I was online with my son who was at his girlfriend's house. Over the past year I'd had several conversations with my 17 year old son about practising safe sex. In fact I was quite pleased when he'd gone out of his way to ask me to buy him condoms.

We typed a conversation in real time. He said that he had a shock for me. Not know what to expect I braced myself for the worst. "I'm gonna be a dad."

I'm still not sure why he chose to tell me over instant messaging rather than tell me in person face to face. Was he perhasps afraid of my reaction? In fact my reaction was that of any parent who has just discovered that their teenage child has gotten pregnant. I was angry. That was my reaction. We typed for the next 25 minutes, me yelling (large type text), him getting angry back at me. At one point he even said that he didn't have to tell me and that he could have ditched me from his life and dealt with it on his own. I really think that deep down he was hurt that my reaction wasn't different. Looking back now I actually thought that he believed I would be happy at the news.

A few days later we talked in person. I hugged him tightly and told him I loved him and promised him I would stick by him no matter what. I even made a gesture of peace. I presented him a couple of tiny teddys - one blue, one pink.

We talked well into the evening that first conversation. I did my best to prepare him for what's to come. But he still has no clue. Sure he's reading books about being a dad but let's face it, books cannot fully make him anticipate every little detail about what's to come and certainly cannot give him the feeling he will experience when he finally holds his child in his arms for the very first time. I can talk to him about that but again that moment has to be experienced first hand.

One thing is for certain. It's better for me not to get angry at him from this point on. What would be the point? He made a mistake. It's done. All we can do now is move forward. As a dad a huge part of me wants him to learn a lesson so he doesn't repeat this mistake with another girl somewhere down the road.

But an even bigger part wants to keep him safe and protected at all costs here. He doesn't realize this but teen couples who get pregnant almost never stay together. They just aren't mature enough to survive this huge event, this major storm. And yes, he will get hurt and all I can do right now is stand to the side and let him navigate this boat on his own.

I have to just love him. That's the best thing I can do for him.

He's a good boy. He just makes dumb decisions sometimes but what 17 year old boy doesn't?

Learn more about this author, Richard Courchene.
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