Family Friday
My jaw dropped when I saw that Levi Johnston, the father of Bristol Palin's baby Tripp, called a press conference yesterday to explore the motivations of his son's grandmother in stepping down as governor of Alaska.
No, I wasn't shocked that Johnston claimed Sarah Palin is quitting to cash in on speaking and book deals. I simply couldn't believe that someone in this 19-year old young man's entourage didn't stop him from trashing his child's grandmother to the national media.
Not that it's the first time. In an April interview on the CBS Early Show, Johnston said the Palin family lied about him living in their home and his sister Mercede called the family snobby.
Levi Johnston is a great example of how not to behave as a new parent. Rule number one: don't alienate the people naturally inclined to love and care for your baby -- you'll probably need their help down the road.
Friction between new parents and their baby's grandparents is almost inevitable. (Although it more often revolves around feeding and sleeping schedules, or the relationship of a mother-in-law to the new nuclear family.)
When my first baby was born, I admit I bristled more than once at an implication from the older generation that I wasn't making the right parenting choices. By now, I am comfortable that both sets of grandparents trust my instincts, respect boundaries and most of all, believe I'm a good mom. So when we have different views on something, it's easier to agree to disagree without anyone getting offended.
I can't imagine what those relationships would be like right now if I had complained to the national media about comments or attitudes I perceived during those stressful, early months with a newborn.
And I find it hard to believe that Tripp Palin is well-served by his dad and grandmother feuding so publicly. Maybe Levi Johnston thinks the publicity will be good for his career -- he is reportedly seeking a book deal of his own, or perhaps acting or modeling work. But this baby already must contend with being born to unmarried, teen parents, which statistically doesn't bode well for outcomes of child well-being.
Whenever something involves spokeswomen and press conferences at an attorney's office, you don't anticipate happy family Thanksgiving dinners in years to come. For the baby's sake, I hope the two camps stop trading barbed public comments and focus on building a stable home for this boy.
Photo by auburncx via Flickr
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