by Neesha Hosein

Created on: January 02, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

"A Woman's World: Life After Teen Pregnancy "

At one time or another every little girl takes a few moments to daydream about a prince charming that will capture her heart and solidify a life of "happily ever after." I was one of those little dreamers. The beautiful house, the fragrant flower garden, the wealth that pays the bills and grants wishes, and the never-ending romance alongside that perfect handsome man are all pieces of a puzzle never meant to be put together. It is amazing how one bad decision can transform those seemingly simple dreams into a waking nightmare.

After a shocking, but warranted, verdict of pregnancy during my senior year in high school that prince charming merely became "the baby's father." That beautiful dream house transformed into a one bedroom apartment downstairs from a noisy sex-driven older couple who relentlessly disturbed our sleep with chatter that, gratefully, my newborn could not comprehend. My flower garden ended up as a dying house plant that a friend gave us. Wealth was a part-time job at a pharmacy making $4.25 per hour, which barely helped keep food on the table.
The love and romance that I spent so many hours fantasizing about quickly turned into turmoil and heartache after the trials and tribulations of teen parenthood sent us racing into adulthood practically overnight. Passionate daily and nightly conversations
and stolen moments under magnificent moonlit nights turned into horrible fights and
sleeping upon a tear drenched pillow, wondering if I would ever find a light bright enough to overcome this darkness.
Society does not grant the benefit of the doubt to the young girl carrying a big belly, but rather places a stigma upon the image. Social worker, Tanya Morshed, of Dallas, Texas, said "I have been there to help pregnant teens and their families make crucial decisions about the baby's well-being."
According to Morshed there are negative situations where "families are torn apart when the baby has to be taken away from the mother and/or father if they are deemed unfit as parents. The issue then becomes finding a suitable home for the infant."
"There are also positive situations where I am able to provide helpful options and advice to a young mother," says Morshed. She also goes on to say," The ones who hold on to their babies and prosper in life are the ones who have a great support system. Family and friends are imperative to the success of a young parent."
Morshed also advises young parents to pursue their higher

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