A Father at 13!

GTB · A Father at 13!

The news these days just shocks me to utter belief!!! I have put this on another forum that I am on and I think its opened a huge can of worms, for it and against it, Im in awe of how some people can say that this is ok!!! Whats your views?

Alfie Patten has just become a father aged just 13 - and he insists he will be a good dad.

Alfie, 13: 'I'll Be A Good Dad' Alfie's girlfriend Chantelle Steadman, 15, gave birth to Maisie Roxanne in Eastbourne Hospital, East Sussex, four days ago, reports The Sun.

The boy, who is just 4ft and looks young for his age, told the newspaper: "I thought it would be good to have a baby."

But he admitted he did not think about how he would afford it.

"I don't really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me £10," he said.

Alfie, who lives with his mother Nicola, 43, in Eastbourne, was 12 when Maisie was conceived.

The pair, who have the support of their parents, kept the pregnancy secret until Chantelle's mother Penny noticed her daughter's swollen stomach.

Alfie said: "When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react.

"I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it."

Alfie's father Dennis said his son wanted to be a devoted and responsible father, but did not fully appreciate what he had taken on by having a child.

He said Alfie had wanted to be the first to hold his child.

"He could have shrugged his shoulders and sat at home on his Playstation. But he has been at the hospital every day," he said.

Chantelle and Maisie have been released from hospital and are living with her family in a council house in Eastbourne.

Reacting to the birth of Maisie Roxanne, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, head of the Conservatives' Centre for Social Justice think tank, said he was outraged.

The case was a "tragic example" of Britain's social decline, Mr Duncan Smith said later.

"I don't know about these particular families but too many dysfunctional families in Britain today have children growing up where anything goes.

"It exemplifies the point we have been making about broken Britain," he added.

"It's not being accusatory, it's about pointing out the complete collapse in some parts of society of any sense of what's right and wrong.

"There is no opprobrium any more about behaviour and quite often children witness behaviour that's aggressive, violent, rude and sexual. It's as if no one is saying this is wrong."

Local lass

i dont agree in 13 year olds trying for kids but i think they were right not to involve the law.providing that they have support of both parents who can help them .a girl in my year at school had a child at thirteen she carryied on with school and her parents took care of the child .
its not the end of the world but its also not something that should be encouraged

kathy27

i dont agree with this at all

its a case of babies having babies!
who is going to support this babies?
who is going to teach it right from wrong?
who is going to pay for its needs?

The kids that have had this baby are way to young to know what they want out of life, yeah its fun at the minute playing mummies and daddies, but that will soon ware off.

when you have a baby at a young age, you give up on your life as a teenager and do whats right for your baby(or your meant to).....trust me i know this because i had my first at 17, i didnt go out to the pub or hang around with my friends or do the things that alot of my friends were doing because i was looking after my son.

its all very well saying the parents will help but they have a life as well.
i have grandchildren and i love them very much, i love having them to come and stay for the night, but not every night!

I dont think the girl should get any benefits, her mother will still be getting child benefit for her so she should be made to use that the same goes for the boys mother.

i would feel so ashamed if that was one of my kids, id be thinking where the helldid i go wrong and there would be no way id go to the papers to advertise the fact!

Block67

Personally, I think its disgusting. Obviously these kids haven't been brought up right!

Local lass

Local lass

i know some one from calne who was pregnant at 13 by her 16 year old boyfriend.the parents mother got the law involved.what did it acieve?
insted of two familys coming together to sort out the best solution for the kids to get on and do whats best.it ended in two family at each others throats .a girl who at the time needed support wasnt alowed to see the boy.
i do not condone kids having kids far from it and every step should be taken to stop it happening .but when it does happen surley the best thing to do is work all togethjer to support those involved.?

Peter Dolman

This is a sad reflection on modern life, its not that these situations were unknown in days past but the publicity which these "children" are getting is over the top. I wonder who set up the interview with the Sun and how much money changed hands?

The parents should be held responsible, I understand that the girls mother allowed them to "sleep" together and surely any 12 year olds parent would want to know where they were!

Its no wonder we are the teenage capital of Europe!

kathy27

On the news today, there are at least 3 other boys that have come forward and may be the father to this poor baby.

really does make you wonder what sort of parents this girl has had to make her turn into such a s****er.
after hearing this i think the baby sould be taken into care, for its own sake.

Local lass

rosco

Looking at it one way, at least it is good that this is news and being talked about: that means that it is still seen as very unusual and shocking.

If it were so common-place that it never appeared in the National Press, that would be bad! Big Grin