This is a firsthand account of a 22-year-old woman who got pregnant at the age of 19. She speaks about her experiences and why she wants to share them with teenagers who feel pregnancy is cool and a way to get the love they feel their life is missing. You may think you know what some of her responses will be by watching those very popular TV movies about teen pregnancy. But, as we know, reality is not TV.
When she was asked if she ever thought she would become pregnant as a teen she stated that she never thought she would be “one of those girls.” She thought she was much smarter than that.
She was asked if she was using protection with her boyfriend. She stated that she was never on birth control. She knew she and her partner were taking a risk, but they still didn’t do anything to protect themselves.
When asked how her friends and family react when they found out about her pregnancy, she stated that most of her friends were shocked, they knew she was having sex, but thought she was taking care of protecting herself. Her family was also shocked, but very supportive.
When asked in what ways teen parenthood is different from what she thought it would be she stated, it is very difficult for me because I have to balance out all of my responsibilities. I am trying to stay in college while at the same time finding ways to have quality time with my son and finding time to study.
She was asked, “What do you wish you knew before you got pregnant?” She stated she wished she would’ve realized that once you have a child it’s no longer about you. It’s all about them. She stated further, “I was still a kid myself, I feel like I robbed myself my own childhood.”
When asked why she wanted to share your story with other teens, she replied, “Although pregnancy rates have gone down it is still an issue and I want to make young girls realize what a huge responsibility it is. Once you have a child everything is on you, you can’t run to mom and dad for help.”
Lastly, she was asked if she thought the way teen pregnancy is presented in pop culture is positive or negative. She stated that she felt it has both negative and positive effects. She has watched these show’s and can relate to some of the girls. The positive aspects are the way they show real life stories and let girls know that teen pregnancy is no joke.
On the other hand, she hopes that girls are not trying to get pregnant to get on television or think to themselves as they watch the show that it’s really not that bad. They do not know the reality of the situation until they have lived it themselves.
©EthLeen
