A month ago, I gave the most famous teenage mother in America, Bristol Palin, a break. She had done a PSA for Candie’s “Pause Before You Play” campaign, encouraging teens not to have sex, lest they become teen mothers and fathers as well. I thought the ad was done well, and although there was a whiff of “do what I say, not what I do” I liked that Bristol was pretty much admitting that her circumstances are totally different from the overwhelming majority of teen mothers. She stepped out again last night to support the Candie’s program, and she spoke to People Magazine about how much she works and supports herself financially:
Think teen-mom Bristol Palin has it easy as the daughter of a famous, wealthy politician? Think again.
“[My parents] are there for support when I need it emotionally, but I’m on my own financially. I work an 8-to-5 job, five days a week,” Palin, 19, who’s raising 16-month-old Tripp, tells PEOPLE. “My parents help out, but they’re not at my disposal. I think that’s a huge misconception.”
Bristol’s mother, Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and vice-presidential candidate, has earned millions since leaving office last July. But not a lot of that money is apparently going to buy diapers for Tripp.
“I’m doing it by myself,” Bristol says. “I live by myself, I’m working to provide for [my son]. It is difficult. Financially, it’s very difficult. I’d say the majority of any paycheck I ever receive is going to Tripp. Child care is very expensive, formula is expensive, diapers are expensive – and you don’t think about that as a kid, at all.”
The young mother was in New York on Wednesday for a Candie’s Foundation benefit – having recently filmed a PSA for teen-pregnancy prevention group.
What’s a typical day like for her and Tripp? “When I wake up from the few hours of sleep I do get, I’m getting him ready for the babysitter’s house, I’m off to work providing for him, working for him,” she says. “[Then] I’m coming home from work exhausted, I’m bathing him, feeding him dinner, playing with him, trying to get him to bed. It’s just repetitive work constantly.”
Still, she’s not giving up on her dream to continue her education. “I’m trying to chip away as much as I can on college, but this semester it was nearly impossible,” she says. “I want to beat that statistic of teen moms not graduating from college.”
[From People]
Eh. What is she doing financially? I know she gets some money from doing all of these events for Candie’s, but is that her job? For a second I thought she was talking about being a mom as her job, but she’s clearly talking about something else. And while I think Bristol’s goals are great – going to college would be a wonderful experience for her – I am absolutely flabbergasted that former governor Palin (with her new multi-million dollar career) isn’t helping her oldest daughter financially, especially with her education. Or do you think Sarah Palin is helping her, and Bristol is lying? I don’t know. This interview has left me mystified.
UPDATE: CB wanted me to point out that Bristol’s baby-daddy Levi is paying her $1,750 every month, according to TMZ, and that he paid off a $21 K back-support payment to her a few months ago. While I’m sure that’s not enough for Bristol and Levi to live on by themselves, it’s weird that she doesn’t mention it.
Header: Bristol at “The Harsh Truth: Teen Moms Tell All” panel in NYC on May 5, 2010. Credit: WENN.
Man, her mother’s a freaking millionaire and won’t help out her daughter so she can attend college? Now I despise Sarah Palin even more, you betcha!
she lives at home in her parent’s house. how are they not helping financially? she can bugger off. we all know this is rubbish. there is no way palin isnt giving money to her eldest to raise a child, and the time todd spends babysitting and the roof over her head courtesy of mom and dad is definitely financial help. do you think she brought her baby to this PR event? no. was probably left at home with her dad or with another sibling.
I totally believe that Sarah Palin would expect Bristol to take the responsibility on herself. I’m sure her parents are keeping a close eye on things, but they strike me as tough love parents and I think that’s probably not a bad way to be.
She talks about diapers and daycare, but not rent. Wonder if Sarah is footing the bill for rent and making her do the rest.
Yeah right, how many people are looking for a 19 year old publicist with no education other than a high school diploma and no training.
She is probably like a lot of kids her age , they all say they are independant because they have a job but their parents are still paying for their bills.
I don’t feel bad for her at all , a lot of teens mother have it worse , with real jobs and no help or praise from the media.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight! Ya-OK.
Work where?!? That’s ALL I’m asking…where does she “work”…
@bros: And what exactly is wrong with one’s family helping out once in awhile? It takes a village and all that–most people have family/friends help in one form or another: temporarily moving back in the parents, a little money once in awhile, free babysitting, etc. I’m in the military, and who do you think watches my kid when I’m gone? My mom. She’s watching him when I go on my honeymoon next week, too. Does that make me a bad parent? My mom is my daycare provider, too. I’d rather have my son with my family than a neighbor down the street or some daycare. Oh, and I lived at home until I was 25–but I had 3 jobs and I paid rent, my share of the bills, etc. So again I don’t see anything wrong with that, either. So, just because Bristol may live at home (which she says she doesn’t), she may not be the coddled brat that you seem so quick to think she is. Just saying…
What a complete crock of sh*t! This reminds me of all of the really rich kids I went to highschool with who lived in ridiculous mansions, exclusively wore designer clothes, and drove around in their parents luxury cars, yet because they had a part time job at the grocery store (if that) claimed that they were financially independent of thier folks’ money. Give me a freaking break here Bristol.
Sure, it’s great you have a job to support your own kid as best you can (you ARE the one who got yourself into that situation afterall), but there is a big differenece between knowing that if you lost your job you’d still be very well off, and literally living paycheck to paycheck. Let’s keep it real for once girl.
I don’t have a problem with those living with their parents, especially in this economy, but if you live with them, and are not financially contributing to mortgage or rent/utilities, that’s still a form of support.
I do not even want to read it all, just, why do we even know this?? Why is she talking to People and why does she think we care? Are these pathetic soundbites she gives part of how she supports herself? Eghck. Get a life girl.
Watched her onthe View, she said she has a job. She splits her rent with a roomate. I can totally she Sarah as a “you’ve made your bed…” kind of parent. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t love her kids. I also think Bristol probably feels the need to show she can handle it, after all she was raised by her parents. Not really surprised I guess.
She is full of excrement and sending a horrible message to young girls out there who will believe her crap.
Let’s see…
she started a public elations firm and her first client is her millionaire mother. And lets not forget all the paid appearances and People and OK covers. I’d be independent too if i cleared over 6 figures last year!
DID ANYONE READ THE STORY? IT CLEARLY SAYS SHE LIVES BY HERSELF- NOT WITH HER PARENTS!
I think it is good for her that she is working, etc., but I think it is a bit disingenuous to say she gets no help. She wouldn’t have that Candies’ gig if it weren’t for her mother’s fame. I suspect they help out with babysitting when she travels, etc. for that job. And who has an 8-5 job that lets you take off for media junkets??
If my girls ever found themselves in this situation, I would let them live at home so they could get some education!!!
I love it. Celebrities give their children everything and people complain they are spoiled. Bristol and having to learn on her own and people say it’s unfair? It’s her baby and her decisions that put her there.
Also, she sais she lives ALONE! It doesn’t say she lives with her parents.
If the last name is Palin, the tongue is forked.
Back in Jan 2010, “…Bristol Palin as the organizer of a new company called BSMP LLC. (BSMP is Palin’s initials: Bristol Sharon Marie Palin).
According to the paperwork, the company “intends to provide lobbying, public relations, and political consulting services.”
So I gather that is her ‘job’ her own PR and political consulting?? company, but I have to wonder how a 19 year old with no formal education could start this company, on her own, and get big clients like Candie’s Foundation (oddly one of her mothers biggest supporters) to hire her without significant financial support.
Bristol,
Your parents are most certainly helping you out financially (directly and indirectly) and frankly you should be thanking your parents every single day and giving them the credit they deserve; there is no way in h#ll you would have that job without your mother and come next Sunday you better be bringing her breakfast in bed.
Oh PLEASE. I’m surprised her nose didn’t grow a foot saying all that.
She lives at home, her parents are multi-millionaires and she receives almost $2000 a month child support and it’s “hard” financially?
HAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!! Ok, little girl. Whatever you say. I’m not buying what you’re sellin’, though.
I think she should be paid for having to have Palin as her mother, she doesn’t stand a chance.
I’m sure she’s getting paid from all the appearances she’s made on tv, so she’s not exactly that broke and plus the child support that Levi’s giving her, I say she’s doing just fine.
LOL Snarf.
I actually think it’s a good thing if her parents aren’t helping her too much and forcing her to be responsible for herself and her son.
Uh oh, did I just sort of agree with Sarah Palin??? Shudder.
But seriously, having to be a bit self sufficient will help her in the long run. I’ve seen way too many coddled kids turn into helpless and irresponsible adults.
However, it would be nice if they said support yourself and your kids, and we’ll help with your education.
ETA: I take most of that back if her job is just some cushy thing set up by her mom.
I think her mom is letting her take responsibility for the choices she made. That is what parents are supposed to do. I see nothing wrong with offering only emotional support. That is why Bristol is down to earth, determined and ambitious, because she was allowed to learn from her mistakes.
If she really has an 8-5 job, then I think she’s behaving commendably. Sure, I’ll bet she gets help, but I do think it’s good her parents want her to work. And maybe I read this wrong, but isn’t she saying she lives on her own? I’ll have to go back and re-read…
i think its good that her parents arent supporting her with money. why facilitate the things when she was the one who made the mistake? she alone has to deal with it. i think thats what tough love is all about.
georgiagirl, exactly.
thank you. anyone who thinks this teen mother is in ANYTHING close to the situations other teen moms find themselves in has to be joking. this is the equivalent of jamie lynn spears being a teen mom.
Just because she’s not living under their roof doesn’t mean they’re not slipping her money. She’s probably getting Trigg’s hand-me-downs, too, and I’m sure it’s very nice stuff. Those count!
Seems like she can’t do anything without someone criticizing her and all because of who her mother is. Sure she’s not like most teen moms but most teen moms are also NOT under a microscope with the general public scrutinizing them.
If she admitted she got money from her parents people would be saying she should support herself and that she’s a mooch. She says she’s working and doing what she can and people STILL criticize saying she’s lying. Damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t. She can’t satisfy anyone.
What exactly should she be doing? I seriously want to know so I can be perfect too.
Look, details aside, I think the most important message there is that raising a kid is incredibly hard and incredibly expensive and you rarely think about that when you are young. I’m in my thirties with two kid, a good job and a helpful husband and I’m exhausted all the time! I can only imagine what it would be like to try to work, go to school, worry about bills (we don’t know the details, certainly for other teen moms out there, that’s an issue) and keep care of a kid who requires all of your attention. I’m not saying Bristal’s a star, I’m just saying that message is a good one for young people to hear.
if this is true, then my estimation of Sarah Palin has shot up (although I still wouldn’t want to be at the receiving end of her foreign policy) to the level I hold Joe Biden at – eejit, which is a huge leap up from potentially dangerous eejit.
Although I think her message in this is far more sensible (the daily grind) than previous soundbites, I really don’t see why we’re interested in what she does. She’s only famous for coming belonging to a famous family with no discernable skills to add to the world, so in the heel-of-the-hunt what’s the difference between her and the Hiltons when they were starting out, apart from being one baby up?
I really don’t see the point of this coverage in a society that supposed to be a meritocracy.
I think the overall message of the difficulties of parenthood and especially single parenthood is one that many people, especially teenagers need to hear.
But, I think that if that message is coming from someone who is in any way being disingenuous or misleading about her complete situation is unfortunate at best.
The fact that she doesn’t mention the child support or the publicist business that was setup for her by her parents and is most likely funded by their lucrative activities leaves me skeptical about the sincerity of her message or her intentions.
I think that her message of the difficulties of single-motherhood could be easily conveyed without the misrepresentation. Even if the majority of your major expenses are covered by your income from a cushy job (or by a parent directly), being a parent is extremely demanding and exhausting. But, when you try to paint the picture of ‘I’m struggling just like you’, it’s just patronizing. Especially if your reason for pushing the message is profit.
What a whiner. Complaining about how raising a child is work, work, work, day and night, no sleep. Hello! Welcome to reality! That’s what it’s like for all moms. Only we don’t complain about it (well, at least not publicly 🙂
okay, two things [before i read all the delicious comments i am sure most of you have left]:
1. i am glad she is stating the obvious hardships that single parents face [lack of sleep, rinse and repeat cycles of their days, etc.]… i may personally believe she is preaching a “do as i say, not as i do” but her voice is important as she and her family are huge public figures… girls need to hear that its not all fun and games and dress up
2. i do call BS on her family not helping her… i know plenty of single parents that get help from their family [families that dont rake in the millions her family does] but as a “pity me” story, she is smart to play things the way she has and by the same token is not giving off the idea that teens can get pregnant and their families will take care of them
she is incredibly disingenuous but there are worse young public figures out there [aka any of the hills/jersey shore/reality girls]
JustBe,
Amen. There are so many teen mothers that have no support be it direct or indirect. Bristol is very lucky and she should be thanking her parents and giving them the credit they deserve. They got her that job/company which is paying her well, and they have very busy lives and a baby at home yet they help with child care and have been totally supportive of their daughter being a teen mother, there are many parents who would have tossed her under a bus.
doesn’t she live with her parents? how is that independant?
Sounds just about as manufactured as any of Sarah Palin’s speeches. Major PR control there over the teen pregnancy thing. If Sarah Palin doesn’t help her daughter out financially given she charges $100,000 per speaking engagement on top of her other salary, she really is self-involved.
How do you know she lives with her parents? She claims to live alone. She never says that parents “won’t help her.” She says they don’t support her financially, which is a different thing altogether.
I think it’s good for her to experience reality a bit, even if her parents do have millions. Too many children ride the coat-tails of their parents and never learn that their actions can have consequences or they never learn responsibility. I’m NOT a fan of the Palins politically speaking, but Kudos on this aspect of their child-rearing.
Thank you Bristol for sending out a positive message for young girls. Whatever your politics are she’s doing a good thing.
she lives alone…where? in wasilla? so what kind of 9-5, 5 day a week job does she have where she is allowed to jet to NYC for parties? something about this story just doesn’t add up. in any case, why don’t the palins let her & the baby move in with them so she can go to college? seems like that would be the best thing for everyone. this family is whack.
Can’t believe I’m saying anything good about Palin, but I think it’s both nice if Sarah Palin helps with her bills, and good if she makes her pay the majority of them herself.
What is inexcuable is her “I’m a single mum doing all this for myself” shtick, with no mention of the father’s contributions.
You’re not doing it ALL by yourself, hon…
Dude, she’s totally being honest.
Just like she was being honest about being “abstinent”.
Yeah, I don’t believe her. She’s living with her parents, travels with them, and started her own “public relations” firm. She’s getting child support that’s far more than MOST women in the entire country get, and she’s the child of a multi-millionaire dingbat. The girl is lying. Period.
Boo hoo. She’s 19 years old, she’s an adult. Apparently, she felt she was adult enough to become a mother. Does she want some cheese with that whine?
And I believe her ex-boyfriend pays child support. $1,750/mo. is not chump change. It will at least pay for day care and baby incidentals. So whatever money SHE makes is going to herself. And apparently, that’s not enough for her. TS.
People with “real” jobs don’t have time to jet around, pose for pictures and do interviews. As others have pointed out, she also collects child support which means that technically she most certainly IS NOT “doing it all alone”. Maybe someday she’ll accomplish something and be worth listening to but right now she’s just another young single mom who got knocked up by some sleazeball and now thinks she’s been bestowed with some kind of maternal wisdom.
It’s obvious that BSMP, LLC was setup by the Palin family to funnel money for “PR” and “lobbying”. By the time Bristol fields a bunch of phone calls and emails for her and her mom, does lunch and meetings, plans her wardrobe for the next media appearance, etc, it probably does make for an 8-5 day.
As for living alone, her parent’s probably set her up in one they bought/rent for her, or the LLC pays for one as “office space”.
I think the reason many people do not take Bristol seriously is the large amount of hypocrisy that continually spews from the Palin camp – in this case it seems the apple did not fall far from the tree. If Bristol really wants to be a good example for other teenage mothers, she should go to a real college and learn about the real world, not just get her education from the insular, myopic world that is the Palin’s – and leave the worrying about everyone else’s “morals and politics” to her mom – as a single mom, doesn’t she have enough to worry about already?
I laughed out loud when reading this story. She sounds really stupid whining about how hard it is being a single teen mother while attending a redcarpet event surrounded by celebrities. I’m sure no matter how wealthy and famous you are being a single parent is hard but Bristol is acting like she’s in the same boat as 99% of teen parents. While Bristol is making tv and personal appearrances, commercials, etc most others in her situation are working at McDonalds.
Yeah …. almost 2,000 dollars a month in CS and she’s complaining. Yeah shit’s expensive but she doesnt have it that hard
Smells to high heaven.
When you leech off some poor sucker at the rate of $1,750 a month in addition to living with your parents, to suggest that you are struggling to make ends meet is a horrendous insult to the truly hard working single parents that have 3 jobs yet do not have a pot to piss in.
Shame on you Palin. You are either a manipulative liar or supremely stupid and blind individual.
Full of the brown sheeet!
If I had her CS, I could actually pay off some bills from when my last husband left me with half his debt! I don’t get anything near that for our son.
She lives in Alaska… I’m sure $2k in CS buys a hell of a lot every month. Maybe not a lot of [insert redneck drink of choice] at the high class clubs in NYC, but I’m sure she isn’t hurting for anything.
She seems to be doing quite well for a single mother in her teens! Sarah Palin is helping out her daughter if not financially in other ways. As the daughter of Sarah Palin I am sure she is able to access many opportunties many teen mothers would never have the chance at. I don’t blame Sarah, actually if I had her money and influence( politicial connections, etc) I would do the same for my child.
By not saying what her job is & claiming she does it all on her own, she seems to be skirting the issues, like her Mom & Kate G with the 8 kids.
My husband and I TOGETHER make just a few hundred more dollars than what she gets in child support. Wow.
We’re doing okay.
She is not telling the truth.
As people have said…welcome to reality and she thinks that’s hard? Some people have it HARDER. Lots of people are literally on their own, with no friends or family for help of any kind, not even emotional, just themselves. There is still rent to pay, electricity, car payment, insurance, gas, food, along with all the necessities for the kids. There is more than just formula and diapers. She can always get the store brand diapers and maybe she should get on financial aid for school if it’s that hard for her. If you get pg, that’s just the responsibility you have to take on, no question about it. She’ll be alright, she’s not that “alone” and I doubt her parents would leave her that dry. Palin, try having your electric cut off when you can’t afford to pay the whole thing, it sucks during summer time with kids and pawning off stuff to make ends meet.
…and if her mother wasn’t Sarah Palin, you’d be praising her for her independent spirit.
“When you leech off some poor sucker at the rate of $1,750 a month”
Um, that would be the willing sperm donor who has a responsibility to his child and has to pay the legal amount he is required to pay. I heard no whining, no complaining. Just some statements that it is hard and expensive to be a mom. It is hard. It is expensive, regardless of whether or not one receives any assistance.
“She lives in Alaska… I’m sure $2k in CS buys a hell of a lot every month.”
Actually, it isn’t cheap to live in Alaska and money doesn’t go as far as you think.
She seems like shes as honest as her mom.
I live up here in the state and it is quite expensive to live up here. I don’t blame a parent at all for not financially supporting their child once they have made the adult decision to have a child, especially if they seem to be doing a pretty good job of it.
I have seen her at work and I know she works hard. I think some people may be being particularly hard on her because of who her mother is and their feelings on her.
This does not seem like a weird family situation to me and for the record, I don’t think she lives in Wasilla with her parents. At least not 100% of the time.
And what the heck is all this vitriol about the amount of CS? It is usually stipulated by the courts according to how much the CS paying parent earns. If it is too much, Levi Johnston is more than free to petition the courts for a reduction.
girl: the only vitriol about child support is that Levi is supposedly paying it, Bristol makes no mention of it, and yes, society, including single moms, tend to get all “uppity” about such things, as in “how much is the dad paying because he should be paying something”!
Not sure about Alaska, as it is probably more expensive than the lower 48, but in most states child support is determined by where the child resides and the income of BOTH parents. Levi pays about $1750 a month, it’s fair to think that Bristol has at least that much to contribute, that’s $3500 a month.
The point is most people don’t buy the “poor me, it’s hard to be a single parent” when the monthly support Bristol receives is more than many families have to support a family of four.
Nobody is criticizing her for living on her own/not living on her own. We’re criticizing her for lying. To say she isn’t getting ANY money from her parents, is an out right lie, whether she lives on her own or not. THAT’S why people are criticizing her. Because she’s lying. Even if they have a job, no teen mother can go without help from their family, whether its financially or emotionally. So to say she’s completely on her own is a lie, and we’re calling her out on it.
She had an interview 2 MONTHS AGO saying that her mother was a big part of her being able to get the job she has. So even if she has a job, it’s because of her mother. She said so herself 2 months ago. So she’s clearly lying and is now going back on that because she wants to make herself look good.
TL;DR version: she’s being criticized for being a liar. period.
“…and if her mother wasn’t Sarah Palin, you’d be praising her for her independent spirit.”
if her mother wasn’t sarah palin we wouldn’t even know who she is.
LYING. Where, exactly, does she work? “Oh, I’m just off providing….” WHO says that? Lying isn’t very Christian, Bristol…
Yes, yes, the numbers are court appointed and all, but if he has to pay $1800 and she has to contribute equally (and from what is being published she is making a hell of a lot more than he is), that means that the child gets $3600 per month support. Am I missing something here? What parent needs that amount per month to supprt ONE child?
This sounds more like “her support” than “child support”.
I believe that, right! NOT! LOL! … Of COURSE her parents are helping her! This spoiled brat had no IDEA what it is to be a single parent on her own, trying her best to raise a child. What a MORON! LOL! …