The Bieber Baby Saga

Justin Bieber is not one of my12 year-old daughter’s favorite music stars but he is for many of the girls at her school. Even though his music is not ‘up there’ on her list, she is more a Hendrix, The Who type of girl, She still is amazed by how he can have most of the girls in a swoon.
Yesterday morning, as she prepared for school, she could not help watching Good Morning America story, from our breakfast table, about his alleged ‘baby’ problems. We both felt it was a good idea for him to take a DNA test. My daughter wondered what would happen if it were true? Would Selena Gomez, his girlfriend, stick by him? What would his young fans do? What about his mother and his grandparents? How would they handle the whole thing if it were true?
It was interesting to watch her as she took in the news story about this young man. She was not at all conflicted about what he should do. We have had the conversation numerous times about role models and the importance of having them in your life. However, we have also talked about having an inner strength that does not always need support from outside of one’s self.
The young woman who accuses him of being the father apparently is in a little bit of hot water herself for coming forward. She was 20 when she had a sexual tryst with the star who was only 16 at the time. Now she might be in a bit of trouble even if the baby is his.
In this age of fast moving news and media it is hard not to have conversations that arise from these situations with your ‘Tween’. However, I find that it is better for my daughter to feel free to share her feelings about these snafus openly because it helps me to be a better parent by helping her to process her feelings in a healthy way: it allows her to have a safe space to talk and share honestly.
My daughter told me he should take responsibility if the baby is his. She has a better opinion about him now he is stepping up to take the DNA test. His music is another issue though. She has no intention of adding him to her like list as far as that goes.

(wriitten before JB took DNA test)