The 18-year-old new mother of Tripp Johnston appeared on FOX News on Monday night, with the messages that while sex "is more and more accepted among kids my age," teens should wait before having children: Everyone should wait 10 years. I hope people learn from my story. It's so much easier if you're married, have a house and career. It's not a situation you want to strive for. Telling her parents that she was pregnant with the child of high-school boyfriend Levi Johnston was incredibly difficult for Bristol, who called it "harder than labor." She also denied that her mother's pro-life views affected her decision to keep the child, saying “It doesn’t matter what my mom’s views are on it. It was my decision."
While she enjoys being a mom, and described Levi as a "hands-on dad"," the two have no plans to marry in the near future.
Sarah Palin appeared at the end of the interview with new baby Tripp, and seemed to have softened her view on teen abstinence as well. "Get beyond the ideal of abstinence," says the former vice presidential nominee. "Hey, life happens. It’s not the most ideal situation, but certainly make the best of it.”