I want to share my story as a teen mom. It all started when I was 15 (July 2004), I had met the love of my life. We started dating then months later we started having sex. (something we should not have been doing). It was kind of easy to do because I was a co-captain on the cheerleading squad and most times, we were having practice or staying over for something after school. By May of 2005, I was pregnant… still attending cheer practice and getting ready for camp. (there was no way I was going to miss cheer camp and I had worked to pay for it.) Plus, I had made up my mind that I was going to have an abortion after I got back from cheer camp. I told two people, my boyfriend of course and my best friend Rosalind (cheer captain.) In July, I went to cheer camp and participated in every class like I wasn’t pregnant. August came around and I had made an appointment at the abortion clinic. I went for my first appointment, took a test and then an ultrasound. Instead of going on to whatever was next, they took me to this office and closed the door. Then a nurse came in and told me that because I was 16weeks and 1 day, I couldn’t have one. I was crushed, I had no words. I couldn’t say anything. I knew I wasn’t prepared to be a mom; I was still a child myself. I never once thought that our actions would lead to me getting pregnant. So of course, when I got back to school, I had to tell my cheer coach, because I couldn’t cheer anymore. On January 20, 2006, four months before my high school graduation, I had my daughter, Ameer. In May 2006, I was pregnant with my SECOND child and didn’t know. So, as you can see, there was no way for me to attend college and do what most of my classmates were doing at the time. It wasn’t because I was dumb, I graduated high school with honors. It was because I was 17 years old with one child and pregnant with another. I was kicked out by my stepfather and had to move in the ‘projects’ because I had nowhere else to go. All because I wasn’t thinking about my future. My life could have gone totally different if I had my priorities in order. Yes, I do have a job, but to me it’s just that… A job. I enjoy it most days and I’m great at it, but I feel I could have accomplished a lot more by now. Teen pregnancy wasn’t the end of the world, but I know things could’ve gone a lot easier. I’d like to think it was all a part of God’s plan though. So that I can share my story in hopes that it would inspire, change lives and give hope to someone who may be going through what I had to go through. Your very first priority should be your education and your future. Mine wasn’t and because of that struggled. My message to all young girls would be to focus on getting good grades, finishing high school, then college and starting a career, businesses, etc. Make something of yourself first, you can do anything in this world that you want. Put God first in all that you do and remain in His will.
I married my then boyfriend, Rommie Daniels Jr and we raise our 3 wonderful children together. Our life is good by the grace of God and our story is still being written, because God is not done with us yet.
