Comments on: Keisha Castle-Hughes Finds Young Motherhood a Blessing

By: TARRYN

TARRYN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:09:05 +0000

She does sound mature, however-how do we know that she is a good mother? We haven’t seen Felicity, we don’t know if she’s well behaved, loved etc…
I don’t know if I buy the gab, the proof is in the pudding.

By: nadine7777

nadine7777 — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:51:40 +0000

I’ve always liked Keisha because she reminds me of one of my best friends:) That said, I would be terrified of becoming a mother (married or unmarried) at my current age of 23. I’m definitely waiting at least 10 years! But I know that I’m a bit immature for my age and there are certainly younger people than myself who can handle parenthood.

By: nita

nita — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:38:24 +0000

i dont believe Keisha being maori has anything to do with why she got pregnant so young. teenage pregnancies happen all over the world, to all different races, and she just happens to be maori. the legal age here in new zealand is 16 – not 18 like in the states, so saying that this article should not be posted because she is under 18 is unfair on Keisha because she did nothing wrong. she is a wonderful mum, and she was always very mature and intelligent for her age. how else do you think she got nominated for an oscar so young! everyone’s journey in life is different, and i think Keisha deserves alot of respect for not only being a hands on and loving mum, but also for being so open and honest about her experiences at being a teenage mother. others could learn a great deal from her being a teenage mother might not be an ideal situation for most people, but Keisha has definately turned her situation into a very positive one.
and also, just because Keisha has been in a couple of movies, it does not make her rich. small movies like Whale Rider that are made in NZ are made on small budgets. we are not hollywood

lots of aroha to Keisha and her whanau xoxo

By: Ashlee

Ashlee — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:45:48 +0000

I agree that it is hard to be a parent in your teens. I do not believe that age has anything to do with how well you parent. I became a parent at the age of 17, my husband was 20. I graduated early because I was an overachiever and had enough credits. I didn’t want to become a mother at 17 and I took precautions (birth control pill religiously) to prevent that. Things happen and you have to grow up and deal with them. I had been with my boyfriend since middle school and he did an amazing job of stepping up to the plate. I am now 22 with a bachelor’s degree and I have an amazing job. My husband who did not go to college is a manager and makes more money than I do with a degree. We own our own home and both have brand new cars. We now have 2 children and our 2nd WAS planned. We both came from lower middle class family’s, but we still have done well for ourselves. Starting out it was hard and I did miss a lot, but I had amazing friends before and they are still my friends now. I didn’t go to my senior prom but I had been to a few before. I had to step down as captain of the dance team, but I didn’t lose any sleep over it. Young parents get a bad rap, but it’s well undeserved. I know a lot of parents in their thirties who should have had their tubes tied before ever conceiving in the first place, but we don’t catergorize every parent in their thirties to be bad parents. I am glad to see a story on a teen mom who is doin well for themselves with or without fame, it is very encouraging.

By: Kat II

Kat II — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:29:53 +0000

Adding onto the other Kat’s comment, Keisha lives in New Zealand which has a completely different set of cultural norms to the United States.
It seems like you are judging her by your own standards, rather than the standards of the society from which she comes.

By: Kat

Kat — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:02:06 +0000

We also have to remember that culture norms have a lot to do with when a person is ready to start a family.

The culture Keisha is from (Maori) often become mothers younger in life, I believe.

By: Tess

Tess — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:12:33 +0000

Lauren – great post. I completely agree.

By: Sarah M.

Sarah M. — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:56:06 +0000

I think how long a couple is together (whether it be dating, engaged or married) depends a lot on their parents’ relationship, how long they were together. Keisha’s own parents were together for around 9 years and had 3 kids together before they parted ways. Poppy Montgomery and Adam Kaufman have been dating for 4 years and have a 1 1/2 year old son, her mom told her not to marry Adam and to just live together. (Her parents were together for many years and had 5 children and didn’t get married until one of their kids said something.) Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins have been dating for over 20 years and have 2 kids together. And there are still others. While I personally believe that marriage should happen before children, that’s not the best situation for all families. To each their own.

I also agree with others that said that just because she was 17 doesn’t mean she wasn’t ready for a baby. The majority of teenagers aren’t ready (physically, emotionally, etc.) for children, but Keisha is in the minority that was. I know several people in their mid-twenties and older who aren’t ready for children. Keisha does better at 19 with her daughter than some I know who are older would do with kids. It’s more about maturity than it is about age.

She seems very levelheaded and I’m glad that the life she has is working out for her! Her daughter is super cute, too!!

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:52:16 +0000

Jessica – thank you .

By: Lauren

Lauren — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:33:04 +0000

By no means do I support teen pregnancy or the glamorization of it in any way. Keisha is the exception to the rule and should be treated as such. That said, I would rather read about and see photos of her and her baby over Kourtney and her offspring any day. There is no question in my mind which mom is better qualified maturity-wise to parent a child, regardless of the age difference. It may not be the ideal situation, but at least Keisha makes teen moms proud. Kourtney is just an all-around embarassment.