At this point in my story, I was a sophomore in high school and working two jobs to help me take care of my son. I share four resources and tips for supporting young parents. Spend money wisely (create a budget) A budget helps you plan for your money before you receive it. Having a […]
Before we leave 2020, a year full of devastation for so many I want to share a message I think is important. People I love lost people they love, and I even witnessed my aunt take her last breath and can’t get that image out of my head. I’ve other hard experiences this year that […]
2020 represents a lot of loss for me, as it does for many others. It also represents a year where I was reminded of just how creative, flexible, compassionate, and resourceful I can be and how the lessons from my past can help me focus on the future. Milestone anniversaries As I reflect on my […]
One of my tips for teenage parents is to understand that once you become a parent, there is no going back. I had my child when I was 15-years old. The entire ordeal was painful and scary, partly because I had to have a C-section. The other reason was I wasn’t physically, emotionally, mentally, or […]
Teens run away from home because of family problems. I got into an argument with my stepfather and did the same. At the time, I was about five months pregnant. I thought physically leaving would solve my problems, but it didn’t. Instead, running and hiding only made my mother frantic as she tried to find […]
My friends came through for me in a big way during my pregnancy. I experienced firsthand the power of teen friendships at work. My 15-year-old friends came together with the little they had to throw me a baby shower. That big gesture touched me beyond words. Even more touching were the smaller gestures of support […]
By the time I got to college, I didn’t have child support or help from my parents. I realized I needed additional support so I applied for public assistance for young parents. I needed support like food stamps now called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). To my surprise my application was denied because I had […]
I understand that support for pregnant teens and young parents can be hard to come by. In my own life, I had the support of my mother who picked me up from school and took me for my doctor’s appointments. She took time off work to make sure I never missed a single doctor’s visit. […]
At this point in my story, I was pregnant at 15 years by a boy I didn’t know and whom I hadn’t consented to have sex with. My secret was out, and the guilt and shame were real. Coping with a teen pregnancy had never featured on my list of things to do before I […]
