STUDENT INTERVIEW

How old were you when you had your first child?

"I got emancipate at age of 16 I had my first child at 16 1/2".

What made you decide to have children at a young age? "

I always loved babies, and children and wanted a family. When my parents divorced I craved
my own happy family".

3. What were some of the challenges that you faced being a parent at a young age? "
My daughter was born prematurely and had to be airlifted to a different hospital. She also
spent one month in the NICU of the hospital. This was a challenge for me because I was so
young and inexperienced, it was very challenging".

How did you cope with the difficulties of raising a child? "
Thankfully I had my mother-in-law, who helped me very much with raising my child".
5. Did you have any goals before becoming a mother that were hindered after becoming a
mother?
No doubt every parent gets stressed out as a parent; do you think that being a young parent
made the job more stressful? "Yes, because you are just so young, you get into situations
with your child, and you don't know how to handle them".
Did you have a second child while you were still in your teenage years? If so, what things
did you do differently than with your first child?
Yes I had a second child when I was 18 years old. He was a full term baby and he was
healthy, so it made things easier. I was also more confident as a parent, because I had
another child, and also because I was older".
If you could go back in time and do it all over again would you do it the same?
"No, even though I love my children with all my heart, raising them when I was that young
was a struggle. I would let myself mature and have more fun with my kids"