This Mother’s Day, Don’t Forget About Teen Moms

Most people associate teen pregnancy with poor educational achievements, poor social and mental health, social isolation, poverty, and related factors. But that’s not really an accurate picture of teenage motherhood, at least not for everyone.

There are many teenage mothers who have been successful and happy with their lives. These include the famous poet such as Maya Angelou, who had her first child at 16, the legendary singer Aretha Franklin (13), and multi-billionaire Oprah Winfrey (15).

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s time for us to admire and respect the women who provide the ideal home situation for their children. But we cannot and should not withhold love and support for others who need some relief from the challenges of unplanned pregnancies.

Alexis Singleton is someone who knows these struggles firsthand. “At first, it was hard being a teen mom,” the Eastside senior says. “Teachers weren’t understanding, so I went on independent study during my whole pregnancy and caught up on time to graduate.”

While Alexis would have liked to receive more support, she also acknowledges that some people inserted themselves into her situation. These people were often judgmental and nosy.

“People should mind their own business,” she says. “What I do and how I raise my son isn’t anyone’s business because nobody is paying for him but me.”

So what advice would Alexis pass on to other teen moms? Simple: grow up.

“It’s okay to be young,” she says. “But you can’t forget you’ll have someone depending on you now. Don’t let everyone help you, you need some type of independence.”

This Mother’s Day, it’s important that teen moms like Alexis receive the same recognition and appreciation as their older, married peers. Mother’s Day is a day meant to honor mothers from every walks of life, which also includes mothers from every age group. Not all teenagers are bad mothers, just as not all adults are good ones. Age is not what makes a mother. What matters more is the important impact that loving mothers can have in their children’s lives.

“Teen moms are still moms,” says EHS senior Ronnie Richards. “I had my daughter when I was a junior, but I’ll never take it back for the world.”