Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez Split Probably a Good Idea

Word on the Twitter circuit was that Hollywood's dynamic duo Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, "Jelena" for short, split up (if they were ever officially dating). Rumors of Bieber's ex's texts, Selena's Shia Laboeuf crush aside, Biebs says they are still together. Would it be for the best if the Tiger Beat pin-ups went their separate ways?

Gomez, 19, has a high-profile career with Disney; Bieber, 17, has an off-the-charts music and movie career. For just being good friends, Justin and Selena have been photographed in some very steamy making out. It's even prompted family to wonder if Bieber and Gomez are friends with benefits?

When Selena checked into a hospital, pregnancy scare rumors went flying. All those close to the pair were understandably concerned and not just for their respective careers. Parenthood is no respecter of celebrity status; Justin and Selena may be talented performers, but it does not ready them to be parents.

Gomez says she likes Biebs but isn't thinking marriage. Good. I know 19-year-old girls think and talk marriage. I did and most all the girls I know did. As a parent, however, it gives me a facial tic to even hear those words come out of teen mouths. Intense relationships are dangerous, too. Not because relationships or marriage are bad; I've been happily married to the same guy for 24 years. We were in our early twenties, but we were both established in adult jobs and careers. Bieber and Gomez are child stars; they won't be able to play the cute celebrity card forever.

Look at Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Danny Bonaduce, the Bay City Rollers: most people younger than 40 have never heard of them. In my day, they were the greatest things since sliced bread. Now they are former child stars trying to find their way in an adult world. Relationships and marriage are all about timing. High school and college are deciding factors in a teen's life. Fame doesn't last and it's important to have a good education and solid career options to rely on when the lights go dim and the crowd goes home. It's hard to make adult career decisions when you are too focused on a relationship.

Trying to parent a teen star has got to be difficult. Navigating puberty, development, adolescent culture, education is challenging enough without the added burden of stardom. Ask Billy Ray Cyrus and Lynn Spears. Both describe a feeling losing control of Miley, Britney and Jamie Lynn's careers. Cyrus and Spears can both speak to the horror of watching their child stars morph into sex stars. Billy Ray has even gone so far as to compare daughter Miley to Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain.

Both parents have been a little too free with the credit-taking for their children's success, but a little too stingy about taking blame. Neither could claim to be without culpability in some of the train wrecks their kids engineered. Many celebrity kids get into enough trouble without adding relationship issues. If Bieber and Gomez are ever going to have anything like a healthy emergence into adult life, they are probably safer going it solo.

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