Bristol And Sarah Palin Agree On Sexual Abstinence Goals

After chatting with Sarah Palin about her new Fox TV show, Oprah took a break.  During that point Bristol Palin, Sarah's daughter appeared on screen.  Her brunette hair was worn long and sleek straight.  She sat next to her mother as she answered Oprah's questions.

Oprah "Your son Tripp just turned one.  And I wanted to know what has been the most eye opening experience you've had his first year of childhood.  What's been the most eyeopening about this first year as a mother for you?"

Photos of Bristol and Tripp celebrating his first birthday were shown onscreen.

Bristol "Just all the work you have to put in on a daily basis to be a mom.

Oprah "Has it surprised you, how much work it is?

Bristol "Yeah and the lack of sleep definitely surprised me.

Oprah "I heard that you said in a magazine that you wouldn't wish being a single teen mother on anyone.  And so tell us about a typical day."

Bristol "A typical day starts at 4, 4:30 am.  Getting Tripp ready.  Giving him a bath and stuff.  Going off to work.  Working.  Coming home, giving him another bath.  Getting him ready for bed.  Feeding him.

Oprah "How come babies have to be bathed so much?  Are they that dirty?"

Bristol "Yeah.  He's messy."  Sarah added "He's a messy baby."

Oprah "And do you still live at home?  You're at home?"

Bristol  "Yeah, correct."

Oprah "So the babies get to grow up together?"  Oprah was referring to Sarah's youngest baby.

Bristol "Yeah, yeah, they do."

Oprah "Well you shared an honest moment about mothering in a recent interview with InTouch."  A copy of the magazine was shown with Bristol and Sarah on the cover with their two babies.

Oprah continued "You said, you were sitting on a black recliner just balling your eyes out and you were rocking Tripp to sleep because he had been screaming for so long and you were thinking 'what am I going to do?  Is this as bad as it gets?' So tell us about that moment if you can."

Bristol "Yeah, that moment I felt...  I have this big supportive family but I just felt so alone and I felt like a breaking point where reality sunk in that yeah I have a kid.  This is my life.  This is my full time job now.  So at that point it was just like realizing everything."

Oprah "And then, at that moment did your grandmother walk in the room?  I heard your grandmother walked in the room?"

Bristol "Yeah, yeah, she had just walked in the door and she was just like 'Bristol honey, everything's going to be OK.  It's hard right now, but everything's going to be OK."

Oprah "And so does this experience give you greater respect for your own mom?"

Bristol "Yes, yes, definitely."

Oprah "Do you ever wish you could be with your friends at college?"

Bristol "Ummm.  There are times, yeah.  But I have a beautiful baby boy and he's awesome.

Oprah "Uh huh.  So Sarah, I know every mother and father, obviously, every parent has a dream for their child.  And usually that dream doesn't include teenage pregnancy.  Do you regret not talking more about sex with Bristol?  Do you feel disappointed that she can't be out with her friends?  And living the life she could be living now?"

Sarah Palin "Ohh, all those things Oprah, yes.  Such lessons that our family has learned.   I wish we would have had more candid talks about having unprotected sex.  Having sex before marriage, you know.  My assumption, like so many other mothers across America assuming 'oh maybe everybody else is doing it.  But not my kid' and well surprise.  Ahh yeah, it was a shock to find out that she was pregnant.   But here she was an athlete, great student.  Just kind of the picture of someone who wasn't supposed to get pregnant in high school.  But it didn't work out that way. Life happens."

Sarah continued "she's handled it so well though.  She's very strong, quite independent and she has taken full responsibility for her actions and she's raising Tripp splendidly.  We couldn't be prouder.  But her message is so sincere.  So truthful."

Sarah said that Bristol's message is 'come on other girls.  Don't get in the situation that I was in because your opportunities do become limited once you are carrying a child into this world'.  I so respect that Bristol has chosen life and is doing such an awesome job with her beautiful baby.  But as she said quite candidly, truthfully, she wishes this would have happened to her ten years from now."

Oprah "so Bristol, I know you wanted to come on (the show) because you wanted to warn other teen girls.  I have 360 daughters at my school in South Africa and I'm always talking very candidly with them about it.  And I tell them to make the decision before the moment arrives because when the guy is licking on your ear it's hard to make the decision.  So make the decision before the moment arrives.  But it's a little tough in that moment."

Oprah continued "but I saw in InTouch Magazine and this was a little.  I kinda bristled when I saw it.  You said 'I'm not going to have sex until I'm married, I can guarantee it.'  The reason I bristled was because I thought 'why set yourself up that way?'  Because it may be ten years from now, before you choose to get married.  And now you've set yourself up, making that statement.  So that everybody you go out with, date.  The media's going to be looking at that person, and you know, trying to get that person to sell you out.  To say did you have sex or not.  Why if you're going to sex or not have sex, that's your business?  It's not anybody's business when you choose to have sex."

Bristol "yeah. Yes, correct.  I just think it's a goal to have and every young woman should have that goal."

Oprah "OK, that's a goal but when you say you're absolutely, positively not going to have sex.  'And I guarantee it' you don't think you're setting yourself up?"

Bristol "No, I don.t"

Oprah "Okay.  Alright, good luck to you, on that."  She turned her attention to Sarah.  Oprah said "what do you think about that Sarah?  You know what I'm saying.  You know how the media is.

Sarah Palin "Yeah, I do.  I do.  I'm pragmatic.  I'm quite practical.  But yes I do know how that media works.  But no, I'm proud of Bristol and other girls and young men, who are saying 'you know, really the only 100% foolproof way of not getting sexually transmitted disease or not getting pregnant is to be abstinent.  And that is her goal, that's what she's committed to and I believe her.  She's a strong, independent woman who can do this.  I'm proud of that goal as opposed to her just conceeding, 'well you know, maybe I'll do it and maybe I won't.  Maybe I'll just be haphazard about."

Oprah interrupted and said "I, I, I've just got to interrupt.  Listen, one out of three teenagers, according to the CDC, I think it's the CDC, one of three teenagers are having sex by the time they're eighteen years old.  And obviously she's already had sex.  So I'm just wondering if that's a realistic goal.  I think treaching responsibility, teaching a sense of judgement about it.  But is that a realistic position?"

Sarah "I think she's talking about herself personally."

Palin "Yes, it's a realistic goal for myself."

Sarah "A realistic goal for herself.  And as she has shared messaging elsewhere Oprah, she has said for others who don't have that goal.  Prevent the pregnancy though.  Do, as you said Oprah, think about it before the action is taken.  Prepare for it, but for Bristol's personal goal I'm saying 'more power to her.'  She's a strong woman."

Oprah "OK, I was going to give you a chance to retract or back pedal.  Ease that statement if you wanted to and not say categorically 'I guarantee I'll never have sex until I'm married.  But if you want to hold to that then, may the powers be with you.  So you're going to hold to that?"

Sarah to Bristol "Hey does that mean you're going to marry pretty young?"  Bristol was smiling and a little uncomfortable and she shook her head, "I don't know."  Sarah "see I'm telling her Oprah, I'm telling her don't think she has to go find a man.  Get married young or anything else.  The world is her oyster.  She's making good decisions now and she's going to be able to pursue education, career and avocation opportunities without a man.  Soooo.  And knowing her too, at this point, that whole scenario is on the back burner in her life and I'm glad for it."

Oprah "but also not on the backburner because you have a child today that you now have to raise."

Oprah continued "we're all curious Sarah, What are you cooking for dinner tonight?"

Sarah "Owww, last night was popcorn chicken.  Don't tell anyone.  What should we have tonight Bristol? I think I'll make stew.  It's one of those cold nights.  A big crock pot of moose stew sounds really good.

Oprah "thank you so much because it's 9:00 in the morning.  It's three hours earlier there.  Whoever curled your hair had to get up at 3:00 am and start curling your hair.

Sarah "No, noo, we always get up at 3:00 in the morning and look just like this.  And she pointed to herself and Bristol

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