Name:	Teresa
Online Name:	juleesasmomma
Country:	USA
State:	New York
Age:	18
Your Birthday:	December 2, 1981
Special Talents:	none
Hobbies:	Reading, listening to music, swimming
Where do you work?	I work from home for a manufacturing company doing research and solicitations.
Were you working when you became pregnant? If yes, doing what?	I wasn't working, but was a full-time college student.
Are you in school?	Yes, I attend John Jay College and am majoring in Criminology.
If you've graduated, what is your degree?	enter here
How old were you when you had your first child?	I was 18
Did you keep? abort? give up for adoption?:	I kept my daughter.
Was it the first time you had sex?	Nope, it wasn't.
Were you and the father a couple?	We were even though we had only been dating for a month.
Are you still together?	We are still together and engaged.
If you're not together, is the father involved? How is he involved?
Were you using protection against pregnancy? If yes, what kind?	No, we weren't.
If not, was it because you were trying to get pregnant? Please explain:	We weren't because we were trying to get pregnant. I wanted to have a baby and felt he would make a great father. Plus, he was getting up there in years and really wanted to have kids before he was 40.
Did you know how you would support the baby? Support yourself?	Yes, we did. I was going to continue with my schooling after taking a break for a semester. I go back at the end of August. Julio works full-time as a night store manager for a supermarket.
Were you using protection against STDs?	No we weren't.
How many children do you have?	We have one daughter.
What are their names, ages, birthdays?	Juleesa Christine is now 6 months old and was born on January 8, 2000.
Was the pregnancy emotionally difficult?	No it was actually emotionally easy for me.
Was the pregnancy physically difficult? i.e. were there any medical problems?	I had no ohysical or medical problems during my pregnancy.
What was/is the most difficult experience as a young mother?	The most difficult experience as a young mother is having to deal with stereotypes about teen moms and how neither we nor our children will amount to anything.
Was your family helpful/supportive?	My family was extremely helpful and supportive after getting over their initial feelings of disappointment.
Did you stay at home with your parents?	Nope. After I graduated from high school, I moved in with Julio.
Did your family help support you? The baby? Emotionally, financially, or both?	They did not have to support me since I no longer lived with them.
Do they support you now? Emotionally, financially, or both?	They do help out by watching the baby every Saturday night overnight so Julio and I can have time together.
Did/do you need public assistance? How did/does that make you feel?	I am on WIC. I don't mind being on WIC since it is there to help me and my family out.
Was the father's family involved with the pregnancy? Emotionally, financially, or both?
Did the father's family help support you? Emotionally, financially, or both?
Does the child have a relationship with the paternal Grandparents?	We live with Julio's mother. She loves spending time with the baby. However, Julio's father is no longer in his life due to a family conflict.
Do you feel accepted by people your age?	Yes I do. I was the last one out of all my friends to have a child.
Do you feel like you have it harder than people your own age without children?	No I don't.
Are you happy with the decisions you have made? (Be honest. . .it's ok to feel bad, we all do sometimes)	I'm extremely happy with my decision to have my daughter, but sometimes I wonder about my relationship with Julio.
What are your personal goals? (goals for yourself as an individual not as a mother)	I want to finish college and get my Master's degree in Social Work. I want to become a social worker, who works with either juvenile delinquents or pregnant teens or teen parents.
Have your goals changed since you became a parent?	No they haven't.
Do you feel that reaching your goals will be more difficult now that your a teen parent?	No I don't. I believe that I can do anything I put my mind to.
What would you tell a (school age) 12-18 year old girl that wanted to get pregnant?	I would tell her that she should finish high school first and then think about what she wants to do. I would ask her whether she would want to go to college or have a baby AND go to college AND get a job.
How do you think being a Young Mother has changed you?	Being a young mother has made me want to achieve my goals more now than ever.
How do you think society looks upon teen pregnancy?	Society beleives teen pregnancy is wrong and immoral. I don't understand this view since our grandparents usually were married by 14 and were having children.
Why do you think there are so many teen parents?	I think there are so many teen parents because a lot of teen girls are too scared to ask their parents to put them on birth control.
List 5 Pro's to being a teen Mother?	4 Pros are: You have someone to love you and depend on you. Their smiles warm your heart forever. My daughter motivates me to always strive for my goals. I never know what is going to happen from one day to another, but I like challenges.
List 5 Con's to being a teen Mother?:	Five Cons are: You are always responsible for someone else's life and well-being. You can't just get up and go and do things like you used to. Some of your friends ditch you. Society looks down on you like you are diseased. Life is really tough.
What do you expect to get out of being a member of Young Mothers?:	I expect to meet other young mothers and form great relationships with them.
Today's Date:	July 4, 2000