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Topic : 07/06 Baby Wars

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Created on : Thursday, April 13, 2006, 01:22:17 pm
Author : DrPhilBoard1
(Original Air Date: 04/21/06) Being a parent is hard enough, but what happens when Mom and Dad can't agree on how many kids to have, how to raise 'em and how to get ‘em to sleep?  Sometimes, it can lead to an all-out baby war! Matt's baby battle ended up in front of a judge and made headlines. He was ordered to pay child support for the baby he had with his ex-girlfriend, but he says he shouldn't have to cough up the money because she told him she wasn't able to get pregnant, and he told her he didn't want to be a father. He, his attorney, and the director of the National Center for Men discuss the lawsuit they filed, known as “Roe v. Wade for Men,” arguing that men should have a constitutional right to avoid fatherhood. Next, Dan says even though he and his wife, Lisa, already have four children, he wants just one more. Lisa has been pregnant on and off for 11 years and says she's closed for baby business. Will Dr. Phil help Dan see Lisa's point that four is enough? Then, a frustrated husband is camping out on the roof of his house and living in a tent. He refuses to go back to his bedroom until his wife moves their kids out of their bed and starts paying more attention to him. Can Dr. Phil get him to come down the ladder? Plus, a sleep expert has a simple method for getting your child to sleep through the night. See the plan in action! Share advice and talk about the show here.

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April 21, 2006, 3:08 pm PDT

Preach on!

Quote From: frecia2

 OK...Young ladies (w/o HUSBANDS) watch out. If you decide to have unprotected sex w/boyfriends ,lovers and/or married men and get pregnant and the court approves this law, you better get a full time job, get a skill and be prepared to support your child on your own for the next 18 (sometimes more) years.
Maybe this will be a good thing. Young women will have to think twice before jumping into bed and  think about the consequences. Now they know that they can bring the baby's daddy to court for child suppose.
I totally agree with your statement.  You put into words exactly what I was thinking.  If these women think that by getting pregnant they are going to keep their man or are going to be taken care of for the rest of their days, they are sorely mistaken.  This girl lied to this boy and it obviously has not gotten her the reaction she wanted.  It pushed them apart instead of pulling them together.  Lies do that.  He made it clearly known that he didn't want a child and-- while incredibly stupid and naive on his part--he believed what she told him.  I believe that the immaturity level on her part speaks for itself.
 
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April 21, 2006, 3:08 pm PDT

his rights?!?!?!

Quote From: staley26

I am on Matt's side.  I think men should have their rights too.  Women fought for YEARS to get theirs, why leave men out?  If this women wanted to have the baby, then she should take responsibility on her own.  She obviously knew that Matt did not want any kids, especially after reassuring him that there was absolutely no way she could get pregnant.  I hope Matt wins this and doesn't have to pay anything. 
As far as I see it he does......sign over his parental rights to her.
 
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April 21, 2006, 3:08 pm PDT

04/21 Baby Wars

Quote From: cnicho6925

I chose not to be a father, and protected myself accordingly.  This woman lied about her cycle, and asked me to not use a condom, assuring me that she was in her safe period.  After pregnancy, she admitted to me that she lied about her menstrual cycle in order to get pregnant . She admitted that she knew she was ovulating, even though she told me initially that she was sure she wasn't. She told me she wanted to  draw me "closer to her"  She has aked for my forgiveness.  When I refused, she took legal action to force me to be a father.  How can she deceive me into getting pregnant and still have the law on her side.  

My husband is going through the same thing. The problem is that are truly dead beat fathers out there so when one steps up and says hey, look at me, this is why it happened they too are classified as the dead beat dead. In these cases, yours, my husbands I truly believe the whole picture should be looked at, not just the picture of the woman. For example, this woman my husband had a brief relationship with prior to us meeting, never told him, we found out later she was stalking us both, she would sit and watch us at our home, once believing I was his sister, On Christmas morning she called to wish him a Merry Christmas, excited that my husband proposed to me the night before when she said Hi, is this Johns sister, when I said no this is his fiance, less than a month later we were served with a paternity affadavit. When we confronted her she also stated she did it on purpose and as sick as she is she stated she was going to "surprise " him with a baby on Christmas some 4 months after the childs birth ! It was when she found out he was engaged she flipped and saught revenge, leaving us to pay the debt but refuses to acknowledge the child in any shape or form with my husband. She claims to be "healer" does not believe in working, only believes in holistics etc. She gets money from the government and a check from my husband to support her craziness, how is this fair ! I feel sorry for her next victim !
 
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April 21, 2006, 3:08 pm PDT

Comment on Adolescent Sexuality

I am working on a Masters degree and have begun work on my Thesis which will examine adolescent sexuality; therefore, I was interested in the first story on the show today. It seems to me that at the heart of this problem is the communication that occured between the partners prior to engaging in sexual intercourse. I believe that many adolescents do not have the information they need to make healthy decisions about sexuality within their relationships. It seems to me that if Matt and his partner had medically accurate information, such as whether she could truly get pregnant, that this situation could have been avoided. Further, it appears that they also did not have accurate information on the importance of preventive measures, as the condom was not used throughout their sexual experience. in addition, Matt's claim that the mother of the child is forcing him to be "financially, mentally and physically" involved by asking him to pay child support is unfounded. Simply paying child support merely constitutes financial involvement, not mental or physical involvement. This is not to say that all fathers who pay child support are not mentally or physically involved in the care for their children, but if the extent of the involvement is strictly payment of child support, then this is indeed the case. Essentially, Matt and his partner did not have the information that is required to make a healthy decision of whether to engage in sexual intercourse. Importantly, as noted by Dr. Phil on today's show, neither partner was able to make a decision about parenting until the child was born. Thinking how one might feel and behave about a situation is very different than how one acutally feels and behaves when presented with the situation. It seems to me that each partner is equally responsible for the outcome of this situation, but neither is to blame.
 
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April 21, 2006, 3:08 pm PDT

Wrong

Quote From: julie1418

If your husband adopted a baby without your knowledge....it is something he would do HIMSELF without ANY action on your part. I don't agree with lying about birth control, but BOTH people have to engage in sex (and he didn't  wear protection!) to create a biological child.
Sorry, you've found another choice she has but he doesn't. SHE can choose to go to a sperm bank if she wants a biological child. The only reason not to is so she can exploit the child support laws and hook into his income.
 
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April 21, 2006, 3:08 pm PDT

04/21 Baby Wars

Quote From: cnicho6925

I chose not to be a father, and protected myself accordingly.  This woman lied about her cycle, and asked me to not use a condom, assuring me that she was in her safe period.  After pregnancy, she admitted to me that she lied about her menstrual cycle in order to get pregnant . She admitted that she knew she was ovulating, even though she told me initially that she was sure she wasn't. She told me she wanted to  draw me "closer to her"  She has aked for my forgiveness.  When I refused, she took legal action to force me to be a father.  How can she deceive me into getting pregnant and still have the law on her side.  

 Men have no willpower.  I am sure you are a swell guy and all and I don't mean any disrespect, but you could have insisted on wearing the condom or not have sex.  This is what Matt should have done.  You are right, she should not have lied.  She was VERY wrong for lying to you about her cycle.  It is sad that a child got caught up in this.  Men have GOT to protect themselves if they don't want to be a father.  It is so simple.   Yes, condoms are only like 90% effective.  Then use a little spermacide with it, or put on two condoms.  Have her wear a female condom or use a sponge in addition to your condom.  Use a sponge, a female condom, a male condom AND the withdrawl method.  Oh there are so many ways to prevent pregnancy.  Oh, I KNOW.......Don't have sex!  Don't trust people you are dating to take their pills exactly as prescribed, don't trust your boyfriend to pull out in time.  It is all about protecting yourself until you are married and ready.  It is really quite simple.
 
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April 21, 2006, 3:08 pm PDT

Matt is WRONG

There is only ONE way to be absolutely sure you're not going to make a baby:  DON'T HAVE SEX!    I can understand not wanting to be a father at his age.  However, he had complete control of NOT allowing that to happen:  he should have kept it in his pants.  If you're gonna dance, you might have to pay the fiddler.  All this proposed law would do, would be to allow a bunch of deadbeats to claim that THEY never wanted to be fathers, and therefore have no need to financially support their offspring.   I'm all for equal rights, but it's not like this kid was robbed of his sperm in his sleep and is now being forced to care for his child.  Good grief. Another prime example of playing the victim in America.
 
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April 21, 2006, 3:08 pm PDT

He should never have the priveledge of being a parent

Who is this looser - he wants to have his cake and eat it too.   

What he is saying is the equivalent of someone being in a car accident - saying " oh but I was assured the car was safe and I'm not responsible for the accident as I had no intention of being in an accident today" - Give me a break!! 

If he doesn't want to be a father - cool - then keep your ______ in your pants and you will be guaranteed 100% you will not have a child. 

This man doesn't deserve to be a parent and when he finally decides or "gives consent" to becoming a father - I hope he never ever is given the honor of being a father - because it is a gift! and with his attitude he should not be given that honor. 

That child is better without him!! 

And that jerk from that men's association - there is a reason he too is not a father!! 

 
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April 21, 2006, 3:08 pm PDT

04/21 Baby Wars

Quote From: frecia2

 OK...Young ladies (w/o HUSBANDS) watch out. If you decide to have unprotected sex w/boyfriends ,lovers and/or married men and get pregnant and the court approves this law, you better get a full time job, get a skill and be prepared to support your child on your own for the next 18 (sometimes more) years.
Maybe this will be a good thing. Young women will have to think twice before jumping into bed and  think about the consequences. Now they know that they can bring the baby's daddy to court for child suppose.

If this becomes a law, there will be dead beats everywhere (as if that isn't a big enough problem now). They'll all be lining up to claim they were lied to: "Don't want to pay child support? That's okay, just tell them she tricked you into it."  

  

What's this world coming to when the older generation wants to abandon the younger, innocent generation? We're supposed to be their teachers. What are we teaching them? To be selfish, selfcentered and deny, deny, deny at all costs, even morality. 

  

For the record, I have a wonderful, RESPONSIBLE husband, whom takes very good care of our three children. On the other hand, I'm the daughter of a deadbeat dad. I just found out he died last year, after not talking to him for 15 years or so.  I wonder if before he died he felt good about his decision to leave my care to others..... Just food for thought. 

 
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April 21, 2006, 3:09 pm PDT

Roe vs. Wade

When I watched you show and seen this man Matt, trying to justify his action for getting this young girl pregnant and thinks he can get out of it, I could not believe what I was hearing.  I think this young man needs to step up to the plate and take responsibility.  If he wants to play he should want to pay." and more than that be a father to this Innocent child. I think this is opening, a possible door for men as a way to cope out to there obligations as a father, and child support, when more so they should be be a man and trying to have both parents in the home for this child.  I hope when and if this goes to court for this young man Matt, they will not let him out of his fatherly duties. As far as the mother of this child, telling Matt, that she was on birth control, well nothing in this life is 100% sure just as anything else when it come to contraceptives, I am a mother of 4 children and I can tell you even I got pregnant on birth control. I think the approach you Dr. Phil, took with Matt and his Attorneys was right on and I couldn't agree with you more. As far as all this goes with Matt and the Mother of his Child, and I do hope that he opens his eyes, and realized that children are a blessing from God, while many people cant even have them and soon does the right thing when it comes to this whole situation.  

 
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