Unfortunately, it is all too common for teenage girls to become pregnant and have their lives completely changed by these circumstances.  For those girls who object to abortion and decide to raise their child, it is important to become familiar with Colorado family law.  Oftentimes, when the decision is made to keep the baby, the girl’s parents are as much involved with this as their daughter.  But what happens to the life of the child’s father?  What about his parents’ lives?  Does Colorado family law require paternal grandparents to split the cost of raising their grandchild?  With the exception of high profile cases like the teenage pregnancy of Bristol Palin, it’s not often that you hear about the father’s role. 

According to Colorado family law, the expense of raising a child should be shared between the father and mother, regardless of whether the pregnancy occurred in a marriage or in the teenage years.  In the event that the teenage mother is unsure who the father is, a paternity test can be administered.  To better understand family law in Colorado Springs, ask for a free consultation from the Marrison Law Firm. 

One thing that happens quite frequently is that the parents of the girl go into “denial”.  They don’t want to deal with the boy who got their daughter pregnant, and they certainly don’t want their daughter to continue that relationship.  In these cases, it is often the parents who discourage any real responsibility on the part of the father.  However, there is no reason that the father should not uphold his financial responsibilities to the child.  If this means dropping out of school to work full time and getting a GED later, then that may be what needs to happen. 

Why the parents need to let teenagers “figure it out”

This may sound like a “life lesson”, but the parents of teenagers who engage in sexual activity need to be clear about the consequences of this behavior.  It is not the parents’ job to take care of everything so the teens can act like nothing happened.  Colorado family law is very clear about parental responsibility, and it falls equally on both mother and father.  Grandparents, on the other hand, are not obligated to lend their support.  If more kids knew how high the stakes were for their actions, they might think twice before taking a chance. 

If you need help understanding Colorado family law as it pertains to teenage parenthood, read this article from the Marrison Law Firm – “Teenage Pregnancy and Family Law in Colorado Springs – Get a Free Consultation.”