DATE: Friday, February 28, 1997             TAG: 9702270418

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E01  EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: COLUMN 

SOURCE: LAMONT FEREBEE AND KAREN PERREAULT 

                                            LENGTH:   35 lines

BOYFRIEND'S FATHERHOOD COULD SIGNAL RESPONSIBILITY

Dear Karen and Lamont: I was in a relationship for two years off and on. The guy I'm going out with got a girl pregnant and I don't know what to do. He is going to take care of his baby, but I don't know whether I should stay with him or what. Can you please help me?

Dear Confused: There a several ways you can handle this situation. First, consider how he treats you now to provide a basis for how you will continue the relationship.

You must realize that there will be many obstacles in this relationship, but if you truly care for him and the feeling is mutual, you may be able to work through this.

Remember that as long as he takes care of his child, he will have a relationship with his ex-girlfriend. Therefore, you must be willing to compromise. A child requires an excessive amount of time and responsibility. Thus, your boyfriend's life may take a step apart from yours.

If you consider his action a mistake, you may want to give him another chance.

He's holding down a serious relationship and he's willing to accept the responsibility of fatherhood. He may be worth keeping.

Only you can decide whether he is worthy of your trust and devotion. MEMO: Karen Perreault is a senior at Maury High School and

Lamont-Deangelo Ferebee is a sophomore at Norfolk State University.

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