July 28th 2010

Let's Get a Move On

This piece is cross-posted from the National Campaign's blog, Pregnant Pause.

If you thought the first episode of Teen Mom (Season 2) was dramatic, you're in for a handful of hysterics this week as three of the four moms make attempts at movin' out.

Although it's been an uphill battle, Maci continues to manage motherhood, work, and college. But just as she gets her hopes up about living like a normal teen, Maci's plans to move out of her parents' house with her son Bentley go south when her friends consider the reality of having a toddler for a roommate. One-year-olds are curious little people, so Maci's friends would have to watch their every move to make sure the house was baby-safe. That means no partying when he's down for a nap, no forgetting to turn off the hot hair straightener, and no leaving small things around the house that Bentley could potentially put in his mouth and choke on. Maci realizes that moving into a house would force some pretty unreasonable expectations onto her friends. Looks like she'll have to get used to bunking at mom and dad's for a while longer.

When Amber takes a job at a tanning salon to cover the bills and her relationship with Gary starts to flounder, Gary expresses his need to "take a break." But, Amber supposes that Gary just wants time to give it a shot with another girl he met at Wal-Mart. Classy. And get this--"the other woman" is a teen mom too! Using humor to mask her hurt feelings, Amber tells their daughter Leah in baby-speak that her "Daddy is a cheater!" When meeting with her cousin for advice, Amber worries that Leah would be better-off with a "normal family." Amber's right about one thing--The National Campaign reports that "Children who live apart from their fathers are five times more likely to be poor than children with both parents at home." Luckily Gary realizes that Amber is the one he wants to be with...for now. Does this pattern of fighting, breaking-up, and getting back together take a toll on baby Leah? And if babies can pick up on sarcasm, Gary and Amber should really tone down their belittling back-and-forths.

After the lack of privacy in Tyler's house forces Catelynn to move back in with her mother, a boy from Catelynn's past causes Tyler to question her commitment to their engagement. Catelynn and Tyler's tribulations begin when Catelynn comes clean about being with an old boyfriend three years ago. Confused and hurt by Catelynn's dishonesty, Tyler wants have a little talk with the old boyfriend himself to get the story straight--man to man, so to speak. Feeling lonely, Catelynn just wishes that her daughter Carly (for whom she and Tyler made an adoption plan) were there to love her in Tyler's absence. Little does Catelynn know, babies require unconditional love and support at all times, but they don't necessarily give it back in the way she's expecting.

Meanwhile, Farrah details the court-ordered ordeal to her friends and explains that her mom is being charged with domestic violence. Even though Farrah's mom wants to work things out, Farrah is set on leaving the nest, so she picks up more hours at work. She runs into a problem when one renter doesn't allow 18-year-olds to sign leases, but she eventually finds a suitable apartment without the age requirement. In an attempt to distance herself from her mother, Farrah packs her bags and hightails it out of her family's guest house to live in her own apartment with her daughter Sophia. But will she be able to care for baby Sophia all by herself?

I guess we'll have check back next week (Tuesday at 10pm EST) and see how these moms will make do in their struggles for independence.

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This post was written by Amanda Merkwae, an intern in the National Campaign's Entertainment Media and Audience Strategy department. Amanda is currently a senior at American University, majoring in Law and Society. She spends her free time tweeting and watching 30 Rock.