ARE YOU A TEEN PARENT WITH A STUDY GAP? DO YOU HAVE PARENTING RESPONSIBILITIES AND WONDERING HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL? WORRY NO MORE!
The Journey of Simona: A Teenage Parent
Simona, 20, learned the cost of leaving school the hard way. She was a bright student and had big dreams of going to the Ivy League. She led a sorted life till she accidentally got pregnant and had to marry while she was still in high school. Simona’s dreams were shattered when she could not continue with her studies and was depressed.
The road ahead was tough for her, and she had to start working at a grocery store to support herself and her unborn baby. She somehow managed her rent and food but often had to borrow money from her friends for medical expenses. Eight months later, Simona gave birth to a little angel, and she named her Hope.
Juggling Responsibilities
As days and weeks passed, Hope proliferated and became Simona’s priority. Her dreams of completing high school and attending college were shoved out of the window. Simona was juggling two jobs while parenting, exhausting herself every day. Still, she wasn’t getting paid enough due to her unfinished schooling and often thought of completing her education to get a decent-paying job. She sometimes thought of giving Hope to an adoption center and attending regular physical school. But the very idea of separation from her little angel killed her.
Discovering Light at The End of The Tunnel: Online Schooling
One fine morning, Simona discovered International Schooling while scrolling through the internet. It was a Cognia, USA-accredited American curriculum online high school offering online K12 schooling options to teen parents like her. And her happiness knew no bounds. The cherished dreams of completing high school and joining a top college in the USA were revived.
She enrolled herself immediately, and within a year, she completed two grades with a couple of Advanced Placement courses, thanks to their accelerated and flexible learning programs. Today, she is an alumnus of an Ivy League and is currently working as an investment banker with a top US firm. For Simona, all these could become possible because of affordability, accessibility, and flexibility in learning methods offered by an online school, just the way she wanted.
Teenage Parents: Facts and Challenges
Teen parents are highly vulnerable to circumstances like that of Simona. They are often not equipped and unsure of how to face the suddenly popped-up challenges like pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. Besides, their education and career prospects are severely affected, leaving them at the mercy of fate, more often than not, in this cruel world.
As per the UNICEF data, about 13 percent of adolescent girls and young women gave birth before age 18 in 2022 globally. Early childbearing derails girls’ otherwise healthy development into adulthood and has adverse impacts on their education, livelihoods, and health. Many girls are pressured or forced to drop out of school impacting their educational and employment prospects. However, teenage pregnancy and childbirth are coming down globally. For instance, as per the adolescent birth rates in the US reached a historic low of 13.5 per 1,000 females in 2022 from an alarming 61.8 in 1991.
| Year | Teenage Birth Rates in the US ( /1000 Females) |
| 1991 | 61.8 |
| 2001 | 13.9 |
| 2022 | 13.5 |
International Schooling: Empowering Teen Parent’s Futures While They Are Proudly Parenting Their Present
Teenage pregnancy is a life-altering experience. However, Simona found an opportunity in the form of International Schooling, a Cognia, USA-accredited American online school offering a homeschool option that changed the course of her life forever. The flexible learning schedule, tailored content, and expert guidance, all available 24/7 and at the click of a mouse, helped her learn and excel in her own space and time. She did not have to overlook her parenting responsibilities because of the flexibility. She could not just afford and complete her high school diploma but also went on to earn a prestigious degree from a top college later on, thus advancing her career prospects.
Like Simona, thousands of teenage parents are getting benefited every year from across the globe with an online school coming to their rescue. The One-to-One Live interactive classes and engaging content make learning easy and hassle-free. Even if there is a significant gap in your studies due to whatever reasons, you can begin learning immediately with personalized attention from internationally trained and certified teachers in your weaker areas.
Tips For the Teenage Parents Wanting to Complete Their Education
Being a teenage parent itself is a challenge, and on top of that you want to complete your education- give a pat on your back to have the idea. It’s achievable with careful planning and great determination. We shall help you out with a few tips to make the journey a bit easier. So, here are the tips you were eagerly waiting for:
Set Goals but Be Realistic:
While you are setting goals, always ask yourself how much time you have to study since parenting is a full-time job in itself, and then set your study goal for hours, days, and weeks. Take help from online platforms and AI tools to plan things for you; it will ease your burden.
Be Strict Yet Flexible:
Although you need to be a bit strict to achieve your study goals, remember it is not the end of life if you cannot complete a few tasks on your set time. Your baby may suddenly become demanding or need your immediate attention due to obvious reasons in the middle of a study schedule. Therefore, be flexible and don’t exert too much or curse yourself. Keep going with confidence because you are getting better each day.
Identify Your Support System:
It is essential to have a true friend, family member, or a study peer group to guide and support you in your learning journey. Just identify them and get in touch whenever needed. They will keep your spirits high and boost your confidence in times of low.
Select the Correct Online Program:
Here, doing a fair bit of research is crucial since you are flooded with new courses and platforms offering lucrative options. Choose them wisely according to your career goals and the results they have produced. Do a general survey and explore more of such programs before narrowing down to the best.
Take Advantage of The Available Resources:
It can be an online platform or a progress tracking feature in an app, use them to your success. If your child is old enough you also take their help for playful revisions, flashcard games, etc. It will create an atmosphere of learning with fun and laughter embedded.
Manage Your Time:
Effective management of your little amount of free time, apart from parenting struggles, is the key to success. So, while studying in an online homeschool, our advice is to curtail the length of time you spend on social media and focus on the gains by sacrificing immediate gratification.
Take care of Your Physical & Mental Health:
While staying fit is no doubt rewarding every day, managing mental stress has a lot to do with your ultimate well-being and success in life. Managing multiple tasks at once will take a toll, so try to get some time for yourself to do yoga and meditation or rejuvenate yourself by going out for a peaceful walk in nature.
Stay Motivated and Resilient:
Remember, you have only decided to achieve something, and therefore, motivation should come from within. Be persistent in your efforts and see the magic unfold in due course of time.
While nobody can bring back those beautiful years of your life or reduce the stigma attached to early parenting, you can take a detour with online schools and restart your educational journey. Teens need an inclusive atmosphere where parents, teachers, and peers should get involved in healthy discussions about sex and the use of contraception. Make the most of your teen years by making wise choices. Remember, if Simona can do it, you can also achieve your goals with the proper guidance and perseverance.
Suggested Read
- Is Homeschooling a Trend? What expert thinks about homeschooling
- Helicopter Parenting: How Does It Impact Kids?
- How To Be Emotionally Supportive For Your Kids
- 5 Strategies For Building A Growth Mindset In Your Child
- Positive Thinking Strategies For Teenagers
- Promoting Self-Regulation In Teens And Kids
- Common School Problems That Your Child Could Be Facing
- Signs Of Toxic Parenting And Ways To Overcome It
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