Introduce yourself. Who are you? What’s your story?

I’m Journey and I’m a 16-year-old single mom to an almost 3-month-old boy. I grew up in Tacoma, Washington and had a fairly rough upbringing but getting pregnant was probably the best thing that happened to me. I had done a complete 360 in my life and it could not be any better! 

 

What’s the best part of being a mom? 

My favorite part of being a mom is the cuddles and the quality time. Just being able to spend every waking minute with them and bond is truly magical.

 

What have been the biggest challenges you have faced as a teen mom, and how have you dealt with them?

The biggest challenge with being a teen mom is everyone around you thinking they know what’s best for your baby. They still see you as ignorant or, like, still inexperienced with life, and I just dealt with it by remembering that not everyone knows what they are doing in life and that it’s a roller-coaster and you just have to figure it out and remember that your better than some parents out there who are older than you and have experience. It doesn’t matter the age or experience, it matters the effort you put into it.

 

What support systems have you had throughout your journey as a teen mom, and how have they helped you?

My support systems have been mainly my father. He was the one who made me smile at the end of a rough day and was able to give me support if needed. Anytime I was in the hospital he made sure that he was there every night.

 

How has being a teen mom affected your relationships with your family and friends?

Being a teen mom had pushed some family away and even some friends. It even has made family who can’t push me away more judgemental and sometimes pushy to “help” but those who are there are so positive and help cancel out the negative. With friends I have kept they help me stay positive and accommodate my son into our times together and have genuinely supported me with kind words and actions, even when they never had to.

 

How have you managed to balance your responsibilities as a mother and your academic or career goals?

Being a teen mom and balancing academics and career goals I think it has truly benefited me by motivating myself to work hard. It is a little harder but by putting him in daycare, it gives me peace of mind and makes it to where he can get the socialization he needs and help him with milestones. Even then at the end of the day, it makes me feel better knowing that I can still provide him the bonding and quality time he needs before we start our next day.

 

What advice would you give to other teens who find themselves in a similar situation?

My advice would be to take advantage of resources around you to connect with other teen moms, to stay positive, and to take it one day at a time because being a mom in general is a rough task but being a teen mom is even harder and to take it all in can be overwhelming but enjoying the little things is awesome.

 

What has been the most rewarding experience of being a teen mom?

The most rewarding experience is probably getting to push yourself to your limits and still being able to succeed. It’s truly a great feeling when you feel that low and tired but are able to stand up and make another human being happy.

 

How has being a teen mom changed your perspective on life and the world around you?

Being a teen mom has changed my perspective on the world greatly. I don’t think I’ve been happier to walk around a park or lake. Everything just seems so much brighter than before. Like instead of seeing a blank canvas I see opportunities. I see being creative with what and how you do stuff to be a constant thing for you.

 

How has society’s perception of teen moms affected you and your child?

Society’s perspective at first was really negative. Going down the “you made an irresponsible decision, how can you raise a child” at first it made me super sad. Like I had no faith in myself. But later on, as I met more people who empowered me, I felt more faithful in myself and was able to overcome the “teen mom” stereotypes.

 

What are your hopes and dreams for your child, and how do you plan on achieving them?

My dream for me and my son is to live a healthy and comfortable life. I hope I can be an ARNP or doctor to help support a life for my son where he could have what he needs and wants. I generally just want to provide for him and any other family I have in the future.

 

What’s something you wish people knew about teen parents?

Some teen parents are the hardest working parents you will know, and you shouldn’t be too quick to judge based off of age, or appearance. I think being a parent has no age limit, so why shame someone who’s younger or older when we are all just trying our best?

 

Huge thanks to Journey for sharing her story with us!

 

Last week we shared Skye’s thoughts, struggles, and hopes. Make sure you check that out here. 

 

Next week we’ll hear from Natasha, one of our Parent Life Coordinators, on why she loves working with teen parents. Stay tuned!