Successful Teen Mothers
September 19, 2006 by kate baggott
Filed under Finances, Mental Health
Early this morning I received a homework help email message from a university student doing a report on why some teen mothers are more “successful” than others. Finding the book pictured above took about 9 seconds, so naturally, my reply to the student should have included something about learning how to use a search engine.
The message, though, made me think about the research I’ve linked to on the subject of teen motherhood here at Babylune.
Motherhood, in general, has few benchmarks for success. Basically, I seem to spend most of my time making sure the kids don’t kill themselves by misadventure and, I know from my own experience that their adulthood will be spend either blaming me, or their mothers-in-law for every problem in their lives and relationships.
By extension, a “successful” teen mother, I suppose, is someone who manages to keep her kids and herself alive long enough for everyone to finish adolescence.
A lot of the research into the health and wellbeing of young mothers is contradictory. First, becoming a teenmother may be a biological imperative for some women and, one study I’ve found supports the idea that viewing teen motherhood as a biological, rather than a social issue, should end all judgements other people cast upon teen moms.
But, as reported earlier this week, becoming a mother in your teens does shave years off your life, possibly as a consequence of the poor nutrition, stress and living conditions of an impoverished background — conditions that are usually multigenerational. Women from wealthier backgrounds who become teen mothers, like the family portrayed the the fictional Gilmore Girls, may not suffer from those health disadvantages in the same way they wouldn’t suffer from a loss of educational opportunities.
The role of various class scenarios is likely to be hugely influencial as most of the health consequences disappear. Women who have children in their 20s, rather than as teens, benefit from better health than general in the long term.
So, given those sparse research details, what is the most likely indicator of a teen mom being successful?
She probably does not come from a long line of teen mothers. She probably has a mother and father who were in their 20s or 30s when she herself was born. New grandparents who are willing to support both her and her child practically and financially throughout her edcational endeavours, and, in so doing protect the young mother’s health and wellbeing as whole person. It’s a profile that matches Amy Benfer (watch brief ad to read the article, it’s worth it), a former associate editor at Salon and self confessed “middle-class teen mom.” I guess you could call Amy and her daughter “the real” Gilmore Girls.
I am glad that there is a book like this because i am a teen mother to 3 beautiful girls and I am succesful. i am graduating from high school and atend college. i am a PROUD TEEN MOM!
Carla- Good for you. I wish you every success in life.
Im also a teen mom, im graduating this year from high school and attending college the spring after that. Im not just going to be another stitistic, ill be like everyone else and more, ill be a mother.
I am a teen mother, I will be 20 in a month. Like the student in this article I am a university student writing a paper on young mothers who defy the stereotype. I give kudos to young mothers who are out there being proactive and doing everything to the best of their ability for their child. Although ladies, let’s spell things correctly when we brag about our successes. I say this so that we can continue to give teen mothers a good name.
I had my son at 17 and it’s good that there is somebody out there doing research that defies the stereotype.
I myself defy the stereotype in many ways. I finished high school, am studying journalism at university, and I don’t plan to give up. I may be single with no other family but my son, but I give him all I can, and it doesn’t matter that we live in government housing for now.
But the only successful teen mother that I can think of — actually, any mother — are the ones that raised good children that turned into girl adults. That’s the biggest measure of success I see for a mother.
I support teen mums and believe they can accomplish anything they put their heads to just like any other person! (even though I’ll be out of my teens in about half a year lol!)
im so happy someone came out with this im am a teen mother i got pregant when i was 14 im sixteen now im still in high school i have a 3.0 and im going to collage to be a medical assistence ma son is now one and his name is derail thats my life.
I am a teen mom as well. I had my son at 16 and I am almost 19 now. I am graduating high school this June. I am a single mom, I work and still in school. Its hadr but I am still doing it. I love my son to death. Hes my everything. I am doing my senior project on Teen Mothers and why teens should wait to have kids young. I don’t regret my son at all, and actually he made me a better person but my life is hard. By doing this I am showing people what we do everyday to make sure our childrens lives are the best we could give them. My son is almost 3 and is the light of my life.
hey i read your book and thought the book was interesting and that i love it. Also i didn’t know that many young teenage mother could be more successful then teen girls who aren’t. but yea i am a 15 year old mother i kno really young, and i had my son at 13 he is 2 yrs old his name is Junior i love him wit all my heart i will never call him a mistake… and i’m still in high school a 4.0 average. i am going 2 ctc to be a medical assis…
Success is defined by the individual goals that we each set for ourselves and our families. I had my son when I was barely 17, I didn’t graduate highscool so I went and pursued my Ged. I am in my last year of college, studying to be ã law clerk, with ã 3.7 GPA, and goals of graduating college, going on to university and finally law school; ultimately becoming ã lawyer. I will define myself as successful when I have accomplished my goals, been the best mom I can be, and have not allowed my decision 2 keep my son hinder my dreams. So to all the teen moms, you are the author, the editor, and the main character in your life’s story; you define success and being ã great mom. DON’T GIVE UP, PERSEVERE AND YOU MUST SUCCEED!
I googled “Successful Teen Mothers” for a persuassive speech topic in a class i’m taking and found this site. I myself am a successful teen mother. I am 34 (I look 24) with 17 and 14 year old daughters. I have been at my current job 5 years and working towards my bachelors degree. My girls are very well behaved and get great grades in school, not to mention particitate in church activites, sing in the church choir, play basketball and volley ball. And I did come from a teen mom who also came from a teen mom. I just chose to break the cycle and speak openly about boys and sex with my girls at a younger age.
Like Ms. Dee, I am 34 and have a 17 year old. I went to college at 23, and am now applying to law school. It’s a tough life, no lie. As much as everyone wants to be successful in the eyes of the world, every parent, teenage or other wise, EVERY parent needs to realize that your child(ren) are your first priority. Love them, give them everything they need, and take care of yourself second. This is what matters in the end, this love is what you give to them and the gift you give to the world.