I think most of us are pretty used to watching Teen Mom 2 for hints on what NOT to do with our kids. So it was nice for the season premiere of the MTV reality show to give us something we can run with for a change. Parents of teenagers who are in the dating game, listen up.
Chelsea Houska may have saddled herself with one of the sleaziest jerks of all time when she got pregnant with Adam Lind's baby. But as the first episode of the season proved, parents who tell their kids to drop the deadbeat boyfriend can make all the difference.
The two officially split last season, when Lind told Chelsea straight to her face that he'd cheated on her at least five times (just five?). But this is the girl who allowed her boyfriend to move back in with her after he sent her text messages calling her a fat "b--ch" and asking to sign papers to get rid of that "mistake" in reference to daughter Aubree. She's not exactly one of those strong "who needs him anyway" kind of girls.
But I think it's pretty safe to say she surprised us all by starting off the season solo, and for actually spurning Adam's advances -- at least for now -- in the first episode. The message here, Mom and Dad? Forget what conventional wisdom tells us about how badmouthing your kid's date will just send them running into their arms! You're better off talking until you're blue in the face. We are still the parents, aren't we? Is it really wise to let "conventional wisdom" trump our own gut feelings when our kids are dating their way down a disastrous path?
Chelsea admitted last night that everyone -- including mom Mary and dad Randy -- have told her to stay away from Adam. And then she used the words that really knocked me over: she admitted they might be right. She was thinking so hard you could practically smell the smoke, but darn if that isn't improvement over her standard "OMG, Adaaaaaaaaam."
It doesn't hurt to get your other kids and their friends on board (surprise, surprise, Chelsea's sister and friends are backing up her parents about Adam's loser ways) if you can. If a kid hears the same thing over and over and over again, sooner or later, she's (or he's) going to have to realize people aren't just "saying it to be mean." At the very least, you'll know that you did everything you could for your kid. I'd rather know that than feel helpless.
Are you honest with your kids about their dates and how you feel?
Image via MTV