The gentle fuss of crying cuts into quiet study time.
An infant awakes from a nap that should have lasted all night. It’s time to put down the math book and try to get the baby back to sleep.
After years of declines, teen parents have become an increasing statistic. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported a 5 percent increase in pregnancies for teens 15 to 17 years old between 2004 and 2008. Among the numbers, at least 10 LHS students are living life as students and parents.
“In the morning, I wake up at 5:30,” TaSheena Tyson, a December graduate, said of her son who was born in September. “I give him a bath, get him ready and then I feed him, and he just goes back to sleep. And then I take a shower and get myself ready. Then I put him in the car seat and give him to my mom so she can take him to daycare. After school I go get him and I sit there until my mom comes to get me.”
For teen parents, managing to get much done can be a challenge, but these students say they find a way.
“I’m up late at night till about 11 or 12,” said Hank Marshall, who graduated in December and has a son.
In addition to being a parent and managing school, these young adults have other things on their minds, too. Tyson worries that money and housing will be an obstacle in the future.
Marshall agreed.
“Money gets tight sometimes,” he said.
Despite the challenges, sophomore Floyd White has high expectations for himself after becoming a father in February.
“I don’t want my son to grow up with the same stuff I had to grow up with,” White said. “I want to make a better life for him.”
A Helping Hand
Although these parents have extra challenges, they have support. Parents at Lawrence High and Free State have a support group. Parents as Teachers, led by Michelle McLenon, meets during seminar to give students practical parenting advice.
“Twenty years ago, Lawrence Parents as Teachers recognized a need for a specialized group for pregnant and parenting young adults,” McLenon explained. “Staying with the National Center Parents as Teachers philosophy, all babies are born learners and parents play a critical role from the beginning in determining what their children will become. We developed group meetings at the high schools to assist the pregnant and parenting students in their journey through parenthood.”
Through the group, students can obtain certain information that they might not otherwise. It also provides “a safe and confidential environment to actively share both difficult and challenging issues as well as celebrating successes as a high school parent,” McLenon said.
LHS parents said they value the support.
“The seminar group really helps me out,” White said. “It gives me a lot of information about how to take care of my son, and it also helped me find dad support groups that I can go to.”
Not having any support groups for fathers or mothers could create additional challenges.
“Let’s face it, being a parent is tough,” McLenon said. “When you’re a young adult parent you also have to juggle school, work and spending time with your friends. Having a strong support system in place can help make things a little easier for young adults.“
Daddy Time
Schools are working to provide additional supports for fathers to encourage them to stay involved with their children.
School counselor David Raney traveled to Chicago for three days and took a class specifically designed for fathers called “Conscious Fathering.” He has proceeded to teach this class to young fathers and fathers in general in the Lawrence High population.
“It’s a research based, curriculum based education related to fathers in helping teach them to nurture and bond with their child,” Raney said. “It’s really for first-time fathers and for guys that haven’t been exposed to babies. It’s giving them basic tools. It’s teaching them to swaddle and change diapers.”
Some teen fathers have been curious about a class that can help them with the stresses of being a father.
“(This class is) really to give them tools to decrease their stress and give them tools to manage their own stress and being able to respond to their child’s needs accordingly,“ Raney said.
Gayle Anderson, who works with Parents as Teachers, said teen dads are becoming more involved in their children’s lives.
“Because of the technology and social media, we are tracking more and more professional programs and groups that are supporting dads and father-figures as significant and valuable in the growth, development and well-being of young children, “ Anderson said.
Another activity for teen dads called “Dad Days,” will take place June 13 to 17. During the event, KU football coach Turner Gill and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts will speak.
A lot of teen dads have changed their view on things and are beginning to “use their voices,” Anderson said.
Overall, being a parent is overwhelming enough, but doing it as a teenager in high school can make it that much harder. Still, parents said they’re taking challenges as they come.
“Having a baby doesn’t stop your life, it keeps it going forward, really,” Marshall said.
The gentle fuss of crying cuts into quiet study time.
An infant awakes from a nap that should have lasted all night. It’s time to put down the math book and try to get the baby back to sleep.
After years of declines, teen parents have become an increasing statistic. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported a 5 percent increase in pregnancies for teens 15 to 17 years old between 2004 and 2008. Among the numbers, at least 10 LHS students are living life as students and parents.
“In the morning, I wake up at 5:30,” TaSheena Tyson, a December graduate, said of her son who was born in September. “I give him a bath, get him ready and then I feed him, and he just goes back to sleep. And then I take a shower and get myself ready. Then I put him in the car seat and give him to my mom so she can take him to daycare. After school I go get him and I sit there until my mom comes to get me.”
For teen parents, managing to get much done can be a challenge, but these students say they find a way.
“I’m up late at night till about 11 or 12,” said Hank Marshall, who graduated in December and has a son.
In addition to being a parent and managing school, these young adults have other things on their minds, too. Tyson worries that money and housing will be an obstacle in the future.
Marshall agreed.
“Money gets tight sometimes,” he said.
Despite the challenges, sophomore Floyd White has high expectations for himself after becoming a father in February.
“I don’t want my son to grow up with the same stuff I had to grow up with,” White said. “I want to make a better life for him.”
A Helping Hand
Although these parents have extra challenges, they have support. Parents at Lawrence High and Free State have a support group. Parents as Teachers, led by Michelle McLenon, meets during seminar to give students practical parenting advice.
“Twenty years ago, Lawrence Parents as Teachers recognized a need for a specialized group for pregnant and parenting young adults,” McLenon explained. “Staying with the National Center Parents as Teachers philosophy, all babies are born learners and parents play a critical role from the beginning in determining what their children will become. We developed group meetings at the high schools to assist the pregnant and parenting students in their journey through parenthood.”
Through the group, students can obtain certain information that they might not otherwise. It also provides “a safe and confidential environment to actively share both difficult and challenging issues as well as celebrating successes as a high school parent,” McLenon said.
LHS parents said they value the support.
“The seminar group really helps me out,” White said. “It gives me a lot of information about how to take care of my son, and it also helped me find dad support groups that I can go to.”
Not having any support groups for fathers or mothers could create additional challenges.
“Let’s face it, being a parent is tough,” McLenon said. “When you’re a young adult parent you also have to juggle school, work and spending time with your friends. Having a strong support system in place can help make things a little easier for young adults.“
Daddy Time
Schools are working to provide additional supports for fathers to encourage them to stay involved with their children.
School counselor David Raney traveled to Chicago for three days and took a class specifically designed for fathers called “Conscious Fathering.” He has proceeded to teach this class to young fathers and fathers in general in the Lawrence High population.
“It’s a research based, curriculum based education related to fathers in helping teach them to nurture and bond with their child,” Raney said. “It’s really for first-time fathers and for guys that haven’t been exposed to babies. It’s giving them basic tools. It’s teaching them to swaddle and change diapers.”
Some teen fathers have been curious about a class that can help them with the stresses of being a father.
“(This class is) really to give them tools to decrease their stress and give them tools to manage their own stress and being able to respond to their child’s needs accordingly,“ Raney said.
Gayle Anderson, who works with Parents as Teachers, said teen dads are becoming more involved in their children’s lives.
“Because of the technology and social media, we are tracking more and more professional programs and groups that are supporting dads and father-figures as significant and valuable in the growth, development and well-being of young children, “ Anderson said.
Another activity for teen dads called “Dad Days,” will take place June 13 to 17. During the event, KU football coach Turner Gill and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts will speak.
A lot of teen dads have changed their view on things and are beginning to “use their voices,” Anderson said.
Overall, being a parent is overwhelming enough, but doing it as a teenager in high school can make it that much harder. Still, parents said they’re taking challenges as they come.
“Having a baby doesn’t stop your life, it keeps it going forward, really,” Marshall said.
