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Challenges Of A Teenage Single Mother
from: Karlie BestlerAs a teenage single mother, you will face many challenges and struggles. Research shows that teenage single mothers are more likely to drop out of high school than a girl who does not get pregnant during high school. One recent study found that 41% of teen moms graduated from high school, compared to 61% of girls from similar backgrounds who did not get pregnant and give birth.
One of the greatest challenges of teenage single mothers is supporting yourself and your baby. Raising a baby can be very expensive. Paying for diapers, formula, clothes, and other child care necessities can be a strain on any budget. As a working teenage single mother, you're much less likely to find a job that offers steady wages and adequate benefits.
Research has shown that within 5 years of giving birth, 75% of teenage single mothers must rely on government programs single mothers can apply for financial assistance. A child born to a teenage girl who has dropped out of high school is 10 times more likely to be living in poverty by his/her 8th birthday.
Even if you have younger siblings or have done babysitting and have some experience with children, raising an infant can be a challenging task. As a teen mom, you may not have the parenting skills that an older woman would have. If your baby's father isn't in the picture and your parents are not supportive of your pregnancy, it can be very difficult to deal with the responsibility of caring for a newborn entirely on your own.
Other challenges of teenage single mothers have lasting consequences. Although the stigma of unplanned teenage pregnancy has eased in recent years, many women say they continue to be perceived as immature and irresponsible by older mothers. Once your baby starts school, you may find it hard to make friends with mothers who are 10 to 15 years older than you.
There is also evidence that teenage mothers are less likely to marry than women who wait to have children. Although many pregnant teenage girls want to marry their partners, only 20% of teen moms will wed the father of their child. Teen single mothers often find it difficult to juggle dating and life as a single parent and thus have a hard time finding a suitable mate.
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