Bringing up baby 

The recent headline-making debacles of our teen stars are troublesome.

Keisha Castle-Hughes, the youngest actress to receive a best actress Oscar nomination for Whale Rider became pregnant at 16, as did Beyoncé's little sister, Solange Knowles. The voice behind the theme music of Disney's The Proud Family and co-star of the family-friendly Johnson Family Vacation, Knowles married at 17 and was divorced by 20.

The latest teen-celeb bombshell is Jamie Lynn Spears, baby sister to Britney, pregnant at age 16. The star of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101 and a "devout Christian" is pregnant by her "long-time" boyfriend. (I'm wondering: What qualifies as long-time at age 16?)

Teen pregnancy is nothing new. Each year 750,000 teens between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant in the United States, although the rate of teen pregnancy has steadily declined over the last decade. Anxious and angry parents like Lynne Spears learn of teen pregnancies all of the time, weighing heavy decisions with life-long consequences. What is new is that these young stars, who are extremely successful and icons in the children's-programming industry, are becoming pregnant when they absolutely have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

Knowles and Spears gained fame on the coattails of the blockbuster success of their older sisters. You would think that they would ride it out and go as far as possible, particularly when they have a path laid out for them in the first place. Like many young people today, these young stars are making decisions because they won't have any real consequences or crosses to bear; growing up in a world that caters to them. It is amazing that with everything that's available to them at this young age -- like money, status and fame -- they choose the path traveled by many who feel as if they have nothing and falsely believe a child will remedy that.

Jamie Lynn Spears says that she did not tell anyone of her pregnancy for two weeks because she wanted to decide what to do without any pressure. Further, she has stated that she will raise the child in her hometown of Kentwood, La., so that the baby can have a "normal" upbringing. This child is so naïve that she does not realize that it is not where you're from, it is where you're at; and she's in a place in life where she is in no position to be a role model for anyone, much less a child.

Kentwood is not some magical place where folks turn out "good." Children turn out "normal" because of good parenting. Even when there is good parenting, there is no guarantee that your child will make good decisions. We all know families of two or more siblings with the same parents, environment and circumstances, where the children all turn out differently; the Spears family is clearly an example of the opposite, as evidenced by Britney (who has officially lost her mind) and now Jamie Lynn, who may have blown an opportunity of a lifetime.

Like her sister Britney, Jamie Lynn will have an army of nannies and servants to take care of that baby while she finishes growing up. Although Zoey 101 has been put on hold, there will be other opportunities for her to further develop her career.

I understand that the teen years are an awkward time for young people. They are in the midst of establishing their identities separate from and in relation to their parents, constantly choosing between what is right and what is wrong and navigating the social pitfalls of high school. Many teens perform wonderfully in school, behave well at home and make good choices when faced with unhealthy propositions like illegal drugs, pre-marital sex and unwarranted rebellious behavior. They sometimes make good decisions and sometimes make bad decisions, which is probably even more difficult when dealing with the entertainment industry. But, something has to give in these situations.

The old adage, "to whom much is given, much is required" comes to mind. When these teens make these decisions, there should be consequences. Should they be blacklisted? Absolutely not. But, there should be some repercussions put in place by those in charge. This might help other teen stars to make better decisions.

Lynne Spears claimed that she was shocked to learn of the pregnancy because Jamie Lynn is always "so conscientious and even makes it home before curfew." What? Perhaps the problem with Britney and Jamie Lynn is mommy, who often sounds like a child herself, making excuses for inexcusable behavior. Even Lynne had consequences for the actions of her children, having lost a major book deal from a Christian publisher on parenting.

Our teen stars are reflecting a culture that is raising spoiled children, who are allowed to do whatever without consequences. Yes, people make mistakes and should not be punished forever. But, what does it mean when kids who have everything choose to complicate their lives for no reason? As evidenced by these situations, we are not doing them any favors or being good role models by giving them everything and requiring little to nothing in return.