If that's how we became a parent then we would make sure that we were ready to be a parent before we put in our money! There would be no ... "Surprise! You're going to have a baby!"
If you are a teenager who has become sexually involved, it is probably NOT because you are ready to be a parent. And for you, like most other teens, discovering that you are pregnant would create a major crisis-and not just for you, but for your family and friends as well! Your reaction might be... "How could this be happening to me? I'm not ready to have a baby!"
You know, accepting responsibility for the choices you make is important, but total responsibility for a baby is too much for most teens to handle! No one should expect you to have the emotional maturity (Hey, its tough enough to look out for your own needs!) and financial resources (big bucks!) that it takes to do a good job parenting. It's just UNREALISTIC!
It is important for every teen involved in a pregnancy to know that they don't have to become a teenage parent!
The point is-you have some very important choices to make that will affect many lives for generations to come.
You owe it to yourself-and your baby-to get all the facts before making a firm decision to parent your baby just because you got pregnant.
There is a way to provide for your baby's needs without taking on the overwhelming responsibilities of parenting. It is called... Adoption! Here are a few of the questions you may have about adoption:
Q. Who is involved in making the decision to choose adoption?
A. A?? The decision belongs to you, but there are many people who are affected by your pregnancy and the outcome. Obviously, your parents are going to need to be involved since your decision will affect their lives. They probably will have strong feelings about what they think is best, and you may or may not agree with them. Your counselor at Life For Kids can help both you and your parents work through your differences and make a good plan.
Your friends will probably have advice for you and it can get very confusing. The most important thing to remember is that you are the one who will be living with this decision, and not them.
Also, the father of your baby is affected by your decision. It may be difficult for you to talk about it with him, too. Having a counselor to answer all his questions will help in gaining his support.
Q. How can a mother who "loves" her baby make an adoption Plan?
A. "Love" is a powerful feeling that can sometimes be confused with our need to hold on to someone. Remember, feeling "love" (and action on it sexually) is what caused the pregnancy! There is a greater love than the kind of love that wants to "hold on at any cost." It is the kind of love that makes you able to get through the pain of "letting go" because you want your baby to have what you are not able to provide.
At Life For Kids, your counselor can help you and your family prepare for this, and will be there for you through it all. There will be a good feeling that comes with knowing you have made a good decision.
Q. How can I know my baby will be in a good home?
A. Of course it is important for you to know that your baby is in the very best home that can be found! That is what it means to be a good "birthparent." And that is why adoptive parents are carefully screened at Life For Kids to meet the highest standards. We place babies only with Christian families who are emotionally, financially, and spiritually stable.
If it is important to you to meet the family that you have chosen, this can be arranged. You will also receive pictures and letters after the baby is placed with the family. Some adoptive families and birthparents choose to have an ongoing relationship.
Q. Can I receive help with medical expenses?
A. Yes. If you have made a firm adoption decision, medical costs can be passed on the adoptive family through the agency. We all want you to have good medical care. (Of course, if you decided to parent your baby, then you would be responsible for your own medical expenses.)
Considering adoption is a very mature thing to do when you are involved in a teen pregnancy.
You can get free information and help at:
Life For Kids
CHRISTIAN ADOPTION SERVICES
(407)629-KIDS
P.S. You may never need this information yourself, but someone you know might. Pass it along!
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