NOT ROMANTIC!
I used to be confused when people would banish TV from their homes... like, what are you trying to hide from here? It's TV. It's totally just like real life!
No, No, No.
Now I am starting to see it from the other side.
I am so upset and frustrated by how the media romanticizes teen pregnancy and single motherhood. They make it look like the only tough part of parenting is trying to figure out which adorable outfit your cute little baby is going to wear for the day! They make it look like having a baby is as easy as 1-2-3, raising a child is SUPER FUN, and everything will just work itself out.
They never really address the reality of parenthood. How messy childbirth is. Postpartum depression. Never sleeping. Never getting your body back. Struggling to make ends meet. No more going out at night! Who is going to take care of your child while you work your minimum wage job? You certainly can't afford quality daycare. What about medical insurance. What if your baby is sick, what are you going to do then? I'm not even talking about having a cold sick, I'm talking about what if your baby is born with a special needs? Special needs require special care which requires extra money.
What about college? Oh yeah, your baby will just go with you to your classes and sit quietly in their beatiful stroller while you expand your mind, right? And your sweet little one will totally let you sleep well the night before your final exams. And you will totally find the time to go to college (and study) while you are trying to support yourself AND YOUR CHILD working 50 hours a week at your minimum wage job. And your minimum wage job is totally going to give you all the extra cash that you need to afford housing, food, utilities, a car, daycare, medical bills, clothes, gas, AND college.
Oh, the fabulous and romantic life of a single, teenage mother.
No, No, No.
Now I am starting to see it from the other side.
I am so upset and frustrated by how the media romanticizes teen pregnancy and single motherhood. They make it look like the only tough part of parenting is trying to figure out which adorable outfit your cute little baby is going to wear for the day! They make it look like having a baby is as easy as 1-2-3, raising a child is SUPER FUN, and everything will just work itself out.
They never really address the reality of parenthood. How messy childbirth is. Postpartum depression. Never sleeping. Never getting your body back. Struggling to make ends meet. No more going out at night! Who is going to take care of your child while you work your minimum wage job? You certainly can't afford quality daycare. What about medical insurance. What if your baby is sick, what are you going to do then? I'm not even talking about having a cold sick, I'm talking about what if your baby is born with a special needs? Special needs require special care which requires extra money.
What about college? Oh yeah, your baby will just go with you to your classes and sit quietly in their beatiful stroller while you expand your mind, right? And your sweet little one will totally let you sleep well the night before your final exams. And you will totally find the time to go to college (and study) while you are trying to support yourself AND YOUR CHILD working 50 hours a week at your minimum wage job. And your minimum wage job is totally going to give you all the extra cash that you need to afford housing, food, utilities, a car, daycare, medical bills, clothes, gas, AND college.
Oh, the fabulous and romantic life of a single, teenage mother.
Comments
Kudos to you Katie for telling it like it is! Hopefully someone is listening and knows exactly how life will be forever changed.