Young Mother 

                Teenage pregnancy significantly impacts an adolescent’s education, as well as the goals they have set for themselves. Parental involvement is sometimes overlooked by the teen while deciding if abortion is the right choice. Most teenagers have access to obtain an abortion without their parents’ permission because some states consider a pregnant teen an adult. When states consider a pregnant adolescent an adult, the teen has the authority to make their own decisions. One reason why abortion is a chosen procedure by young adults is to continue their education and receive an ideal career in the future. Teens have a difficult time caring for themselves while attending school, less lone adding a child to the scenario. 

         Laws have been made to decide if a teen has acquired a proper maturity level to by pass the involvement of parents. Adolescents go through with an abortion in order to finish their education and achieve a career. When teenagers learn they are pregnant, their dreams become crushed. This is why some minors chose to abort a baby and continue to accomplish their goals in life. According to Medoff, “Teen mothers are less likely to complete their education, to be employed, to have high occupational attainment, to earn high wages and they are more likely to be in poverty and receive welfare assistance. Pregnancy significantly impacts a minor’s life by postponing all of the goals they have set for themselves. A baby requires all of the mother’s attention for proper nurturing. Education becomes challenging for a teen to progress in due to balancing their time with school and a baby. 

  Most pregnant schoolgirls leave mainstream schooling and do not return after the birth of their child. According to the girls interviewed this is often the case because they do not receive extra help and support, they are bullied or made fun of—and they cannot cope with both the baby and school once they have given birth. 

“Everything is going to be O.K.,” my mother said, before walking into her bedroom and crying her eyes out. Throughout my teenage years I had it made. I had security, support of my family, and everything I could ask for. When I turned 18, I found out something that would change my life forever, I was pregnant. Being pregnant at a young age is a very difficult thing to go through. It can be hard mentally, financially and also physically. Every day, people are faced with choices. Some of life’s choices are simple, such as deciding what to wear to school or choosing a television station to watch. Other choices, however, are much more serious and have life-altering consequences. Being pregnant has many choices, whether or not to keep the baby. There are many choices such as adoption, or abortion.  

I decided that I would keep my baby because I knew in my heart that I would regret it in the long run if I didn’t. Throughout my pregnancy I suffered from depression, which is the condition of feeling sad or despondent mentally. My depression was mainly since I was 18, alone, and scared, I was a working at Old Navy, but that job couldn’t pay for all the financial needs it takes to raise a child. I left my baby’s father when all the arguing and physical abuse began. I couldn’t deal with that and I wasn’t going to raise my child through it. Although I knew deep down that this big decision was for the best, it was still difficult and very painful. Just the thought of raising a child alone was scary.  

My parents were so disappointed in me they really didn’t have much to say, especially my mother. That made my pregnancy worse because I felt as though I had no one to talk to. I had friends to talk to but most of them didn’t understand what I was going through. There were many days that passed when I felt as though I wasn’t going to make it and I felt as though I didn’t deserve to be alive, but who is ready to take care of a child anyhow? I wasn’t. Then one day I woke up and realized that my life would go on, and that I just had to do the best I could and learn from my mistakes. 

Two of the greatest days of my life were the days my daughters were born. The first time I held the both of them and gazed into their eyes I felt a sense of relief and hope. The feeling is a warm tingling sensation that engulfed my entire body. The emotions that I felt are beyond what words can explain. It’s amazing to me that in the first few minutes of their lives they completely changed my perception of the world. 

Motherhood has taught me many life lessons. Before becoming a mother, I was a self-centered child. I had no motivation to succeed. All I was worried about was where the next party was. At that time, I had no want to try because I was so scared to fail. They just want to learn about the world around them. They have inspired me to go out and try new things. Every day they grow a little bit more independent. As they grow, I grow. 

I have learned a lot about success from my daughters. For example, I watched them learn to walk. They weeble, they wobble and fall down. But no matter how many times they fall, they get up and try again. It has taught me that no matter what obstacles occur, if I just continue to try I can and will succeed.