Tuesday, June 10, 2014

16 & Pregnant: Lack of Parental Support

The big question social media seems to be asking is whether Jordan made the right decision to move to Texas with Derek, but I think what people should be discussing is her decision to shut out all communication from her parents. They aren't seen or interviewed in the episode, so we don't know their side of the story, but judging by the few things Jordan's aunt and grandmother say, it really appears that Jordan might be acting stubbornly toward making amends with her family. If they allowed Derek to live there, and let him stay after her impregnated their daughter, then maybe there was a more significant breaking point than "Derek lost his job." Personally, I wonder if what got to them was that he wasn't actively seeking a new one, which seems to be a problem throughout. Anyway, onward to Savon... I find it interesting that she references her aunt taking her in after she got pregnant, but there's no mention of her parents otherwise in the episode... while they could be the type to just turn their backs on Savon, it was interesting that Savon didn't even have a statement or anything about it in the episode. Or maybe it's not that her aunt took her in because they turned her away, but maybe they died and she doesn't want to talk about it? Either way, the two episodes together certainly made for an interesting angle a little different from what we've been seeing lately on this show.

16 & Pregnant "Jordan" (S05E09): Jordan is a recent high school grad from Baltimore who had intentions of joining the army. She met boyfriend Derek on Twitter a year ago, and he seems to be a year or so older than her. [I guess that screams 2010s if nothing else does!] He moved in when he needed somewhere to live while going to college (on a scholarship), but when Jordan got pregnant (he's not a fan of condoms), he dropped out of school to get a job. However, it was seasonal, and when he became unemployed, her parents kicked him out, and she went with him. 
mtv.com
January, 33 weeks: They've been couch-surfing and living out of a minivan for three weeks now. She turns to her aunt and grandmother, but there's no room for them.

34 weeks: Derek reaches out to his dad in Texas, who welcomes them, but they can't go there and keep her parents' health insurance. [see, if they really did want to cut her off, and she's 18, couldn't they?] He does offer them a friend's place, and they move in there, putting twin mattresses together on the floor. [the dog going on the floor seriously grossed me out.] Jordan's friend, Sugar, plans a baby shower, and Jordan is repeatedly asked why Derek isn't working. [that must have been rough on Sugar, as she decided to abort a baby conceived around the same time as Jordan's.] Jordan suggests Derek get a job so they'll eventually be able to move out of Tracy's place.

37 weeks: The car won't start, and jumping the battery doesn't work, so they have to walk the mile back to Tracy's before they lose daylight.

38 weeks: The car gets impounded, so the couple must now rely on Tracy for rides. They have the baby shower. Tracy gives Derek money for a haircut, because she won't be a job reference for him unless he looks neater. [ha!] Jordan's amniotic fluid begins leaking, so she goes to the hospital (courtesy of Tracy) and is induced. [lucky Tracy was available...] Nine hours later, she pushes, and Genevieve Shae is born March 7th, 7 lbs, 5 oz.

3 days old: they head home from the hospital.

1 week old: They have a tough time keeping the baby quiet, bothering the other residents of the house. When it turns out that Tracy's landlord is going to sell the house, and they only have 30 days to find a new space, the couple again turns to Derek's dad, who buys them plane tickets to Texas so they can live with him. [it appears Derek's dad was about 20 when Derek was born, and he really didn't want a similar lifestyle for his son.] 

16 & Pregnant "Savon" (S05E10): A junior in high school, Savon lives in Marietta, GA, with her aunt and two cousins. [seemingly after her parents turned her away when she got pregnant.] She hooked up with a guy named Eli, who has multiple kids and doesn't care about any of them, and gets pregnant. Eli suggests an abortion. Then, she meets a guy named Mauwi while playing basketball, and they become a couple. He stays with her regardless of the baby, but is only around on weekends anyway, as he goes to college out of town. 

January, 7 months: She has her last day of school before she switches to online classes. Her aunt says she won't make purchases for or transport the baby.

35 weeks: She fills out some job applications and tries to conceal her pregnancy. Her aunt doesn't think her relationship with Mauwi will last six months. [why is there no push to get Eli to cough up some money?]

36 weeks: Her aunt loans her some money to pick out stuff for a baby shower. [that was pretty awkward. so the girl is throwing her own shower but can't even use the colors she likes? if the aunt was throwing it, why was the party supply money a loan?]

37 weeks: She's behind in her assignments, and hangs out with Mauwi instead of catching up. Their lack of intimacy starts to catch up with the relationship, and Savon tells Mauwi that she doesn't want sex again because of the consequences. Her aunt then questions why they're not intimate. [I didn't know how to take the question, "then why have a boyfriend?" significant others are handy for so many things...]

38 weeks: There's an ice storm, and when Savon starts cramping with her aunt out of town, she takes an ambulance to the hospital. [yikes!] She's 6cm dilated after 5 hours, and an hour later she's pushing, though that lasts a couple of hours.

Eden Lavon is born February 13th at 7 lbs. 5 oz. Savon texts Eli half an hour after Eden is born, to no response. [a male Eden is interesting.]

2 days old: They head home, and she texts Mauwi an update. 

1 week old: Mauwi comes over and when Savon claims she can't balance a boyfriend and a baby, that's the end of that.

3 weeks old: Her friend agrees to babysit a few nights a week so Savon is able to work, though she just falls more behind in school. [is she working at a pizza place?]

4 weeks old: She misses Mauwi, but they hang out. She hits an open mic night and thinks about being a music teacher in the future. [interesting way to end the episode... didn't see that coming!]
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