Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant star Brianna Jaramillo is no stranger to controversy, and she’s stirred it up again with comments she made last week on Instagram.
Brianna, who became pregnant at 17 with her now 2-year-old son Braeson, has previously come under fire for introducing Braeson to three boyfriends in less than two years and not knowing who Braeson’s biological father is.
Braeson’s many dads
At the time of Braeson’s birth, Brianna was dating Danae (now Mylo), who is transgender and not Braeson’s biological father. The couple originally planned to raise Braeson together, but they broke up shortly after his birth.
The next boyfriend that came along was Robert, who actually moved to Oregon with Brianna and her mom. That relationship quickly fizzled, and Brianna then started dating Jaden. Jaden was featured on the most recent season of Y&P, but that relationship didn’t last either.
This season, Brianna found out who Braeson’s father was when an ex-fling reached out to ask about a DNA test. When results confirmed that the unnamed ex was in fact Braeson’s biological father, Brianna was shocked because she was sure that Braeson’s father was a different ex.
Brianna wasn’t the only Y&P star with paternity questions- both co-star Rachel Beaver and her sister Malorie were unsure about the identities of their daughters’ fathers.
An Instagram Q&A
Brianna did a Q&A with fans on February 26, and when asked how she disciplines Braeson, she said, “Time out and spanking. Lately I’ve been trying to talk to him so he understands rather than getting overwhelmed and punishing him but sometimes it’s hard to keep my patience.”
Spanking is a controversial parenting topic, and Brianna clearly comes down on the pro-spanking side. When asked directly by a fan what her thoughts were, Brianna responded, “I feel like kids need it. But there is a difference between beating and spanking. I would never beat Braeson but if I’ve tried talking, asking, counting, etc. and he’s still not listening, I do spank him.”
Brianna’s position is at odds with the American Psychological Association, which contends that spanking is both ineffective and dangerous for children. The APA has done numerous studies on the subject, all of which confirm that spanking does not work long-term and can cause children to become more aggressive. They recommend time-outs and consistent rewards for positive behavior as an alternative.
Brianna, however, may not have gotten the memo. “I don’t care what people say, he’s my son and ima raise him how I want,” she said during her Instagram Q&A.
Braeson, however, seems to be doing just fine. Just last week, Brianna shared photos of her son out with family for brunch. Braeson, who was born without a left forearm, is just as active as any other child and seems happy and healthy.
Viewers will have to wait until next season to learn more- the last episode of season 2 aired February 25th. However, Teen Mom fans can catch the new season of Teen Mom OG beginning March 17.
Teen Mom OG will return on March 17 at 8/7c on MTV.