(no subject)
My cousin's daughter had a baby. I was concerned as to how it would all turn out because she is only 15. Luckily, she procreated with a great guy, who isn't at all afraid of being a dad at 16 and is completely ready [emotionally] to handle the situation, and her family is very supportive of her.
Many people are blaming my cousin for her daughter getting pregnant, but I don't think that it has anything to do with her. If kids want to have sex, they will. My parents kept me on a tight leash, and I still found a way to have sex when I was ready. Children mature, and they go on to make their own decisions, right or wrong. It's part of growing up. While her childhood isn't her own now, my cousin raised her with values, and she knows how important family is and I think she'll be an excellent mother. Unfortunately, my cousin has some drama-hungry folks in her life by association, who are trying to make her feel bad. One actually sent my cousin's daughter a Facebook message saying that she shouldn't have kept her baby, she will be a terrible mother and that my cousin is a terrible mother or SHE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN PREGNANT.
My mother got pregnant with me when she was 16 years old. My grandmother was an excellent parent and provided for her children. What happened wasn't because my grandmother wasn't there for her. It happened because my mother and father chose to have sex.
Parents cannot be around to watch their children at every second. Things happen. Life happens. So many people have the misconception that girls who get pregnant early on are whores. It only takes one time, people. My mother got pregnant with me by the person she lost her virginity to. My cousin's daughter? Exactly the same. Some people assume that getting pregnant at a young age means that the person is stupid. Birth control fails. Multiple methods of birth control still doesn't eliminate the risk, it only decreases it.
I got pregnant with my son at 18, and I can tell you that people treated me just as bad as being a pregnant young adult as they do people who get pregnant before they even finish puberty. I had someone who actually believed I was 13 and told me to "have fun partying with my baby." I had people tell me that my baby daddy would run away within the first couple of years (We've been together 9 years now). Others told me I would never finish college (I did and in good standing). Some people believed my life was over or assumed I would just be swallowed up by the welfare system (The only assistance I ever received was medical and WIC while I was in college; I don't even know what a welfare check LOOKS like).
My cousin is so supportive of her daughter that I definitely believe that she will accomplish great things if she wants to. I am glad that TJ's parents were so supportive of us while we finished our degrees, got careers and started our own life.
People who judge a girl for getting pregnant by accident are complete morons. It happens to 20s-40s married women all of the time, and everyone thinks that's OK because they assume that the adult will take care of the child, whether they actually do or not. It isn't fair.
But I am happy for my cousin's daughter for having given birth to a healthy son. The odds were against her. A 15-year-old epileptic gave birth to a more than 8.5 lbs baby, vaginally, a week later (as opposed to early) with no complications. It is amazing. My cousin and aunt have been wonderful about everything, and my cousin's daughter's boyfriend is treated like a member of the family. I think everything will be alright, even if it isn't always easy. But what is?
Many people are blaming my cousin for her daughter getting pregnant, but I don't think that it has anything to do with her. If kids want to have sex, they will. My parents kept me on a tight leash, and I still found a way to have sex when I was ready. Children mature, and they go on to make their own decisions, right or wrong. It's part of growing up. While her childhood isn't her own now, my cousin raised her with values, and she knows how important family is and I think she'll be an excellent mother. Unfortunately, my cousin has some drama-hungry folks in her life by association, who are trying to make her feel bad. One actually sent my cousin's daughter a Facebook message saying that she shouldn't have kept her baby, she will be a terrible mother and that my cousin is a terrible mother or SHE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN PREGNANT.
My mother got pregnant with me when she was 16 years old. My grandmother was an excellent parent and provided for her children. What happened wasn't because my grandmother wasn't there for her. It happened because my mother and father chose to have sex.
Parents cannot be around to watch their children at every second. Things happen. Life happens. So many people have the misconception that girls who get pregnant early on are whores. It only takes one time, people. My mother got pregnant with me by the person she lost her virginity to. My cousin's daughter? Exactly the same. Some people assume that getting pregnant at a young age means that the person is stupid. Birth control fails. Multiple methods of birth control still doesn't eliminate the risk, it only decreases it.
I got pregnant with my son at 18, and I can tell you that people treated me just as bad as being a pregnant young adult as they do people who get pregnant before they even finish puberty. I had someone who actually believed I was 13 and told me to "have fun partying with my baby." I had people tell me that my baby daddy would run away within the first couple of years (We've been together 9 years now). Others told me I would never finish college (I did and in good standing). Some people believed my life was over or assumed I would just be swallowed up by the welfare system (The only assistance I ever received was medical and WIC while I was in college; I don't even know what a welfare check LOOKS like).
My cousin is so supportive of her daughter that I definitely believe that she will accomplish great things if she wants to. I am glad that TJ's parents were so supportive of us while we finished our degrees, got careers and started our own life.
People who judge a girl for getting pregnant by accident are complete morons. It happens to 20s-40s married women all of the time, and everyone thinks that's OK because they assume that the adult will take care of the child, whether they actually do or not. It isn't fair.
But I am happy for my cousin's daughter for having given birth to a healthy son. The odds were against her. A 15-year-old epileptic gave birth to a more than 8.5 lbs baby, vaginally, a week later (as opposed to early) with no complications. It is amazing. My cousin and aunt have been wonderful about everything, and my cousin's daughter's boyfriend is treated like a member of the family. I think everything will be alright, even if it isn't always easy. But what is?