A common trend that isn't a fashion.

I have noticed a quite common trend surrounding younger people lately...

Teen pregnancies.

I have seen middle school and high school kids walking around with a full baby bump or pushing a carriage with infants in it.

While at work on Friday I had a customer walk in and ask me to use the bathroom. She had one of those baby carriers on her and I let her use the bathroom. After she came out she bought a water, I asked her (how ever rude it probably is) how old she was. Fifteen was her response. Her daughter- a few months old.

So since she told me her age she asked me mine and we started a conversation from there. She asked me if I had any children, I showed her a picture of Emerson. She asked me if the father was still involved, I told her we are engaged. Her child's father left her and the baby for another girl (and also got her pregnant) while she was eight months pregnant.

She then surprised me by asking me if I thought if she was a whore. I was a little taken back, but told her I didn't think she was a whore but was awfully young to have a child. She told me, she agreed. She went into detail about how she even planned on giving her daughter up for adoption because she wasn't ready or fit to be a mother yet, but her mother was opposed to her doing that.

She told me she was the oldest of five children. The youngest being only a few months older than her own child. She explained to me that she is currently taking night courses at Bridge Over Troubled Water (aka the gateway for troubled teens and adults who are unable to attend normal school) and how she takes care of the two babies during the day while her mother works and her mother cares for the five children while she attends class at night.

She proceeded to tell me her dreams and ambitions. She wants to be a nurse for the elderly. She wants to help them and learn from them. She asked me if I knew of any places that would help her start her dream. I told her of a few places that have in care day care for students that was to pursue a degree in nursing. I also told her of the Head Start program for children aged three to five that helps them prepare for preschool and kindergarten. It's free for parents who are considered in need of assistance.

She then told me how people judge her, call her names, make fun of her, and belittle her for being so young and having a child. I told her that's usually how people react when they see "a child raising a child". She told me she used to do the same thing before she was pregnant and now doesn't because she understands it now.

I had to get back to work and she needed to get home so her mom could go to work. So we exchanged emails and I told her to feel free to message me and I would talk to her through that for now.

See, I have no problem with people who want to better themselves for their families and ultimately for themselves.

I see a child who has a child and it makes me wonder why they want to have children so young.

Then I see a child who has a child, yet is doing their damnedest to not only raise that child to the best of their abilities and still trying to go to school, work, and not live off of the welfare program.

It makes me wonder why someone who is fifteen, can still get into school, raise their child, and not live off of someone else and expect another person to provide for them. I don't think I mentioned it above, but this particular fifteen year old does work part time on the weekends at a fast food place- granted it's a pretty crappy job, but she works she pays for her child's diapers, clothing, etc. Her mother buys the food, but she is still doing her best to provide for her child.

There are thousands of adults who don't even do that. There are people who have kids solely for the reason they can collect welfare, have an apartment paid for by the state, and not need to lift a damn finger to obtain it, just open their legs and let the first guy come and do his business.

Now don't get me wrong- there are people who bust their asses off and need some assistance, but they pay the welfare back through their taxes from working and I don't see anything wrong with that. It's the people who depend on others to live off of. I know a few and they make me sick.

It just seems to be a reoccurring trend for young people, babies seem to be the new Prada for them and that's a pretty sad thing all in it's own. A child is not a pet. It is not a fashion accessory. It is a living, breathing thing that depends on the people raising it to care for it, love it, and ultimately be there for it.

And some people just really don't understand that.