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[October 2, 2002] -
The United States has more teenage mothers than any other country. Half of them will never finish high school. One program in Lincoln is trying to change that statistic. "Statewide’s" Andrea Gallagher takes us inside the Lincoln High School's in-school daycare program. |
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Transcript of Teen Moms
[Andrea Gallagher]
The United States has more teenage mothers than any other country. Half of them will never finish high school. One program in Lincoln is trying to change that statistic. Statewide's Andrea Gallagher takes us inside the Lincoln High in-school daycare program.
Having a baby is never easy...there's a mouth to constantly feed, never-ending diapers to change, and sleep for the parents becomes a luxury. But imagine trying to do it alone and when you're only a teenager.
[Lacey Tische/Teen Mother]
I wish I never thought about having a kid at this age, but I did.
[Andrea]
Lacey Tische is a Lincoln High student who recently became a teen mother….she says juggling her academic responsibilities with motherhood is hard work. She misses her former life.
[Lacey]
I can't go out and party, I can't spend time with my friends, so it's like I'm basically homebound. The only time I get to go out is with his dad or my family.
[Andrea]
Lacey and other teen mothers at Lincoln High are taking advantage of the school's daycare program….in addition to the daycare facility, the mothers have to attend parenting classes as well. The goal is for them to stay in school and graduate, when they otherwise might drop out.
[Lacey]
It's wonderful, so we can get our homework done and stuff, we can just have, like, come up here for the lunch hour and spend time with the kids and stuff.
[JoAnn Bartek]
There's a number of students who I know would not be in school if we didn't have this program. They would've had their child or they would've dropped out, even without having a child. This provides them a good support where they can meet that goal.
[Andrea]
JoAnn Bartek has been in charge of the program since it started up 10 years ago. She says there will always be people opposed to having a program like this in the public school system, but she defends it by saying the kids will be better parents than if the program did not exist.
[JoAnn]
Our philosophy is we are here to help the students develop those parenting skills and the bonding with their child...encourage them to go to their classes, we monitor that, they can't spend all day in here, but the fact we have class and community activities to encourage that parent-child interaction.
[Andrea]
Quitina Mitchell is the mother of 1-year old Annamarie. She says her life changed drastically.
[Quitina Mitchell]
Everything I do now revolves around her, when she's sick I gotta be able to leave and take her to the doctor...if it wasn't for the center, I'd probably be in a lot of trouble.
[Andrea]
Unlike Lacey, Quitina doesn't miss the high school party scene - she's content staying home with little Annamarie.
[Quitina]
I don't feel any different because I just say I have something else more important to do than to go out and party, to do anything else, I get to spend time with my child, watch her develop, walk, talk, that's important to me.
[Andrea]
Other mothers are still having a tough time adjusting to their new roles.
[Michelle Boerger/Teen Mother]
It's hard to get used to waking up and feeding them all the time, and when they get sick it's hard to take care of them because you don't know what to do.
[Andrea]
Michelle says she didn't do much babysitting before she had her own - and she didn't even like kids very much. She doesn't regret having her child, but she still has to make sacrifices.
[Michelle]
I went out and got a job, I really don't like working, but I did it for him.
[Andrea]
The older kids take part in music class with their parents so they can sing, dance and learn different things. Elainea Perez-Bahr says her son Izayiah especially enjoys this part of class. She was doing worse in school before she was pregnant. But now she's doing better because her goal is to graduate.
[Elainea]
When I first found out I was pregnant, I like regretted it a lot, but when he came and everything and now he's like really smart and I don't know, I feel weird without him when he's not alone and everything, but I don't think he's a mistake at all.
[Andrea]
She and Izayiah recently moved into their own apartment...she also got a job at McDonald's and is supposed to graduate next year. But none of it is easy for her.
[Elainea]
I missed out on a lot, like my friends graduated and I couldn't go see them and they're all doing all kinds of things and I can't, like last summer everyone was doing all kinds of things and I couldn't because I had to stay with my baby, and when he's sick I can't do nothing and I miss out on school.
[Andrea]
Elainea says she still relies on her parents for some things, but also admits she's matured a lot in the past couple years. She wants to someday be a delivery room nurse.
[Elainea]
I think I've grown up a lot because I would still be running around, probably not even trying to graduate school, I wouldn't have had my own house, my own car, or job or anything.
[Andrea]
Chris Hyman doesn't attend Lincoln High School, but will occasionally stop by because his mother-in-law is one of the teachers here. However, he fits in well. HE was a father for the first time at age 17 and again at 19. He now has sole custody of Nathaniel and Christopher - but warns others - think before you act.
[Chris Hyman/Father]
It'll definitely change your life so think about the consequences before you do something and it's something my mom always told me to do and I never did and it's like - hey - I need to start thinking about what I'm going to do because it won't only affect me, but my two kids also.
[Andrea]
This daycare program isn't free…the parents have to either pay out of their pocket, or qualify for childcare reimbursement through the state.
The program itself is supported by grants from the state, the school district and other donors. JoAnn says it's a constant challenge to prove that this program is necessary so the funding continues. However, her greatest challenge is pushing the students to succeed. When they do, she says it's all worth the effort.
[JoAnn]
When we look at our students here who have made some great decisions and are moving ahead or we find some of our students who have graduated and find some of the successes they have had, and almost always say if it hadn't been for this program, they wouldn't have been able to accomplish that. It's a great feeling of joy and satisfaction - makes all the struggles worthwhile.
[Andrea]
The teen mothers at Lincoln High face a challenging future….and even though they love their children, they do offer some warnings to other teens who are thinking about it or already having sex.
[Quitina Mitchell]
If you don't want kids and you don't feel like you have the patience for them, then don't go out and do something you will regret.
[Elainea]
Wear condoms, use birth control, if you are pregnant - tell somebody about it because if you wait too long, something can happen.
[Lacey]
Well I learned you just gotta be more responsible and just be a parent.
[Andrea]
Last year in Nebraska, teen mothers gave birth to more than 2400 babies. Even though nationally - teen birth rates are declining, JoAnn says -there will always be a need for this program in Lincoln.
[JoAnn]
We would hope the amount of teen pregnancy would go down, I don't know that's going to happen, but we will probably always have young people who are parenting and pregnant and at least through this program, there's an opportunity for them to go to school.
[Andrea]
Going to school and graduating and then - getting a good job is the ultimate goal for most of these women…so they can provide for their children. Reporting for Statewide, I'm Andrea Gallagher.