Every day we feature the beloved “Strawberry Letter” franchise that is so popular on “The Steve Harvey Morning Show,” heard nationwide. Send in your letters and Shirley Strawberry will dish out the necessary advice. Today’s topic: Babydaddy wants too much Dear Steve and Shirley, I am a 20-year-old student and I recently found out that I am pregnant. I was shocked because I was told I wouldn’t be able to have children when I was in my early teens. The father and I were friends-with-benefits but that ended. I felt he needed to know about the baby. At first he thought I was lying and wouldn’t talk to me. A week later he saw me and some friends shopping for the baby. He confronted me and I pulled out the ultrasound picture. He apologized and is now excited about the baby. A little too excited. He is demanding to be involved in every decision and to be notified of every doctor visit so that he can come. He is a 26-year-old without a job, and he is not in school. His family is rude to me and has demanded that there be a DNA test as soon as the baby comes. He is already talking to a lawyer about custody, because I will have to move about four hours away after I graduate (after the baby comes) for my career. I’m not sure how to handle this, my family is being supportive, and I’m already taking parenting classes. I know that a child needs two parents but he’s already being overbearing, I can only imagine what he will be like in April when the baby is here. Please help me do the best thing for my baby and myself.
- “Strawberry Letters” are letters sent from fans of the “Steve Harvey Morning Show” and therefore do not express the sentiments of ESSENCE Magazine or ESSENCE.com. As these are fan letters, we have left them as close to their original form as possible.