand why a guy wouldn’t want to take
There was a time when being a teen mother may on the responsibility of me and my baby. My
have been considered normal or even desirable if daughter is not his responsibility. Yet, on the
she were married.15 In 1910, teen pregnancy rates shows, it seems there is always some guy that
were 69 births per 1,000 teens, a rate more than comes into the picture and loves Jenelle or Leah
Center of the American Experiment 7or Maci—I mean, they always have boyfriends season, Jenelle—and I think it was the dad—got
who seem madly in love with them and their into a fight right in front of the kid! Another
kids too! The guys go with them to play and time, Chelsea, in Teen Mom 2, was on the phone
they hug and kiss in front of the babies. It has with some guy and they were yelling at each
to make life easier for the moms and be good for other and the baby was in its car seat in the
the baby, too. back seat. They were driving somewhere—the
moms are always on their phones while they are
The members of one focus group concluded that driving, which I don’t think the network should
other than conception, the dads in the shows are show either. The camera was on the baby, and
“silent bystanders.” “The moms seem to make all you could hear Chelsea whining and yelling in
the decisions (even if they are going to have the the front seat, and the baby didn’t react at all. It
baby!)—and the guys are just around and silently just kept looking out the window. It was weird.
supportive.” Another of the teens suggested Like you would think the baby would be crying
that the dads and boyfriends appear immature or something. So that is when I started to think
compared to the mothers “who may have been that the series had changed and was kind of
forced to grow up because of the baby.” She went fake. The fight seemed put on.
on to say, “The fathers don’t take an active role the
way I would want a dad to be.” There appeared to be an understanding that stress
in the lives and relationships of the young mothers
We have yet to see how the babies on Teen Mom couldn’t be good for them and that it was especially
fare, and who knows if it’s effective to warn teens harmful to their babies. And if they were going to
that babies born to them at a young age are more have conflict (which “all of them do”), “at least it
likely to experience prenatal and postnatal medical shouldn’t take place in front of the kids.” Participants
issues, as well as behavioral, cognitive, social, and questioned how authentic the conflict could possibly
interpersonal developmental problems than are be when television cameras were rolling.
babies born to mothers older than 20.23 Who knows
if warning them that their babies may be less likely I didn’t want to be my friend Janet after she became
to read or write at grade level or be ready to enter pregnant because it would have killed my parents.
school, or that their babies are much more likely to At the time, I didn’t consider the challenges Janet
repeat a grade or drop out of high school and score might experience, physically and emotionally. I
lower on standardized tests will make any difference know she changed. When she finally resumed her
in deterring teen pregnancy.24 25 position on the sidewalk among her friends several
months later, the lilt in her step was gone and she
One young woman I spoke to said, “I don’t think had lost the sparkle in her eyes as well as the arm
the mothers on the show care that much about their of the khaki-clad suitor who had turned out to be
babies. The shows concentrate on the lives and the father of her baby.
relationships of the moms, but you don’t learn much
about the relationship they have with their babies Janet graduated from high school, an
or about taking care of the babies.” This produced accomplishment shared by only 38 percent of
thoughtful observations about the babies’ welfare women who give birth before age 18.26 While the
from handfuls of girls in each focus group. Several bulk of her classmates sashayed off to college, Janet
suggested that the babies were “only cute props.” secured a spot on the floor of a local factory, where
she assembled washing machine parts for the next 30
Others expressed concern about “all the fighting and years. Her mother and other relatives chipped in on
conflict—all the drama!” the care of the baby which, at the last minute, Janet
had “scandalously” decided to keep rather than put
They’re all such drama queens! I mean, this last up for adoption. The baby’s father was mysteriously
8 MTV’s “TEEN MOM” FRANCHISE How Do Young Eyes—and Much Older Eyes—Really See Teenage Parenthood?absent from their lives, as was his financial support, Not worrying about getting pregnant in the first
in a not dissimilar way to the patchwork of place—or not thinking about the care of the baby
childcare and the lack of financial backing common or the financial responsibility to do so—all remain
to young mothers today and the storylines captured a scratch-the-head, figure-this-one-out puzzle to me.
of our MTV teen moms. “It is a reality check—a harsh one—to find out what
it takes to make a go of it on your own,” explained
In real life, teen and unmarried fathers along with one of the single mothers of one of my at-risk
any financial support from them are regularly focus groups. “TV makes it look so much easier
absent, contrary to weekly episodes on MTV that than it is in real life.” However difficult grasping
depict dads popping in and out of their babies’ the morass of the 70-some government programs
lives or trying to make amends with the mother. available to a teen or a single mother might seem
One in four birth certificates of mothers who give to be, once someone has helped her through the
birth before age 25 show no age or name on the process, navigating it can be a snap.
birth certificate where the father’s name should
be.27 In 2009, fewer than half of custodial moms “A neighbor who also had had a baby showed me a
received all the child support payments due them website. I was surprised when a page popped up and
and nearly a third received nothing. In fact, fathers I could check off the benefits I wanted to apply for,”
are so often absent from the equation for teen said Jennifer, who had proudly signed a lease on her
parenthood that I didn’t realize I had shamefully first apartment and was awaiting news of a job.
neglected to include young men, teen fathers, and
young 20-something fathers in my research, until I checked off SNAP [Supplemental Nutritional
long after my focus groups had ended. Assistance Program], general assistance, and
applied for energy credits. I was already getting
A SNAP free medical after I got pregnant, and my baby
should be eligible for free medical until she
Interviews with young mothers led me to question turns 18. It took a while waiting in line with my
their apparent disconnect between sex (point A) Social Security card and other documents that
and having a baby (point B) and then caring for it proved my income—or lack of income—and
(point C). Given the opportunity, I asked Jennifer bank statements that showed I was pretty much
the question I’m sure her parents had asked: “What broke. I should have gotten child support from
were you thinking?” my baby’s dad, which I did for a while. But after
he stopped paying me because he lost his job, I
“Well, I wasn’t,” responded Jennifer, the 19-year-old qualified for more benefits, so it was easier to live
unwed mother of a newborn. “I didn’t think I would with a little less each month than to hassle with
get pregnant.” That seems to be the expectation of my boyfriend about what he owed me. I took
teens when they engage in sex, even when the bulk what I could get.
of them purport to knowing about birth control and
have practiced it at some point. “We’ve been hearing Another young mother agreed, “It is these extra
about birth control forever!” sassed one participant. programs that make things easier and that helps me
“You use it, or you don’t; it isn’t that big of a deal.” be resourceful.”
According to the National Campaign for the New “Teen Moms” May be
Prevention of Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy, most Twenty-Somethings
teenagers report that knowing about birth control
and choosing to use it are two different things. They While MTV claims points regarding to reductions
aren’t ignorant of the consequences, but in the heat in teen pregnancy, it loses points when it comes to
of the moment, sometimes they are indifferent.
Center of the American Experiment 9childbirth among women in their early twenties, an percent of the mothers who gave birth in their
age group for which rates of unplanned and non- twenties.32 These mothers are seven times more
marital childbirth have soared and which is a prime likely to be poor and remain poor than families
demographic of the MTV franchise. headed by married parents, which is tragic indeed
considering the growth in non-marital births over
The “new teen mom” may not be a teenager at all, the last five decades, from under 10 percent when my
but a young woman similar to the starlets MTV friend Janet had her baby in the ‘60s, to more than
spotlights or a young mother like our Jennifer, who 40 percent of all births today.33
lives alone with her baby in a cramped apartment,
borrowing from relatives and friends, applying for Reflections
government programs, cozying up to churches and
nonprofits, “scraping to get by.” She is almost always Reflecting over the months I’ve spent examining
unmarried.28 the Teen Mom franchise, I have learned a
tremendous amount about teen pregnancy and
Studies involving “teen” pregnancy often omit birth early motherhood. I am thankful for that.
records for post-high school aged women, 18—19 I struggle, though, to put my finger on exactly what
years of age. These women are more likely than I think about MTV’s role. MTV is not glamorizing
younger teens to have sex, become pregnant and teen pregnancy or motherhood—I am convinced of
give birth; they contribute 70 percent of all teen that. Yet MTV has certainly, I decided, normalized
births.29 Nor do all studies about “teen” pregnancy teen pregnancy and early motherhood.
take into account women in their early twenties
whose rate of unplanned childbirth is three or four Teens emulate people around them. They watch
times the rate of women in their teens.30 MTV the behaviors, decisions, and especially the
speaks to this audience as it chronicles the original struggles of older sisters and friends, and these
cast of Maci, Farrah, Amber and Catlyn and the examples influence their choices—even more so
quartet of mothers from ensuing seasons who are when those they watch are stylish, confident, and
now into their twenties and facing challenges to self- loved. Just as I studied Janet in the ’60s, teens today
sufficiency similar to those of other single mothers in observe their peers in real life and on screen. “My
their teens and twenties. sister had a baby, so I did, too,” explained Jennifer.
“It’s what I thought was normal for my age. Other
Are 18, 19, and 20-something-year-olds any more people around me had babies. I didn’t think there
prepared for the responsibilities of parenthood was anything wrong with it.”34 35
than younger teens? Both groups are more likely
to become pregnant more often in a lifetime, more “It doesn’t seem that unusual to have a baby,” added
likely to be single and poorly educated, less likely another young teen from my at-risk group, “and the
to have health care coverage for themselves and moms’ lives on television look like lots of the homes
their babies, less knowledgeable about caring for a of the people I know.” Each of the girls from my focus
child, and less likely to be supported by the “bio- groups composed of at-risk students could rattle off
dad.” Suffice it to say, the lives of single mothers the names of not just one or two friends or family
in their early twenties are more likely to resemble members who were pregnant or had a baby but a
the lives of teen moms—on or off camera—than to host of young individuals who were integral to their
resemble the adult married mothers they often long lives and whose arrangements they knew well. Some
to emulate.31 referred to schools in adjacent suburbs that had
opened wings for teen mothers who were allowed
At last count in 2010, federal welfare supports to bring their babies to school. On the other hand,
went to 1.6 million single mothers and their babies. teens from my upper-middle-class, college-bound
This included nearly all teen birth moms and sixty subgroups were hard-pressed, for the most part, to
10 MTV’s “TEEN MOM” FRANCHISE How Do Young Eyes—and Much Older Eyes—Really See Teenage Parenthood?come up with even a few names of classmates who’d had watched him on the path. His crew cut was long
gotten pregnant or had a baby. This observation gone, his khakis a bit bigger, and he no longer wore a
sobered me: It highlighted the socioeconomic lettermen’s sweater, but he was as handsome as ever.
difference between my focus groups, which I believe The two of them, arm in arm, reflected on a life well-
reflects a vast spread in attitudes, practices, and lived, thankful to have rediscovered each other in
opportunities, and is reflective of our nation at large. their 20s and to have reunited the family they had
started together as teens. Theirs is a storyline more
Regardless of individual differences, Teen Mom fitting for Hallmark than MTV.
updates are a daily requirement for enormous
numbers of fans who follow ever-expanding A few of the MTV stars have set course to secure
Facebook and Twitter accounts. What we’ve seen an education and similarly follow their dreams. My
on television could be just the tip of the iceberg. focus groups liked this. “I love seeing the mothers
Farrah has written a book. Maci has an online advice turn their lives around. I like that Chelsea is getting
column. And there are movie rumors. A tell-all book her education. I like seeing what they decide to do
(the unauthorized version), Teen Mom Confidential: outside of motherhood. It gives me hope.”
Secrets and Scandals From MTV’s Most Controversial
Shows, sold out even before it hit Amazon. “It made me sad though when Leah visited her friend
at college on one of the episodes,” lamented Jennifer.
Craft Happy Endings “It gave me a glimpse of college life—the freedom
and fun of it—and I realized that I am missing that,
Viewers are drawn into the Teen Mom franchise being a mom so young. No one encouraged me to
by sympathetic characters and a sequence of dream big. The show can help with that, to help us
provocative events. Week after week, season after dream bigger.”
season, viewers familiarize themselves with each
quartet of mothers who model what eventually Another young mother reflected on her changed life
seems normal and a natural expression of love and after having a baby: “Having a baby changed my
family. How MTV advertises upcoming episodes life, not just my teen years, but my whole life. I have
matters: Reacting to accusations that the network given up on a lot of expectations outside of caring for
glamorizes or sensationalizes, one MTV trailer now my baby and myself. That is the hardest part. I think
purports to “take viewers through the ‘unglamorous’ that young girls shouldn’t be afraid of success. I was,
struggles of life issues young mothers face.’’ Casting and I got pregnant. If I hadn’t been afraid to try
calls for Season 5 referred to Pregnant & 16 as MTV’s and be successful, I wouldn’t have gotten pregnant
“thought-provoking docu-series.” so young.”
If it is true that reality television is unscripted, In Closing
perhaps it is time that MTV writers interfere with
production and carefully craft storylines along I will miss the cast of mothers I know from MTV
themes that offer hope and encouragement and a and will continue to follow their lives, albeit less
blueprint for relationship success—and, yes, maybe a often and less critically. More so, I will miss the mish-
storyline or two that ends in matrimony and a future mash of teenagers who watched episodes with me
that rings “happily ever after.” Wedding bells do and enthusiastically offered their opinions. I think
sound for some of MTV’s teen moms. It is possible. of their kindness, generosity, goodwill, cooperation,
earnestness, respect and wide-eyed innocence. The
By the way, it was for Janet, too. Fit and looking not girls in the focus groups were open and thoughtful
at all close to her retirement age, she reemerged in in responses, and like the mothers on the set at
my hometown last summer at an all-school reunion. MTV, wanted to help others by cooperating on
When she introduced me to her husband, I blushed. I this project. I believe the teens learned important
Center of the American Experiment 11lessons through our discussions and from watching discussing a particularly poignant episode, “I really
the shows, so yes, I believe MTV succeeded in its can’t imagine how hard their lives must be as young,
overarching goal of educating viewers about the poor, and single mothers. But what makes me even
struggles and lives of teen mothers—while also, sadder is that most of them don’t have a clue how
paradoxically, normalizing those same struggles to good their lives could be if they just made a few
some degree. different choices.”
Drama may draw us weekly to MTV but what And that is so true. The choice (or un-choice)
works for the long haul in real life are characters teenagers make to become mothers or fathers largely
that teach us about ourselves and about each other. determines the well-being of the baby and each
Teens may not need a blueprint for figuring out family member. Collectively, their decisions have
sex or where it leads, but they do need a blueprint broad ripple effects that reach beyond the backyard
when it comes to positive parenting, building healthy and influence public and social policy. It is up to us,
relationships and making good life choices. as viewers, to figure out what we may have learned
from the MTV shows and how to apply it to our lives
“What makes me sad,” admitted one of my teens, and our children’s. n
as she sat back to reflect on our time together
1
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Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. Released April 2010.
3
Boonstra, H. “Teen Pregnancy: Trends and Lessons Learned,” Guttmacher Report on Public Policy, February 2002.
4
Viacom.com/ourbrands/mtv2 “Cultural Home of the Millennial Generation.”
5
Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, 2400 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA; 1330 G Street NW, Washington DC. www.kff.org
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Kermit, Daniel. “The Marriage Premium” in The New Economics of Human Behavior, editors Tommasi & Ierulli (Cambridge
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8
“The High Cost of High School Dropouts: What the nation pays for inadequate High Schools,” Washington, DC: Alliance for
Excellent Education, 2011.
9
Teenhelp.com: “Teen Pregnancy Statistics and Teen Pregnancy Facts from Family First Aid.”
10
“Counting It All Up - The Public Costs of Teen Childbearing: Key Data” (June, 2011). The National Campaign to Prevent
Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
11
Ibid.
12
Sidell, Ruth. Keeping Women & Children Last: America’s War on the Poor. New York Penguin Books, 1998.
13
National Campaign to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy, 2011.
14
“Pregnancy & Childbearing among U.S. Teens,” Planned Parenthood, December 2012.
15
Elshtain, Jean Bethke. “The Lost Children: Lost Fathers,” in the Politics of Fatherlessness in America (New York: St. Martin’s
Press, 1998).
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Vinovskis, Maris A. “An Epidemic of adolescent pregnancy? Some historical considerations” (1981) Journal of Family History,
205.
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Resnick, Michael D (1992). “Adolescent Pregnancy Options” Journal of School Health, 62 (17) 298-303.
18
Mecklenburg, Marjory. US House Select Committee on Population, 1978a:401-407.
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Smock, P. J., & Greenland, F. R. (2010). “Diversity in pathways to parenthood: Patterns, implications, and emerging research
directions,” Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), 576-593.
20
McLanahan, S., Garfinkel, I., Mincy, R., & Donahue, E. (2010). “Introducing the Issue” The Future of Children, 20(2), 3-16.
21
Graefe, D.R. & Lichter, D.T. (2002). “Marriage among unwed mothers: White, blacks and Hispanics compared,” Perspectives
on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 34(6), 286-174.
22
Graefe, Ibid.
23
Haveman, R.H., Wolfe, B., and Peterson, E. “Children of Early Childbearers as young adults,” in Kids Having Kids: Economic
Cost and Social Costs of Teen Pregnancy, R. Maynard Editor, The Urban Institute Press, Washington, DC, 1997.
24
O’Donnell, Martin & Carolyn Rogers, “Out of Wedlock Births: Premarital Pregnancies and Their Efects on Family Formation
& Dissolution,” Family Planning Perspectives 16, #4: 157-62. Table 5.
25
Hoffman, S. D., & Maynard, R. A. (Eds.), Kids having kids: Economic costs and social consequences of teen pregnancy (2nd ed.).
Washington, DC: Urban Institute Press, 2008.
26
Perper, K., Peterson, K., Manlove, J., “Diploma Attainment among Teen Mothers,” Child Trends Fact Sheet Pub #2010-01:
Washington, DC: Child Trends, 2010.
27
United States Census Department, “Custodial Mothers & Fathers and Their Child Support: 2009,” by Timothy S. Grall –
Census 2011; August 2012. Http//www.census.gov/prod/2011publs/p60-240. Pdf). National Women’s Law Center, June 26, 2012.
28
Hymowitz, Kay, Wilcox, Brad, & Kelleen, Kaye, “The New UnMarried Moms” Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2013.
29
Gallagher, Maggie. A Report to the Nation: The Age of Unwed Mothers: Is Teen Pregnancy the Problem? Institute for American
Values, New York, 1999.
30
Cherlin, Andrew. “Family Patterns of Moderately Educated Americans,” in Marcia Carlson & Paula England, ed., Social Class
and Changing Families in an Unequal America (Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 20110.
31
Gallalgher, Ibid.
32
Rector, R. “Marriage: America’s Greatest Weapon against Child Poverty,” Heritage Foundation Special Report No. 117,
September 2012.
33
Wildsmith, E., Berger, A., Manlove, J., Barry, M., and M. McCoy-Roth. Child Trends Data Snapshot: Non-marital births to
women under age 30,” February 2012.
34
Miller, Brent C. (2002) “Family Influence on Adolescent Sexual and Contraceptive Behavior,” Journal of Sex Research
(39)1:22-26.
35
East, PL, Felice ME, and Morgan, MC (1993). “Sisters & Girlfriends’ Sexual & Childbearing Behavior Effects on early
Adolescent Girls’ Sexual Outcomes, Journal of Marriage & Family (55):953-963.
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