Becoming a mom at any age is hard. Your body changes, your hormones go crazy and let’s not forget you are now responsible for this tiny human you have just created. Going through all of this plus being a teen mom only makes life that much harder. In honor of Teen Pregnancy Prevention month, here are the top struggles teen moms face on a daily basis.
Going to School
Having a baby and still going to school is extremely admirable, but it is so hard! A lot of women do not like the idea of their baby staying with strangers or going to daycare. So, many young moms have to turn to alternate forms of education such as an online school or a GED program. The same can be said for college. You can basically forget the idea of living on campus in a dorm and going to frat parties when your little one is relying on you for their every need. Online colleges are more likely to provide the flexibility a young mother needs to provide for her family and further her education.
Having a Social Life
Being a mother at any age can make it difficult to maintain a social life, but when you are young you haven’t experienced much of life yourself and now you are responsible for the life of another. The first thing that comes to mind is that everyone your age is out partying all night long, but that isn’t the only thing young mothers may miss out on. Not everyone is into partying, but even just going to a movie or out on a date or even just going shopping at the mall becomes a chore. You have to find a sitter, be able to pay for a sitter and be back at a scheduled time. Forget spontaneous trips and outings that aren’t baby friendly because it’s next to impossible to find a sitter last minute.
Providing for Your Family – Maintaining a Job
Again, providing for a family at any age is difficult, but young moms rarely have the education and experience necessary to land a well-paying job. This leaves them with minimum wage jobs where they probably work crazy shifts at a company that will offer them little to no benefits or room for advancement. Also, the same dilemma arises as with going to school. Many women do not want to leave their child with a stranger or in daycare, so if they decide to stay home that leaves the young father to provide for the family on his own. And again, young fathers rarely have the education and experience necessary to land well-paying jobs outside of hard labor.
Social Stigma Causing Low Self-Esteem & Depression
One of the worst struggles teen moms have to face is the social stigma that comes from being a mother at such a young age. Society is rarely supportive of young mothers and often shames them for becoming parents so young. Without the social support needed young mothers are more vulnerable to mental issues such as anxiety and depression. In fact, researchers have found that teen mothers are twice as likely to develop postpartum depression than their adult counterparts.[2]
If you, or a loved one, are a teen mother suffering from Postpartum Depression a research study may be able to help. Adolescent PPD studies are enrolling now! Click here to search for studies enrolling near you.
[1] https://www.seventeen.com/life/a40150/things-no-one-tells-you-about-being-a-teen-mom/
[2] https://www.seleni.org/advice-support/2018/3/14/the-mental-health-of-teen-moms-matters
