Completing Your High School Education as a Parenting Teen
By: J. Williams
As a pregnant or parenting teen, you are at an exciting time in your life because you are maturing into a young adult, but you may also face unique challenges that your friends do not face because you are embarking on the journey of parenthood. Before becoming a pregnant or parenting teen, you may have had in mind particular family, academic, or career goals. Now, you may still have those same goals, or your goals may be different. You may also have hopes for your future life with your child. Take a moment to think about your goals and dreams and the type of life you hope to be able to provide for your child. At the top of your list, you may hope to live in a safe neighborhood, to have a healthy family, and to be self-sufficient. Completing your high school education is an important first step in achieving your goals and dreams.
A high school education can help protect your future with your child. Here are a few key ways that completing your high school education can positively impact your life:
Despite the benefits of completing high school, barriers can make it a challenge for parenting teens. For example, it is not uncommon for parenting teens to experience trouble finding reliable childcare during school hours or to experience anxiety over leaving their child to attend school (SmithBattle, 2007). It is also not uncommon for parenting teens to feel stigmatized at school by their peers or teachers (Wiemann, Rickert, Berenson, & Volk, 2005) or to have trouble finding a flexible school schedule that will work with their new parenting responsibilities (SmithBattle, 2007). If you experience any of these barriers, you are not alone. Take a moment to think about any barriers that may exist to completing your high school education.
If you are finding it challenging to complete your high school education, identifying sources of social support can help you reach this goal. Take a moment to think about the people in your life who can provide support as you work toward high school graduation. You may identify a variety of different people, including your mother or another member of your family, a dating partner, a close friend, a teacher or other school personnel, a health care provider, or a youth development professional in your community (Letourneau, Stewart, & Barnfather, 2004). The people who can provide you social support may help you in a variety of ways. For example, they may provide you with important information, reassure you when you are uncertain, provide you emotional support when you struggle with an issue, or provide you with help on specific tasks or activities, such as caring for your child when you are doing homework (Letourneau et al., 2004).
Once you identify the people in your life that can provide you support, think of specific ways that they can help you overcome the barriers to finishing your high school education. Here are a few ideas on how to overcome common barriers experienced by parenting teens:
In addition to the above ideas, your school counselor can be an important source of information and guidance. Consider meeting with your counselor to discuss the resources available for pregnant and parenting teens in your school and community. Here are a few topics to cover during the meeting: school-based health clinics; courses on parenting education, child development, and financial planning; alternative high school placement or home schooling opportunities; tutoring and study periods; college readiness and advising; and career planning (Freudenberg & Ruglis, 2007; SmithBattle, 2007). Even if your school does not offer some of the resources that could help you complete high school, your counselor may know how you can access those resources in your community or may be able to connect you with a youth development professional in your community that can help.
Here are a few online resources where you can obtain additional information:
References
Freudenberg, N., & Ruglis, J. (2007). Reframing school dropout as a public health issue. Preventing Chronic Disease, 4(4), 1-11. Retrieved November 12, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2007/oct/pdf/07_0063.pdf
Letourneau, N. L., Stewart, M. J., & Barnfather, A. K. (2004). Adolescent mothers: Support needs, resources, and support-education interventions. Journal of Adolescent Health, 35, 509-525. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.01.007
SmithBattle, L. (2007). “I wanna have a good future” Teen mothers’ rise in educational aspirations, competing demands, and limited school support. Youth & Society, 38, 348-371. doi:10.1177/0044118X06287962
Wiemann, C. M., Rickert, V. I., Berenson, A. B., & Volk, R. J. (2005). Are pregnant adolescents stigmatized by pregnancy? Journal of Adolescent Health, 36, 352.e1-352.e7. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.06.006
A high school education can help protect your future with your child. Here are a few key ways that completing your high school education can positively impact your life:
- Finishing your high school education can help you obtain better employment so that you can support yourself and your growing family;
- Pursuing your education can help you learn heath-related information, help you take control of your life and your future, and allow you to interact with your peers and build social support networks; and
- Completing your high school education can also help you to earn more money, which can provide you the ability to buy healthier food for you and your child, the ability to afford to rent or buy a home in a safer neighborhood, and the ability to purchase health insurance and health care services for you and your child (Freudenberg & Ruglis, 2007).
Despite the benefits of completing high school, barriers can make it a challenge for parenting teens. For example, it is not uncommon for parenting teens to experience trouble finding reliable childcare during school hours or to experience anxiety over leaving their child to attend school (SmithBattle, 2007). It is also not uncommon for parenting teens to feel stigmatized at school by their peers or teachers (Wiemann, Rickert, Berenson, & Volk, 2005) or to have trouble finding a flexible school schedule that will work with their new parenting responsibilities (SmithBattle, 2007). If you experience any of these barriers, you are not alone. Take a moment to think about any barriers that may exist to completing your high school education.
If you are finding it challenging to complete your high school education, identifying sources of social support can help you reach this goal. Take a moment to think about the people in your life who can provide support as you work toward high school graduation. You may identify a variety of different people, including your mother or another member of your family, a dating partner, a close friend, a teacher or other school personnel, a health care provider, or a youth development professional in your community (Letourneau, Stewart, & Barnfather, 2004). The people who can provide you social support may help you in a variety of ways. For example, they may provide you with important information, reassure you when you are uncertain, provide you emotional support when you struggle with an issue, or provide you with help on specific tasks or activities, such as caring for your child when you are doing homework (Letourneau et al., 2004).
Once you identify the people in your life that can provide you support, think of specific ways that they can help you overcome the barriers to finishing your high school education. Here are a few ideas on how to overcome common barriers experienced by parenting teens:
- Check into whether your school offers on-campus childcare or whether you qualify for subsidized childcare so that you do not have to worry about reliable childcare while you are at school;
- Talk with your school counselor about creating a course schedule with enough flexibility to allow you to maintain a part-time job so that you can better balance your work and school responsibilities;
- Ask one of your family members to be the one to get up at night with your baby a couple nights a week so that you will not be as tired in class;
- Ask your child’s other parent to watch your child 1 hour on three evenings during the week so that you can focus on your homework during that time; and
- Ask any of your child’s grandparents to watch your child 1 hour on one or two other evenings to allow additional uninterrupted time for your homework.
In addition to the above ideas, your school counselor can be an important source of information and guidance. Consider meeting with your counselor to discuss the resources available for pregnant and parenting teens in your school and community. Here are a few topics to cover during the meeting: school-based health clinics; courses on parenting education, child development, and financial planning; alternative high school placement or home schooling opportunities; tutoring and study periods; college readiness and advising; and career planning (Freudenberg & Ruglis, 2007; SmithBattle, 2007). Even if your school does not offer some of the resources that could help you complete high school, your counselor may know how you can access those resources in your community or may be able to connect you with a youth development professional in your community that can help.
Here are a few online resources where you can obtain additional information:
- www.birthright.org —This site provides support to women experiencing unintended pregnancies, including pregnancy testing, emotional support, and maternity clothing;
- http://www.girlsinc.org/ —This site provides information to help adolescent females develop into strong, independent, and self-sufficient young women;
- http://www.healthyteennetwork.org/ —This site provides information on teen pregnancy and parenting as well as other health-related topics;
- http://kidshealth.org/ —This site provides information on many health-related topics, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs), birth control, and advice on how to tell your parents you are pregnant;
- http://www.parentsasteachers.org/ —This site provides information and support for parents focused on improving their child’s development starting at birth and continuing to kindergarten; and
- http://www.plannedparenthood.org/ —This site provides information on STIs, birth control, pregnancy, and other women’s health issues.
References
Freudenberg, N., & Ruglis, J. (2007). Reframing school dropout as a public health issue. Preventing Chronic Disease, 4(4), 1-11. Retrieved November 12, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2007/oct/pdf/07_0063.pdf
Letourneau, N. L., Stewart, M. J., & Barnfather, A. K. (2004). Adolescent mothers: Support needs, resources, and support-education interventions. Journal of Adolescent Health, 35, 509-525. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.01.007
SmithBattle, L. (2007). “I wanna have a good future” Teen mothers’ rise in educational aspirations, competing demands, and limited school support. Youth & Society, 38, 348-371. doi:10.1177/0044118X06287962
Wiemann, C. M., Rickert, V. I., Berenson, A. B., & Volk, R. J. (2005). Are pregnant adolescents stigmatized by pregnancy? Journal of Adolescent Health, 36, 352.e1-352.e7. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.06.006