Watching shows like Teen Mom can really put into perspective how hard it is to be a young mother. Yes, they have benefits since they are all on tv but for the rest of us who live an everyday normal life, it can be challenging.
I was not a teen mom but I was a young mom, having my oldest at 21. Even at 21 years old, the struggle of having to put someone else’s needs before your own came as a shock. You don’t realize how much they need you and how much you have to put your personal life to the side. Of course, I will never regret having my children, they will always be worth it but that doesn’t mean it isn’t hard.
Lilly knows the struggles of being a teen mom. She is wanting to share her story on how Maricopa County Regional School District is helping her to continue to thrive and achieve her goals in the midst of being a teen mom.
This summer, many teens will receive a taste of adulthood, venturing into the employment world with their first job. Some will apply to fast food restaurants, while others will participate in an internship program. They’ll then be rewarded with a well-deserved paycheck and spend their earnings on their favorite pastimes.
I will be working as well; however, I won’t have the leisure of working only 20 hours. Even though I am only 17-years old, my boss will demand that I tend to her every need every summer for the next 16 years at the least.
This is because my boss doesn’t understand the concept of time, dates or workload. She can’t even spell ‘work’ or her own name. She’s two and only knows one important notion: I am her mother.
It is for this very reason that I will remain committed to my summer job of being a teen mom. The job won’t land me any glowing reviews, lead to a paycheck or score me references for my resume, yet the experience is already shaping who I am.
Thanks to my love for my two-year-old daughter and the support of my teachers from Maricopa County Regional School District (MCRSD), I’m able to look forward to my summer duties with enthusiasm. During the school year, MCRSD is a place of solace for teens like me, who felt irrelevant in a traditional school. I’ve been enrolled for the past year and have learned the value of learning, home life, family and setting goals.
In addition to renewing my interest in education, my teachers have provided guidance in every situation, acting as secondary parents and being my backbone in my time of need. They’ve instilled the significance of harmony at home and taught me to focus on my long-term goals instead of my current situation.
Before attending my current high school, I did not look beyond my day-to-day. But through the support of my educators, I now have a plan for my life and my daughter. I have a renewed faith in my future and determination to make choices today that will provide a better tomorrow for my child.
My job as a teen mom will last beyond this summer. In fact, there is no exact time stamp on how long a mother worries I know my job will likely last a lifetime! I am truly grateful for the lessons instilled in me through MCRSD. I hope to leave behind a lasting legacy that will make my teachers and classmates—who’ve become my honorary family—proud.
In the months to come reading to my daughter everyday is the key task, which shows her the importance of an education. I will speak words of encouragement and let her know she can accomplish anything. I will spark the change that I want to see, and it will all begin this summer.
Submitted by: Phoenix resident and student at the Maricopa County Regional School District (MCRSD), Lilly Gallego. Learn more about MCRSD at http://www.mcrsd.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=1
The post What Summer is Like as a Teen Mom appeared first on Wildish Jess.