Letters to My Daughter: Real Life Struggles of a Teenage Mother

Journal Entries from a teenage mother to her daughter. A real life story of the struggles of one mother's journey through adulthood to make the right choices while teaching her daughter to be strong and confident:

November 30th 1997

Dear Daughter, that feels crazy to say. Daughter.  Me a mother. I’m not even eighteen years old yet, but I’m going to be a mom. I don’t even know if you will be a girl, but daughter just feels right.  Oh my god! How do I tell my mother? How am I going to tell her I am having a baby when I haven’t even finished high school yet? Will she be mad? I don’t think so, that is not who my mom is, but she could be disappointed.  I don’t want to make her disappointed in me ever.

How did this happen? I mean I know how this happened, but why did it happen now. I just went to the doctor to get on the pill and was waiting for my period but it never came. I have terrible luck. I mean who the hell goes to the doctor to get on birth control only to already be pregnant? Me, that’s who. It must have been too early to detect by the test. What will he say? Will he still want to date me? Will he tell me to get rid of you? That he does not want to be a dad. That is not happening. But what will I do now? What will we do now? It’s not just about me anymore, is it? I guess we are in this together, you and me. I’m still in shock. This is the last thing I thought would ever happen to me.  I mean, I don’t even like kids. They are so annoying.

How do I do this? Can I do this?

I’m strong. I can do this.

We can do this, right?

There are so many thoughts running through my mind right now, like what will people think? This town is so small and everybody talks. This will be a hot topic around town. And what about college? I just applied. How am I going to make it through college with an infant? How am I going to afford to raise you? Oh my god, there are so many things to think about. This is so scary. One thing I do know for sure is that I am going to love you and I will be a good mom. I won’t let us down. Things will be okay. Love Mom