Original Blog Entry: Baby-Faced Boy Becomes a Father at 13

truesee — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:56:10 GMT

Saturday, February 14, 2009

As if the craziness of the octuplets wasn't bad enough, now comes news that a 13-year-old boy has become a father. What is this world coming to?!?

Baby-faced Alfie Patten may be 13 years old, but he looks like he's 8 -- and just a few days ago, he became a first-time father. His much larger 15-year-old girlfriend, Chantelle Steadman, just gave birth to their 7 lb. 3 oz. bouncing baby girl, Maisie Roxanne, reports the UK's Sun newspaper.

Alfie and Chantelle had a one-time sexual encounter when Alfie was 12. What was Alfie's reaction when he found out Chantelle was pregnant? I thought it would be good to have a baby, said Alfie in a prepubescent voice that has yet to break.

Neither Alfie nor his girlfriend seem to have the remotest clue about how having a child at such a young age might affect the rest of their lives. And Alfie, who doesn't even get an allowance yet, admits that he doesn't even know how much diapers cost, but says, I think it's a lot.

Alfie, who is just 4 feet tall, revealed how scared he was to tell his mother about his impending fatherhood. When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble, he recalls. 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 admits he doesn't think that his son really understands the enormity of his situation -- but says Alfie seems desperate to be a devoted and responsible father. Dennis says that Alfie wanted to be the first to hold Maisie after the hospital birth. He tenderly kisses the baby and gives her a bottle. He could have shrugged his shoulders and sat at home on his Playstation, Dennis says. But he has been at the hospital every day.

Maisie was conceived after Chantelle and Alfie -- just 12 at the time -- had a single night of unprotected sex. They found out about the baby when Chantelle was 12 weeks pregnant. The young couple kept it a secret until six weeks later when Chantelle's mother Penny, 38, became suspicious about Chantelle's weight gain and confronted her.

We didn't think we would need help from our parents, says Chantelle. You don't really think about that when you find out you are pregnant. You just think your parents will kill you.

But Penny figured out what was going on after buying Chantelle a T-shirt that revealed her swelling tum.

Chantelle admits she and Alfie -- who are both being supported by their parents -- will probably be accused of being grossly irresponsible. We know we made a mistake, but I wouldn't change it now, she says. We will be good loving parents.

I have started a church course and I am going to work helping other young mums, Chantelle says. I'll be a great mother and Alfie will be a great dad.

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