should be working out but going to jump on my soap box instead...

if jeff reads this title he will think this entry is about MY rant, outcry, opinion or disgust with the health care problem/political debate...it is not.

while feeding mari i do what i usually do and check face"crack", i mean facebook to see what is the latest in status updates because what else is there to do with a baby attached to a boob.

a young mother herself has moved from the ftw area to a east coast location and in her new location notices that there are not as many young mothers like herself. now her wording may have been where the negative comments began, however, she was merely pointing out the growing trend in young unwed mothers. sorry people, but it is TRUE and statistics show it follows demographics, religious beliefs and some areas of our country see more...young girls are not as concerned about unprotected sex as they once were and there is not as much fear of being a young mother.....

in my own experience i am the oldest daughter of a young mother (single most of my growing up years), the sister of one very young mother, the sister of a semi-young mother and my own best friend entered parenthood just out of high school. * i personally choose to wait until my later years to become a parent but i made many a hard choices in my younger years to emotionally and physically support sister and be there for my friend.

for me, i wanted to graduate college, i was the first from my mother's side of the family to do so. i also, watched the hardships my mother endured as a young single mother and how it reflected on mine and my sisters childhood. i wanted to do things differently....i wanted the "all american family". i wanted to be able to financially support myself and know i would never look to someone else for my next meal or to pay my rent.

so for me, i graduated college, worked several jobs and supported myself through this experience. i almost married at a young age and often reflect on where i would be if i had done so. i would not be who i am today, nor do i believe i would be in that marriage. so many experiences during my 20's have made me who i am today....i am not as cold hearted, angry or judgemental as i was in my younger years. i looked for and found a love i had never known with my husband. i travelled and established some financial security....BUT it is because of the hard years i withstood as a child that encouraged this choice.

i have seen many young mothers work hard and love their children through those years while still trying to find themselves. and i have seen some fail and continue to as they never grew up enough to put their children first.

i believe whether it is a religious belief, personal experience or the fear of STD's we need to talk to our young people about unprotected sex. as the mother of three girls i certainly want to raise three strong, educated young women who will think before they act. i don't yet know the best way to achieve this.....but, i believe a strong relationship with both jeff and i is the first step. i also believe there is no reason for teenagers to be grown ups....

my point is most young parents truly love their children and could not image life without them. but, it is okay to admit being a young parent is tough and at times extremely difficult. not that parenting at 34 is easy but i believe i have different advantages with my age. it is up to us to encourage young people to achieve financial and emotional security before making choices that can lead to young parenthood. YOUNG PEOPLE....ENJOY LIFE, FIND YOURSELF, BUILD FINANCIAL SECURITY ...YOU HAVE A LIFETIME TO START A FAMILY!

*my best friend stood strong as a young mother, one of the only to finish her senior year of high school, go to prom and walk across the stage at 7 months pregnant. she choose to work hard to support herself and son instead of entering a bad marriage. she waited and found her prince charming. at that time it was more common for girls to quit school vs being seen at school pregnant. she is also the mother of two toddlers now with a teenage son, i believe she would be the first to say those early years were difficult and that she is very grateful to be able to stay home to raise her children. and that parenting is totally different when you older, more financially stable and wiser but she would not trade any of it for her son.

personal disclaimer......i was drunk while posting this............not really, but if i offended you please tell yourself it was the bottle of wine i had for breakfast...........not really, but if it makes you feel better i am crazy.............well, that is yet to be completely true, only slightly and it depends on the amount of coffee, chocolate and alcohol flowing through my blood.