We go through life wondering what we are going to be when we grow up, how we will live our lives, where we will go, who we may become...until you get pregnant at 15...
That is where this story begins...it's not glamorous...it's not fake...it's real...and it's still happening. There are many girls out there that are now pregnant, had a child, maybe a few, who are under the age of 18. There are choices that can be made, but decisions are made, and I realize, at 31 years old now, that life would have been different...coulda shoulda woulda...
Being a mom is hard. Being a teen mom...is a whole other ball game. I remember people commenting about my son stating that he was a cute little boy and what a lucky boy to have a big sister to take him places...then I would correct them and say, "no, this is my son." The looks on their faces often changed from happiness to judgement with the "oh my" expression...to this day, I still get that when I say I have a 16 year old son..."You look so young to have a 16 year old..." My response..."I am." silence...
I would like to say that it gets easier as you get older...the truth is...it gets harder. When a child raises a child, it's not a win win situation. Sure, there are those exceptions, I wish my story was one of them, however, you deal with what you have, stand by your choices, accept your consequences, and keep moving forward.
With this blog I'm going to lay it out there. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the happy...memories and moments that have made me who I am, who my kids are, and who they may be because of it when they grow up. Some days as a mom in general you want to run away, lock yourself in a room, and throw away the key...doing it in your teens...without support...going through life...then finding that you have missed out on the many things that teens take advantage of...wishing and wanting to have experienced those opportunities, is a tougher pill to swallow...and the hardest part...is when they get into their teens...and no matter what you say, to help them, to teach them, to put them in the right direction...they may find a way to do the opposite and your heart breaks...not only for them...and for the path that you know they could have to face...that many parents deal with. For teen moms, even older ones like myself, its your own heart that breaks twice. Once for the child of yours, and once for the child in you...
Here is a quick bio on me:
I was a teen mom at 15, lived on my own at 16, married at 17, graduated high school and had another child at 18, then one more at 20. Divorced at 21, met my current hubby...been with him almost 10 years, had another child at 27, and am pregnant for the last time and due in February. I am in my last semester and will graduate college with a Bachelors of Science in Parks and Recreation Management with a concentration in Therapeutic Recreation. ( 5 more weeks :)) I love my children and they are all doing fine...but its the challenges that you go through, the sacrifices you make as a teen that you see later in life not only affected you...but they have a great impact of the lives of your children...
