Personal Experience

Dedication,Determination, and Drive are the three things that got me through the hardships of being a teen mother.There is so much more to me then my child, I am a hard working mother, an outstanding student,p majoring in English and Communication Arts, and Minoring in Theology. I am a senior at an accredited private Catholic College, and I graduated high school with a straight A average, but this is not what people see when they look at me, all they see and know is that I became pregnant in my sophomore year of high school.I am a statistic, but not the one you think. I am one of the better statistic, I made the choice not to let my pregnancy hinder me but used it as the fuel to light the fire still burning within me, pushing me forward and towards the goals within my grasp.
When I became pregnant with my child I was already 4 months before I knew and was still attending school. I was scared, I felt alone, I even became depressed, but I did not let that stop me. I figured that I worked too hard and long to let pregnancy change my plans for their future, I am so determined on having. I took the educational path, but every choice comes with it's consequence. When you have a child your life is no longer your own, I was now thinking, and acting for both myself and my new future. I was one of the people who truly believe in the fact that I was invisible, or immune to becoming pregnant, but I was proved wrong.
Ariyanah Melanyse Rosario was born on December 23, 2003 at 9:45 a.m. and that was the day my life changed forever. I have had a rough road sleepless nights, all night emergency room visits, study sessions on no sleep, and working two jobs to keep our heads above water, is only a brief description of my lifestyle. I took advantage of some of the programs such as WIC and MEDICAID which helped me dramatically pull some of the weight baring down on me, and gave me a break for once in my life. I chose to further my education and jump over the hurdles, and pass through the obstacle course because I know in the end when I look into my daughter's eyes I will know that it was worth every bit of it. I will never regret my child, she is my Drive, my striving force behind my accomplishments, but if I had the choice I would have waited until I was older to have children.
I am a firm believer in the saying that "Everything happens for a reason," so I do not know what my life would be like without her in it, and I will continue to be a positive statistic if I am going to be labeled one for the rest of my life,I will make it a good one. For all of the other teen mother's who visit my page I hope that you get inspired to make your pregnancy your driving force to succeed and not decline into society as just another pregnant teen dropout.

About This Blog

A Little Inspiration Goes A Long Way

It's Free Will To Recieve Education

Most teenage females between the ages of 15 to 18 years old become pregnant in their sophomore through senior year of high school,which makes the decision of continuing their education very difficult to make. The teenagers often have the feeling of separation from the rest of the social class,alone, and scared to reveal their situation to fellow peers, parents, and faculty. Being a pregnant teen in high school can be very stressful on a teen when trying to fit in. There can be no more social outings,or school events for the pregnant teen, because it can be harm to both herself and her unborn child. There is a sense of being the outcast in a group of peers, and some friends actually distance themselves, and have the fear that pregnancy is somehow contagious.
There is Help Every Where
The choice for a pregnant teen is entirely up to her, The school,according to the law cannot force a pregnant teen to leave the school because she is pregnant, but recommends she attend a school where she would be more comfortable, and safe. There are schools like COPE which allows the teen to attend school the full term, excusing her absences for reasons, such as, doctors visits, complications,etc... The school is also beneficial because it allows the mother to have her child accompany her while attending school, it also has special classes which help to prepare them for motherhood, by featuring child caring classes.
The teen mother may choose to stay if she wishes and finish high school along with her class, if she wishes, because there are other methods in which would make it possible. First the teen has the option of withdrawing for up to 6 weeks until the child is old enough for the mother to return to school, and re-enter so the absenses do not affect the grades. There is also the other option of home schooling.
The Choice is Yours
There is no reason for a teen mother to suffer the hardships of the uneducated lifestyle because there are so many opportunities available. For a teen mother to further her education and pursue a college degree she has to want it bad enough for her life and the life of her child. There are so many ways to attend college now, online courses, part-time, full-time even test that allow you to fulfill college credits. Teen mothers are already a statistic for becoming pregnancy and upping the census, it is not necessary to become a statistic, based on the fact that they did not make the right decision in taking advantage of the educational opportunity provided to them.

To my Unborn Child

My moment of true happiness is that which brings joy to my upside down life
And light to my closed dark doors.
A blessing it is to share this happiness with another.
An angel blessed me with the privilege to carry life's most precious gift.
And I dare not speak down upon it.
My moment of true happiness grows within my womb
And I hold close to my bosom the thought of this little miracle
Its little moments keep me smiling inside
And for that moment all is lost.
It's just my time with this beautiful shining light
Waiting to expand its rays upon the world.
My moment of true happiness grows is my baby's hand
Caressing my face, and my finger palmed within her hand.
Her Eyes so innocent, The stare of her angelic gaze into my eyes, and her warm embrace.
My moment of true happiness lies in this blessing, unknown, unnamed, a reighn of light into my life.
My moment of true Happiness is my new life's journey to come.

The Fluctuation of Teenage Pregnancy in the United States

Number of Births to Females Under Age 20

Ages 1960 1970 1980 1986 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

Under 15 6780 11,752 10,169 10,176 11,657 12,014 12,220 12,554 12,901 12,318

15-17 182,408 223,590 198,222 168,572 183,327 188,226 187,549 190,535 195,169 *

18-19 404,558 421,118 353,939 293,333 338,499 331,351 317,866 310,558 310,319 *

Total Under 20 593,746 656,460 562,330 472,081 533,483 531,591 517,635 513,647 518,389 513,062

Source: Child Trends, Inc.© 1998 MSNBC

Economic Standpoint

Even though billions of dollars go into caring for unwed teenage mothers, there are millions of dollars being spent on ways to prevent the teenagers from becoming pregnant in the first place, at such young ages.There are several community and government sponsored programs that provide information to upcoming teens about the consequences of teenage pregnancy, and the impositions a child can be on their lives and the plans they have for the future. The methods seem to be working because the abortion rates dropped 50% in 2002 and is still dropping, and pregnancy has dropped 40%since the year 2002 and the rates are still dropping. The programs are there to help kids becoming adolescents acquire the necessary knowledge concerning sex and it;s consequences, and promote both abstinence and safe sex, because everyone knows the best birth control is abstinence. The teenage birth rate over the last 60 years has dropped to a dramatic low from a whopping 78% climb, and statistics show it is due to the preventive methods society has taken in educating teens about the consequences of unprotected sex.

Teen, Sex and Consequence

The United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy. 7 Billion teenage girls become pregnant each year. Teen Pregnancy is an epidemic and 24% of all expectant mothers are made up of unmarried teenagers having children. The economy spends billions of dollars caring for teenage mothers using health programs such as Medicaid, to ensure that both the mother and child stay healthy, and are well cared for. There are also food programs such as WIC which ensures that teenage mother and baby have a nutritional diet, as well as other services provided by the Department of Children and Families.Teenage Mothers have a higher chance of living in a poverty state because of the expenses of today's society.

A Teaching of Teenage Pregnancy 101

Opening- “over eight hundred thousand teenage lives are drastically altered just by using the device we know as a pregnancy test.” “Due to the fact that most young people begin to engage in sexual activity in their mid-to late teen years, about eight years before they get married, almost 1 million teenage women become pregnant ,10% of them are at the range of 15-19 years of age.”
Teen pregnancy is much higher in the United States then in any other country, but similar to other countries,78% of all pregnancies are unplanned. Most teenage mothers have involuntary sex the first time, due to either peer pressure or pressure from their sexual partner. Either way without the proper use of a contraceptive the female is most likely to become pregnant within the first year of becoming sexually active.”
After pregnancy is diagnosed " The shock is weird for most teenage mothers who endure the horrifying truth of being pregnant at a young age. Most go through the stages of denial, depression, and then the fear kicks in of what others may think. There are several options for teens mothers who come to the heart wrenching decision to either keep or abort their child. Since most teen pregnancy occurs within low-income homes, adoption or abortion are the first two options to chosen among teen mothers. 40% of all teen pregnancies end up in abortion, but this increase is steadily decreasing , because most teen mother’s get into the room, hear their child’s heartbeat for the first time, and immediately change their decision.”


A Teaching Of Teen Pregnancy 102

Consequences-
“By teenagers being so young and their bodies still going through development themselves, the decision to have the child could come with extremely dangerous risks. Birth defects, premature labor, even death for both the mother and unborn child can occur during childbirth. Not only will it be difficult for the mother physically, but completing high school is at a 41% high, as opposed to getting a college degree, which is at a devastating 1.5%. Financially most teen mothers go on welfare for at least the first year, because the strain is so great economically.”
Out of all the information I have given you today, all the statistics, and facts ,the number one reason for pregnancy is what I call the it can’t happen to me syndrome. This belief impairs the partner into thinking that if they use the pull-out method they will be safe. It can happen to you ,everyone of you and I am living proof, I am a statistic who believed that I was invincible, but I was proved wrong.

I found out I was pregnant when I was 16 in the 10th grade and refused to become another statistic, that would never graduate from high school and. I graduated ,and will continue to better myself. It is not easy being a teen mother, sleeping is a distant memory ,the crying never stops, and neither does the baby who takes from you both financially and physically. So understand that teenage pregnancy is declining, but it is still an epidemic, so use protection and hope that you do not have to use a pregnancy test until the right time comes around, in which case you will know.”