Unplanned Pregnancy not the end, Support system offered by Family and School.

Written By:
Eleni Edwards

Published:
Nov. 06 2009

Teen pregnancy is often viewed in a negative light, but can one really make accurate assumptions about what it is like for teen mothers and fathers? In addition to dealing with the responsibilities of caring for a baby, teen parents also have to deal with other’s judgments and opinions being thrown at them.

"It was really hard to tell my teachers at first because I didn’t want them to judge me or think that I was just another one of ‘those pregnant girls," senior Milissa Harrod said. "It was hard to tell my mom but even harder to tell my dad and brother. They would not talk to me for over a month and for that whole time I was too ashamed to even make eye contact with them."

Obligations to school and jobs also add to teen parents’ stress.

"It is hard for me to balance my senior year and my job at the same time. And now that I am pregnant, I find it even more difficult to manage my time. I do plan on staying in school though and going to a community college next year before hopefully transferring to University of Miami in Ohio," Harrod said. "Now that I’m six months along in my pregnancy, my teachers understand my situation and give me extensions on homework or assignments when needed."

Where some have a strong base of support from their family, others are not as fortunate.

"I live with my aunt because my parents do not have custody rights over me, so I do not have the support some girls have from their parents, but my sister kept me motivated. She always told me that she would be there for me and provide supplies for the baby," senior Angellica Baskerville said.

Springbrook offers a support group for expectant mothers, to ensure that they have the proper prenatal arrangements and to provide emotional support.

"The primary purpose is to educate the future parents and ensure that they do not drop out of school. We try to give them emotional support and if the father also attends the school, we try to include him in the class too. We can’t make the teen parents be a part of the group though. If they choose not to include us, then we can’t really do anything. We basically handout general information and provide access to helpful resources," school nurse Kathy Sams said.

Help has also emanated from what some may consider to be unlikely sources. When English teacher John Goldman learned that a pregnant student lacked the necessities including a crib and a car seat, he organized a collection among the staff. Within 24 hours, he had collected and delivered the items to the student.

"Whenever I hear of a student who needs help or is having trouble outside of the classroom, I try do as much as I can to help them out," Goldman said. "I wanted to make sure she was prepared and that she had everything she needed before she has her baby."