Teen pregnancy

Kerina Wabasse SEVEN Youth Media

Over the past couple years, I have worked with the youth and can see that there are more youth parents than actual adults. I see friends I used to go out with every day and who I went to school with and now I see them with their children either at home or engaged in other activities out of the home. I sometimes wonder what their lives are like so off I went to go get my answers. I spent time with my close friends and their babies and they shared stories with me because I wanted to listen to get a sense of what goes on with their lives now that they have children. I have seen how much responsibility is required to raise a small child…to feed, clothe, and to care for them 24/7. So for my piece for SEVEN I spoke to a few people and I was fortunate when a good friend of mine agreed to be interviewed about her experience as a young parent.

Here is my friend Lanette’s story:

When I got pregnant I was 12 years old. I admit that was a young number for me to become pregnant and I gave birth when I was 13 years old. I didn’t know what to expect until it actually happened but every single day I was pregnant, I grew to love myself and I knew my life was changing and it has.

At first, after I had my little girl, there were times when I felt like I would be missing out on a lot of stuff that your typical teenager does with my friends. I always had to stay home and be there with my baby girl every step of the way and it was challenging because I was just a child myself. I wasn’t ready to sit at home and stay put. I always thought I was missing out and there were times I would just walk out not knowing how to be a parent but then I would always come right back because I knew I would have to be there when she needed changing, when she needed feeding and when she just needed her mommy. It took me a couple months to realize that I was doing something good. Not for myself this time, but for another special person who is a part of me forever now. It does change your life. My family kept telling me that I have a responsibility now and after a time I came to realize that I wasn’t a kid anymore but a mother to one of my own.

So today, I look at my little girl, she loves talking, running and playing with her little friends. I would not imagine a world without her in it, the world may not see that but I could tell the world, “she is my world.”  I couldn’t believe someone so little could change the way you were when you were just kid. I am very thankful that someone came into my life. Although it is not easy being a young parent, you just have to hope for the best and get through it. I may not have the friends I use to have but I have new friends who are there to listen, laugh and hang out with me and lastly of course, with my little girl.

Life with my daughter would’ve been really hard without the one person I count on - my mother. Without my mother it would’ve been so different, knowing how much my daughter loves to be around her grandma. I can see myself struggling with my daughter had she not been around. I don’t know who else I’d turn to if I needed some guidance or assistance. No one else was there to believe that I could raise her myself, especially at a young age. My mom was there every step of the way from the time my daughter was born. I don’t know what else to say but thank you to her for her help. Without her, I wouldn’t have made it this far. The journey is still ongoing and I am not going to give up.

I learned a lot about being a mother, and of how you don’t have any more time for yourself, your friends, school & basically everything that was a part of your life. Like for me it was just  “...You’re just going to have to make that choice to leave it behind you for now.” I hope this story makes you young girls understand: It isn’t easy raising a child by yourself, especially at a very young age. It isn’t easy have to let things go like watching your friends graduate without you and missing out on things that you’re interested in. For my word to you young girls out there: be wise and think carefully for your future because it is very hard to raise a young one especially if you’re just a young child yourself.  L. Jacob

Lanette Jacob is a 17 year old from Webequie. She is the mother to four-year-old Lakita C. Jacob.