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Teenage Parents
Raising a child is considered one of the hardest jobs any person can do and it becomes even harder when the person is a teenage parent. "They must live two lives in one, as a teen and as a parent. A teen mom faces more issues than an older mother." Being a successful parent is harder for a teen than for an adult.
During an interview with Derik he stated, "You asked me a stupid question because with a teen you have a baby raising a baby and with an adult they may have more experience with children and are more prepared to take care of a child." When a teen has a baby sometimes their families are disappointed. People tend to put teenage parents down. Just because you’re a teen raising a baby your family may doubt your parenting skills. “Raising a child isn’t an easy thing to do.” Being a teen parent you have to manage getting an education, deal with growing up to adulthood faster than your friends and having a job to support your baby and yourself. On top of trying to be an adult at such a young age it is also important to live out your life as a teenager, because if you leave out this step in your life it is possible to see your child as a regret instead of a blessing. Handling the feedings, diapers, baths, cleaning up after and all the other day to day chores that involve raising a child while still getting an education and growing up into adulthood is a very stressful life, according to the website essortment.com. (essortment)
As Courtney, an adult, talked during an interview she noted "teens emotions are all over the board and to take on the emotion of being pregnant with all the hormones racing in a females body and the male not being able to comprehend what is about to happen make the teens ability to think clearly almost impossible. Adults have a hard enough time trying to emotionally prepare for the birth of their new child, the raising of the child into an adult and the ups and downs that are going to come. A teenager who is about to have a baby is going to face one of the hardest challenges his or her life will ever lay on the table. His or her mind is not ready to handle the emotions that are expected of them and his or her mind is not ready to comprehend that he or she is not allowed to be a child and he or she must grow up now. Teenage parents will have a hard time in life if they are not mature enough to handle adult hood at a young age." Since some teenagers are not ready to take on the responsibility of handling a new addition to his or her life, then only one person will end up raising the new little one alone. This can cause even more of an emotional distress as the ability to handle a child can be draining on the soul of any person when he or she is not mentally ready to support the child emotionally and financially.
During an interview with Courtney she stated, "Having a child in your teens is more difficult financially because of the ability to get a good paying job to support the child. It is difficult as an adult in today's economy to raise one child with the growing costs of food, shelter, gas, medical, clothing, etc. Now, when a teen is lucky to have a supportive family who will help with these expenses the life of a teenage parent could become easier." When a teen parent is not financially supported by their family it is very hard for them to take care of their child let alone himself or herself. In the cases where there is only one parent involved then child support from the other parent is necessary. During this time it is best to get the state involved to help seek the income the child deserves. In some instances courts need to be brought in to help get the money as some parents do not feel they need to help support their child since the child does not live with them.
A teenager having a baby can be different than an adult having a baby. When an adult has a baby their families are happy and love the fact that a baby is coming. He or she is usually prepared to have the baby financially and emotionally. Families tend to be more supportive when a baby is planned and everyone is able to enjoy in the welcoming of the new child. Unlike a teen parent who is usually not financially ready, not emotionally ready and trying to figure out what he or she is going to do next when the new and usually unexpected child arrives. Statistics say that teen parents today are much more accepted in today’s society. Courtney continued in her interview by saying, "parents of teenage children who are having babies need to remember what it was like when they had their little bundle of joy and what life was like for them."
Being a young parent has disadvantages with education, finances and health. Over a million women under the age of 20 become pregnant each year, which also means boys and girls combined equal over two million teenagers who become parents each year. This means that about 2800 teens get pregnant each day and 2800 boys get to face the fact that just because he is not pregnant does not mean he does not have responsibility for the unborn child. The cost to have a child and raise a child is extremely expensive. Adults have a hard enough time financially coming up with the income to do this and to have a teenager be able to do this is asking a lot because without a college degree or even a high school diploma he or she would be lucky enough to make minimum wage. Since the payment for a teenage parent’s child needs to come from somewhere people look towards the government for help and in turn the government looks towards the tax payers. Teen child bearing cost US taxpayers nearly $7 billion annually for social services. Teenage pregnancy is not just the issue of the teenager’s parents, but it is an issue that everyone must deal with. All children are blessings, but would it not be nice for the blessing to happen when a person is ready for the gift rather than having the teenager learn the hard way and have to have a harder life than he or she ever expected.
References
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"Teen parenting." Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education & More... N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Aug. 2010. <http://www.essortment.com/all/teensparenting_rwey.htm>
"Teenage Mothers in the United States - Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood in History and Society." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education - faqs.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Aug. 2010. <http://www.faqs.org/childhood/So-Th/Teenage-Mothers-in-the-United-States.html>.
"Teen Pregnancy Rate Is On the Rise." Health News. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Aug. 2010. <http://www.healthnews.com/family-health/pregnancy-childbirth-parenting/teen-pregnancy-rate-is-on-rise-2409.html>
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