I'm Sara, I'm 18 years old,and I have a one year old daughter, Olivia. When I found out I was pregnant, John, Olivia's father, was in jail. I lived in a screwed up home, with some screwed up people. I was 16, I wanted to live, be free, drink, and be a teenager. I started winding my life together, but not as much as I should have, for preparing for a baby. Eventually one thing led to another, and then BAM! Olivia was born in May, 2009. John and I had a really rocky relationship in the past, and finally were together, in love, and never been happier. My home life sucks, so I started staying with him. Welfare made me go to school, since I had dropped out of school. I'm in school, I love school, and I can't wait to get my GED and go on to something else. I used to be a real bad person, and I finally pulled it together for my daughter. I want to be a sucessful person, and I'm working really hard to do that, but my mother, and father don't understand. I'm a great Mom, and I love being a Mom, but I need support for the next few years of my life. no one in my family has a real career, except my dad. and he never went to school to get that far. Thats what i'm trying to do, but no ones hhelping me, or supporting me. AH, I've changed for the better so much and the more I change the less people support me.

Girl, you're a total inspiration! You made it against all odds, and God wouldn't have brought you this far, to let you fall. You've got no where to go but up Hey, I'd like to be friends and chat with you. Just remember that God never let's you go through something you can't handle I'll help you and talk to you if you ever need someone. I'd really like to get to know you...congrats...you really are an inspiration!

I think what you are doing is great! You turned you life around for your baby and your parents should understand that but i guess they don't. Just keep doing what you are doing your making a life for you and your daughter. School is very important, it will help out in the long run. i hope everything turns out okay.

Hi Sara. I can relate to a lot of what you said. I was a little older than you when I fond out I was pregnant. I was 21. Like you, before I got pregnant I just wanted to be free, to party, to drink, and be young. My baby's father was the same way, even though he was 26, and unfortunately he didn't accept the challenge of parenting the way I did and I was the only one to grow up. I wish your parents were supporting you. I hope you have a lot of other people in your life who are supporting you, friends, other relatives, counselors, teachers, this community online. I never would have made it though the first 5 years of my daughter's life without all the help and kindness from my friends and family and teachers. I want to congratulate you for going back to school. It sounds like you weren't too happy about it at first, when welfare made you go back, but now you say you love it, and that is awesome! I was like that too, welfare made me go back to school and I graduated from college and now I am in graduate school. You can do anything if you believe in yourself, and I think you know that. Luckily, your daughter is going to learn that from you and form the example you are setting for her with the way you are living your life. I would love to chat with you and cheer you on. Keep up the good work with school and being a good Mom, and remember to reach out to people when you need support. I think online communities for teen moms like this are an amazing resource! Take care!

i think that if your changing for the best of you and your daughter and both of your lives then dont worry on other people. alot of people stay very naive and think its ok to do what a normal teenager would do e.g. drinking. having a child is your life and as long you show your daughter support and care your family will see how much you really have changed for yhe sake of you and your daughter. i was 14 and i had an abortion, i didnt know what else to do, i didnt tell my mum so i did the thing i dont believe in. ill regret it for the rest of my life but that changed me and made me into a better person, i do now have a daughter who is 1 week old and shes my world and my family dont support me neither, they totally against it but im doing what is right by jazmine louise and that is not having her in situations i grew up in.

Congrats for pulling yourself together for your daughter I'm also 18 expecting*dont know what if its gona be a boy or girl yet* Im definately sure that you will be successful in whatever you decide to do,as long as you keep up that mentality you have right now. The more your family sees you changing and doing your thing for the better the less their gona be around to support you, they see you as growing and their gona let you. So keep proving them that you can make it on your own, for your daughter and yourself. Sometimes you need to just figure things out for yourself and everything else will fall into place. Good luck!