Living with Teen Pregnancy

I had my son when I was 18. I finished my senior year VERY pregnant-my graduation pictures are hideous!
I was lucky-I had already finished high school so, I didn’t have that hurdle to jump. There were a WHOLE lot more hurdles than I ever imagined. I had a great support system in my mom and my boyfriend. I was lucky there too. On the other side, socially and economically I have always been behind because of my choice.

It was harder than he!! to go to college. Ear infections and cranky babies don’t understand that you have class or a test coming up. My grades weren’t nearly as good as they should have been. I worked some pretty HARD jobs to make ends meet and depended on social services when they didn’t meet. Waiting tables isn’t easy-or fun. But it paid the bills. When everyone else went to parties, I made bottles. When they went to college I postponed until he was a year old. When they joined frats or sororities I went home to a baby. When they bought clothes, I bought diapers. When they bought nice homes I lived in a crappy apartment. When they married their sweethearts and produced the perfect family I was dealing with step-parent issues. Don’t think you won’t be in that boat. Because EVERYONE hates their step-parent no matter how wonderful they are. My son is turning 19 this summer and he is a wonderful person. He is facing the same decision many of you are.

Everyone tells you that having a baby is hard and expensive and all of these things. Yep, it is. No matter what age. However, you don’t realize how expensive it is becuase when you have a baby that is just the way it is. Afterwards you realize just what you had to give up. I could have been somebody big. I gave that dream up. I didn’t take the pill because I was lazy. I sure got that lazy habit broken now! It wasn’t exactly a bright idea to do it this way. I didn’t tell my parents I was pregnant until too late because I was afraid (I am not sure what of…) I didn’t give him up because I wanted to prove them all wrong. Well, I have raised him. He is a wonderful young man and I have done the best possible job. But you know what? They were right.