What really peeves me off with being a teenage parent is the fact that people think my life is ruined. Why do people think that? I went to college after I had Spud, I got my qualifications, I have worked with just a one year gap and I am ready to go to university but right now that's not something I want to do. I watched a program on Reality TV I
can't remember the name but it featured two girls, one aged 14 and one
aged 16 who really wanted to have babies. The camera's followed these girls around and tried to convince
them not to become a teenage parent statistic. They showed them a day of
being a parent and a day of not being a parent and what you can do if
your not a parent.
The program stated 40% of teenage parents don't have qualifications and 70% drop out of college or training courses. BUT they didn't mention the rest of the nation did they, what about the non teenage parents or the older parents, what's the statistics for them? Now I am NOT encouraging teenage parenting by no means. I love Spud I wouldn't change my life for the world, I swapped late night clubbing for late night baby feeds, I swapped high heels for comfy shoes to do the school runs in, I swapped the latest fashion bag for a changing bag, however I did go to college like planned before I even knew I was pregnant and I worked and still do work. Being a teenage parent for me was not hard, I was fit and could run after my bouncing toddler, I got the sleep I needed, I could go on and on and on. What I am trying to get at is why did this program say ''if you become a teenage parent your life will be hard''? Why not leave out the teenage part and just say ''if you become a parent your life will be hard''?
Although I was with Spud's father until I was 18, I may as well of been a single parent. I done everything by my self, in 2 and a half years, he done 4 night feeds and looked after Spud once whilst I went to the fair with my cousin. Adults go to the fair and get baby sitters too, adults go to the cinema and get baby sitters, adults go to diet clubs, wine nights, book clubs and get baby sitters for them nights too. Why is it terrible if a 15 year old girl goes to the fair and leaves her son with his father? It could of been my parents who looked after Spud, it wouldn't of mattered though, I still would of been judged because I wasn't at home with my baby, teenage parent's are not entitled to breaks are they? Because if we do, then the whole world stares, maybe not directly, maybe behind a computer screen, but they think we've committed a serious crime, we're not aloud breaks, we're teenage parents!
The program stated 40% of teenage parents don't have qualifications and 70% drop out of college or training courses. BUT they didn't mention the rest of the nation did they, what about the non teenage parents or the older parents, what's the statistics for them? Now I am NOT encouraging teenage parenting by no means. I love Spud I wouldn't change my life for the world, I swapped late night clubbing for late night baby feeds, I swapped high heels for comfy shoes to do the school runs in, I swapped the latest fashion bag for a changing bag, however I did go to college like planned before I even knew I was pregnant and I worked and still do work. Being a teenage parent for me was not hard, I was fit and could run after my bouncing toddler, I got the sleep I needed, I could go on and on and on. What I am trying to get at is why did this program say ''if you become a teenage parent your life will be hard''? Why not leave out the teenage part and just say ''if you become a parent your life will be hard''?
Although I was with Spud's father until I was 18, I may as well of been a single parent. I done everything by my self, in 2 and a half years, he done 4 night feeds and looked after Spud once whilst I went to the fair with my cousin. Adults go to the fair and get baby sitters too, adults go to the cinema and get baby sitters, adults go to diet clubs, wine nights, book clubs and get baby sitters for them nights too. Why is it terrible if a 15 year old girl goes to the fair and leaves her son with his father? It could of been my parents who looked after Spud, it wouldn't of mattered though, I still would of been judged because I wasn't at home with my baby, teenage parent's are not entitled to breaks are they? Because if we do, then the whole world stares, maybe not directly, maybe behind a computer screen, but they think we've committed a serious crime, we're not aloud breaks, we're teenage parents!
That's the problem these days, not just these days as I am fully aware from various sources that teenage pregnancy was 100 million times harder say 40+ years ago. But we are now living in the 20th century, what's wrong with people? I can shout all day from the roof tops, I could hire a plane to show off a banner, I could write all year stating not all teenage parents are the same but it won't matter, people will still judge.
The thing is, so many people don't think about the people that hit the headlines, the ones that get noticed the most. The adults, the above 25s who have failed their children. Poor Baby P's mother for example, the McCanns (who left their children alone), Shannon Matthews mother (who kidnapped her own daughter), the countless amount of horrid parents who have abused their children. I can't recall one major story of a teenage mother doing wrong to her child, just getting labelled because of the age she become a mother at.
Were not all the same you know, me and you, you and her, her and him, him and she, we and them, I and they. We are all different, not one person in this world shares the same hand prints or DNA, we don't share the same bodies nor personalities. Personalities clash and so do people, I will never understand people who judge books by their covers, I know other teenage parents, some in my eyes should never of had their children and should not be aloud their children then I know older parents in the same boat too. I don't go around shouting about how older parents are bad do I?
I am a unique young mummy, I love my Spud and although I may not drive just yet because I'd rather spend my money on him or something that benefits the both of us then going out drinking and putting gosh knows what up my nose or into my body. Do you see I just stereo typed clubbers, do all clubbers drink and take drugs!? NO just like not all teenage parents are bad, just like not all parents no matter how old or YOUNG they may be are bad!
Don't think for one minute I would ever change my life, this is what God has blessed me with and what a very great blessing it is. I am lucky, I have a healthy beautiful little boy who receives everything he needs from me, I have a home we live in, which is warm that never runs out of gas, we have electricity which is always running, we have clean running water, a TV license so we can watch TV (YES my son watches TV, now judge me for that, I am past caring =D), we have food in the fridge/freezer and the cupboards, we have a cooker, a washing machine and a tumble dryer, we have our own rooms, our own beds, a furnished property, furnished by ME, I have qualifications, I work, I don't drive. Most importantly Spud is looked after, cared for, shown attention and affection and loved dearly.
I am unique young mummy, my rant is now over. I could rant again because I was stereo typed today, by a shopping centre worker who asked my brother's and sisters what they done for a living and then turned to me and said what would you like to do? Because I am young does that mean I don't work? Get a life!!
That's all for now, until next time,
Jada x
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