By Jordin Richardson

I recently sat down with a student going through a teen pregnancy. I wanted to know how she feel about it and how she was going to deal with the challenge of going to school and being a mom.

(JR) What was your thoughts when you found out you were pregnant?

(Teen Mom): I was scared when I found out. It was late at night and I cried. [My boyfriend] hugged me until I fell asleep and told me we were gonna be ok.

If you could, would you go back and change anything?

Yes and no. Yes, because I would have enjoyed my pregnancy so much more if I were older. Having a baby has made me grow up so fast. No, because it made me the mom I am today.

How did you feel when you told everyone?

I actually didn’t get to tell everyone. My little sister found my pregnancy test in my purse and went and told.  When I had to start saying “Yes, I am pregnant”,  it was weird at first.

Did you ever think people were gonna be disappointed in you?

Yes, I was very scared and nervous about how everyone would react.  My mom was pretty upset, but now she is happy about the young women I am. She loves her grandbaby to the moon and back.

Now that the baby is here, do you regret anything?

No, I don’t. Becoming a mom showed me life wasn’t just about yourself. If you’ve ever heard the saying, “My heart walks outside the body.” Once you are a mom, you understand it. She’s my world. Although we’ve spent many sleepless nights where I fall asleep in a rocking chair, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Do you feel disappointed in yourself?

The only thing I’m disappointed about right now is the fact that I can’t attend school because childcare is not an option for me at the moment. I think schools should be able to provide in-school daycare, so young moms don’t have to dropout. At this point, I’ve missed four days because I don’t have proper child care. I’ll soon have to do homeschool, which is something  I’ve never wanted to do. That is the only thing I’m disappointed in.