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Teenagers are invincible, or so we think. Later on we learn we are not. When you are a teenager, a world of fun and no responsibilities await you every morning. It is one of the best times in our lives, although, as many have learned, as I have, it can be confusing. Your adult life starts as an empty book, waiting to be filled, but it can slam shut quickly.

You see it everywhere you go. Teenage girls pushing their babies in strollers, chasing after their toddlers in the grocery stores, walking through high school halls with growing bellies. Did you know almost half of the teen girls in your community thought they were pregnant, or are pregnant? Have you ever thought of the United States to have the highest rates of teen pregnancy and births in the western developed world? Today, thirty-four percent of young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20, which is about 820,000 a year. Eight in ten of these pregnancies are unintended and 79 percent are to unmarried teens. I became one of those statistics at age fifteen.

Teen parenting isn't easy. A teen parent must live two lives, one as a teen, and one as a parent. A teen mom faces so many more issues than an "older mom." Dealing with the day-to-day chores that involve a baby, trying to take care of a baby, and getting an education can be very demanding.

Trying to go to school, raise a baby, and still grow up, is not easy. A teen mom faces more than just the bills and the baby. She often deals with becoming stereotypical in the eyes of those around her. That includes strangers, friends, and even family. Many teenagers don't want to acknowledge the fact that it only takes once to get pregnant.

Being the talk around town often hurts. Closer to home, teen moms have to deal with relationship problems. Boyfriends of any type tend to drop out of the "picture," or promise to be around only to disappear later. Often, teen moms will realize he isn't the best person in the world to be a dad, boyfriend, or husband. Child support is a problem, since most young dads are still in school or not making very much money. There are some great teen dads out there, but unfortunately, they are rare.

Did you know that every hour, 52 teen girls become pregnant? I didn’t until I got pregnant, and I didn't realize how big the pressure of meeting the needs of a child would be when I became pregnant at the age of fifteen. My family didn't want to accept it, as any family would have a hard time dealing with their fifteen-year-old being pregnant. I had a wonderful pregnancy, and for a while my boyfriend supported me. I gave birth after 33 hrs. of labor, to a healthy 8 lbs. 1 o.z. daughter, ‘Elizebeth'. She had ten toes and fingers. She was prefect, and I thought my life was too.

I have been through court for custody, visitation, and child support. Court laws can be very stressful and they are not as helpful as I thought they would be. Just because you think something is wrong or right doesn't mean that the court system is going to agree with it. However, you have to do what's right for your child. Now, could you imagine spending thousands of dollars on a lawyer, and going back and forth to court, and trying to find time on top of everything else, still being a teenager.

Although I'm only eighteen years old, I've had to experience how mean and cruel people can be. "As painful as my experience has been, I would never regret it. It is making me a stronger person."

I have conquered the challenge of going to school, doing the homework that was asked of me, and handing it on time. "I have graduated!" The past 3 years that my daughter has been here, I’ve been doing everything I can to stay in school, and graduate. I would like to become a legal and medical secretary.

Telling your parents that you're pregnant is the best solution to a healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. You need prenatal care to help you keep the baby safe. If you can’t tell your parents, tell someone whom you can talk with. If you don’t get the proper care that is needed, you can end up harming the baby, and yourself.

Believe me, there will still be time to do all you want to, and your childhood can still be the best time of your life, if you let it. My message that I want girls out there to remember is, "don't make yourself an adult before you're ready.