Teen Pregnancy Help

Single parenting is a scary thought for any mother or father let alone for a teen who finds themselves pregnant and feels unprepared. There are many single parenting tips you can find that may make the new responsibility a bit easier. Keep reading for tips on single parenting.

With teen birth rates slowly on the decline, this is in the wake up a severe climb from 2005 to 2007. The birth rate is still about 41.5 births per 1,000 U.S. teens.  Many of these teen parents find themselves in a single parenting situation, which only adds to the fear and stress a teen mother or father may be facing. Fortunately there are many parents out there who are living proof that while single parenting as a teen is definitely not the ideal situation, it can be done successfully despite the tough road ahead. According to the U.S. Census, about 9 percent of all households in America are headed by a single parent. In this article, we are discussing some of these single parenting tips and how you can be a little more prepared at life as a single parent.

Single parenting tips:

One of the biggest fears any single parent faces is how they are going to financially afford to have a baby on their own. While some single mothers have assistance from the father in the form of child support, there are unfortunately many who do not or have difficulty in getting the father to live up to his expected duties. In the mean time, there must be ways to pay for the needs of your unborn or small child. Some teens are also lucky to have assistance from family members. However for those who don't, or if the family contributions are not enough, there are several programs you can look into in order to receive single parenting assistance. 

• Government assistance: Fortunately there are many single parenting tools like Women, Infant, Child (WIC), food stamps, Medicaid and other systems of support for those who face financial difficult especially as a teenage single parent. Look  into how you can find if you qualify for these programs and how to go about receiving benefits. They can greatly help benefit single parents who are trying to raise their baby on their own. 
• Financial aid to continue school: Once a teen gets pregnant and faces the reality of becoming a single parent, they might give up all hope on dreams they once had for themselves to receive an education passed high school. Fortunately there are many government grants and financial assistance for college and higher education that single parents can use to help further themselves and one day get a better job to support their family. Be sure to look into these types of programs online or with your local college financial aid counselor to find out what kind of options exist if you are a single parent rather than just giving up any goals or dreams to further your education.
• Non-profit organizations: There are many assistance programs in the form of non-profit organizations that are ideal in helping single young teen mothers. Be sure to ask around about these types of programs. Often doctors or your nurse might have a good idea about some of these programs that can help in providing you with essentials like cribs, baby clothes and other baby supplies to help you care for your baby.
• Church services: Similar to a non-profit, your local church might also be a good place to go to if you need help. Many members of the church might have unused baby items they can donate to you for use or might have other ways they can assist in helping you with many of the struggles of single parenting.
• Child support services: It is important to understand the other parent's legal and financial responsibilities in the case of single parenting. Make sure you have these legal parts sorted out as early on in the process as possible to avoid issues later on down the road. Remember, if the child's other parent is still living, they have financial responsibilities toward the baby as well. Sometimes getting this support might take legal action. If the other parent refuses to pay, consult legal counsel as soon as possible to sort out the issue before it gets even more complicated.

Single parenting especially as a teen is really hard, but it can be done successfully if the parent works to become prepared. Parenting classes are also a great option for those who are facing single parenting and need assistance in learning how to be more prepared and ready for the task at hand. 

Sources: babyzone.com, parentsworld.com