| Name: | Cindy |
| Country: | USA |
| State: | Arizona |
| Age: | 19 yrs old |
| Hobbies: | Surfing the web for freebies and talking to friends |
| Where do you work? | Pizza place as a dough person but only on Sundays |
| Were you working when you became pregnant? If yes, doing what? | No, not legal yet |
| Are you in school? | Yes, I'm going to DeVry institute of technology |
| If you've graduated, what is your degree? | I graduated from High School but not from DeVry yet |
| How old were you when you had your first child? | 16 going to 17 |
| Did you keep? abort? give up for adoption?: | I kept my darling |
| Was it the first time you had sex? | Yep |
| Were you and the father a couple? | Yes were at the time |
| Are you still together? | Nope, thank goodness |
| If you're not together, is the father involved? How is he involved? | He tries but he makes it difficult on me |
| Were you using protection against pregnancy? If yes, what kind? | NO, I wanted to get pregnant so we tried and I did |
| If not, was it because you were trying to get pregnant? Please explain: | Ye |
| Did you know how you would support the baby? Support yourself? | Silly me I thought my parents would help me |
| Were you using protection against STDs? | No, I trusted him completely |
| How many children do you have? | I have 2 little boys |
| What are their names, ages, birthdays? | My oldest is Louis, he's 2 yrs old and his birthday is February 5,1997 and my youngest is C.J. and he's 9 months old and his birthday is February 7, 1999 |
| Was the pregnancy emotionally difficult? | My first one was because of the father |
| Was the pregnancy physically difficult? i.e. were there any medical problems? | Not really although he was 4 wks premature, my first one |
| What was/is the most difficult experience as a young mother? | Seeing your friends go because they treat you like an outcast or something |
| Was your family helpful/supportive? | Most definately |
| Did you stay at home with your parents? | No, I moved in with the father |
| Did your family help support you? The baby? Emotionally, financially, or both? | They gave me lunch money for school because the father wouldn't |
| Do they support you now? Emotionally, financially, or both? | They love my kids but I'm financially stable now. They do babysit sometimes and that helps |
| Did/do you need public assistance? How did/does that make you feel? | yeah, medical assistance |
| Was the father's family involved with the pregnancy? Emotionally, financially, or both? | Somewhat |
| Did the father's family help support you? Emotionally, financially, or both? | Not my first one, they only helped him cheat on me but my second my husband's family did a lot for us |
| Does the child have a relationship with the paternal Grandparents? | Not my first one Louis, but both of them do have my husbands parents |
| Do you feel accepted by people your age? | Sometimes, like as soon as they know my status some back off others don't really care |
| Do you feel like you have it harder than people your own age without children? | Sometimes but I'm pretty sure they have a hard time with something I'll never get to do |
| Are you happy with the decisions you have made? (Be honest. . .it's ok to feel bad, we all do sometimes) | I am so far because I have a beautiful loving family and I'm grateful for that/TD> |
| What are your personal goals? (goals for yourself as an individual not as a mother) | To see everything in this world before I die and have a little fun |
| Have your goals changed since you became a parent? | Only the dates *S* |
| Do you feel that reaching your goals will be more difficult now that your a teen parent? | No but it will be longer |
| What would you tell a (school age) 12-18 year old girl that wanted to get pregnant? | Actually, I would ask them "Have you done everything you wished for in your life?" that usually gets them thinking |
| How do you think being a Young Mother has changed you? | I feel that I became a stronger more independent person |
| How do you think society looks upon teen pregnancy? | I think they see it as stupidity from what I've gotten |
| Why do you think there are so many teen parents? | I think it starts at home basically |
| List 5 Pro's to being a teen Mother? | You'll still be young when they grow up, You'll live to see your grandchildren and maybe you're great grandchildren, They'll leave home quicker(hopefully) that's all I could think of |
| List 5 Con's to being a teen Mother?: | You lose your teenage years, you lose your freedom, you lose respect, That's all to me |
| What do you expect to get out of being a member of Young Mothers?: | To meet people in my same position and to be accepted |
| Today's Date: | December 2, 1999 |