Even though I’m way past my teen parenting phase, I’m fascinated with the Teen Mom and Teen Mom 2 series. I like to compare the way teen pregnancy and teen parenting is handled now versus “back in the day.”
It’s very different in that society views it differently. Mostly it’s the same in the way it causes waves of upheaval in young lives and the lives of their families.
In Teen Mom 2, it’s obvious that some of the girls are still maturing (okay, let’s face it; they’re all still growing an maturing). Jenelle, for instance, never had to really care for her first son because her mom, Barbara, took over early on. Who knows what would have happened to Jace had she not done that. But now, she’s hurried into another relationship and had another baby.
Leah has also hurried into a second (failed) marriage and another baby while not allowing herself to grow up and take her time with things. An aside: while I don’t think she is a drug abuser, I blame doctors who prescribe tranquilizers and pain killers (both highly addictive) to young people.
Chelsea seems to be the only one not hurrying to have another child, although ironically her ex-boyfriend hurried to have another baby with another girl.
I just want to advise young women to slow down. You’ll meet someone some day. You’ll have more babies (and it won’t matter if your children are 10 or more years apart in age).
I remember that angst, that fear inside that nobody would love me, that nobody would accept me and my child. I too rushed into a marriage (that neither he nor I were ready for) and had another beautiful baby. I don’t regret either, but the world is a little different now. Young people have to work hard to grow up and be independent.
I want to say, “Be somebody before you’re somebody’s.” Become who you’re supposed to be before you try to make another relationship work.