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Teen Single Mothers Article
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Challenges of a Teen Mom
from:Teens who are parents face a strong challenge for rearing their children as well as fulfilling the other roles expected of them by society. Teens who are mothers are expected to become effective, contributing members of society. Becoming both an effective parent and an effective young woman can often seem an insurmountable challenge. Fortunately, teen mothers can learn the basics of taking care of themselves and their child by being aware of skill sets they must learn and develop.
Rearing children requires a diverse number of skills, both internal and external. When teenage girls discover they are going to be mothers, they often face depression, anxiety and feelings of low self-esteem. Teenage mothers need to be proactive in their emotional health and seek out ways to increase their resistance to depression and other emotional needs.
This can be partially accomplished by increasing the number of social connections the teen mother maintains which are supportive in nature. Reaching out to church or organizations can add new and much needed connections. Smoothing over relationships with other family members should bring a renewed sense of assurance of help.
A special challenge to teen moms is finishing high school. To avoid dramatic drop out rates many school districts have daycare programs and providing parenting classes to encourage teen mothers to finish high school.
Everyone in society benefits if teen moms are able to graduate from high school. Most areas support programs of some type for teen mothers still in the high school. Check with the principal or superintendent's office for resources in your specific area.
Learning the skills a new baby demands of mother will no doubt be a crash course in reality for the teen mother. Teen mothers need to take advantage of whatever parenting classes are available to them. Many high schools offer classes or programs to teenage mothers to avoid them dropping out of high school.
Parenting classes are often offered by social agencies such as the United Way. Also, more high schools and community agencies are conducting parenting skills courses ranging from basic nutrition to home finance. Parenting skills are also offered through vocational agencies and community colleges in many areas. Enrollment in WIC (Women, Infants and Children) assistance also offers classes in basic nutrition.
Teen mothers are expected to contribute to their own income and professional development. Although few jobs exist especially designed for teen mothers, all state and federal protections apply to teenage moms. When assessing a job, teen parents will need to remember to include a childcare plan. This may include relying on family members and friends as a support network. Local churches or houses of faith and other agencies may offer programs that assist in watching the child for the teenage mom while she works.
For teenage moms pursuing higher education, many colleges offer daycare programs or discounts with local daycare agencies. Grants, scholarships and other types of assistance can be used to pursue a higher education. The best way for a teen mother to achieve financial security and independence is through higher education. The road will be rough, but worth it in the end.
Teen Single Mothers In The News
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