Ethnographic Study
Everyone experiences hardships, they are a part of life. How you handle hardships, can permit you to overcome or give up. I have had a number of hardships in my life. The one hardship that brought about a time of change and transitioning, in my life, is when I found myself 16 and pregnant. This paper will follow my struggles and successes and how becoming a mother at the age of 16 has forever shaped my life.
In the summer of 1996, spending time with my boyfriend and hanging with friends were the highlights of my life. Everything changed for me in the fall of 1996. I had just entered the eleventh grade and dating, at the time, the love of my life. I felt that things were getting serious between us. Sleeping together would be the next step in our …show more content…
She showed concern and support for me. Since the age of 8, when my parents divorced, it has been my mother and I. She was my source of strength and understanding.
My mother’s support became my perseverance. She encouraged me to graduate high school and go on to college. Pregnancy and parenthood are key reason girls drop out of school, this affects thirty percent. The rates are higher amongst Afro American girls (38%). (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014) My mother did not want me to fall into this category.
Although my mother gave her support, others in my family did not. My father was very disappointed when he found out I was pregnant. Our relationship had already been strained, because of the divorce. My pregnancy just added to the strain of forming a bond with my father. Having support and encouragement from fathers or other male figures raises children’s self-worth. This leads to better social functioning and achievement in school. (Coley, 1998) Determination became a motivation for me, I was determined to make my father proud of me. I was determined to have a better relationship with my
Everyone experiences hardships, they are a part of life. How you handle hardships, can permit you to overcome or give up. I have had a number of hardships in my life. The one hardship that brought about a time of change and transitioning, in my life, is when I found myself 16 and pregnant. This paper will follow my struggles and successes and how becoming a mother at the age of 16 has forever shaped my life.
In the summer of 1996, spending time with my boyfriend and hanging with friends were the highlights of my life. Everything changed for me in the fall of 1996. I had just entered the eleventh grade and dating, at the time, the love of my life. I felt that things were getting serious between us. Sleeping together would be the next step in our …show more content…
She showed concern and support for me. Since the age of 8, when my parents divorced, it has been my mother and I. She was my source of strength and understanding.
My mother’s support became my perseverance. She encouraged me to graduate high school and go on to college. Pregnancy and parenthood are key reason girls drop out of school, this affects thirty percent. The rates are higher amongst Afro American girls (38%). (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014) My mother did not want me to fall into this category.
Although my mother gave her support, others in my family did not. My father was very disappointed when he found out I was pregnant. Our relationship had already been strained, because of the divorce. My pregnancy just added to the strain of forming a bond with my father. Having support and encouragement from fathers or other male figures raises children’s self-worth. This leads to better social functioning and achievement in school. (Coley, 1998) Determination became a motivation for me, I was determined to make my father proud of me. I was determined to have a better relationship with my