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“Help! My Teenage Daughter is Pregnant!”
“Mom, Dad, I’m pregnant.” Shocked. Blindsided. Disappointed. If you’re the parent of a teenager and have heard these words from your daughter, or you have a son who shared with you that his girlfriend is pregnant, you’re probably dealing with a tidal wave of different emotions as you try to come to terms with a difficult situation. While it might not be what you expected, it does happen every day. Nearly 250,000 teenage girls in the United States give birth every year. (1) Here are a few tips on how you can help your daughter or son navigate an unplanned pregnancy. Start by Listening This is going to be tough, as you probably have a million things you want to say. The temptation might be for you to speak in anger but take the time to really listen to your teen as they share their feelings and the details surrounding the pregnancy. The fact that your son or daughter has come to you means they trust you. They are inviting you into the situation, into the pregnancy and the decisions surrounding it. Many teens try to keep their pregnancies from their parents a secret out of fear or shame, much
Exploring the Loving Choice of Adoption
Exploring the Loving Choice of Adoption When facing an unplanned pregnancy, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next. You might be considering adoption but aren’t really sure where to start. That’s where we can help! Let’s talk about the benefits of adoption for birth mothers and explore the three types of adoptions, so you can decide which option might be the best fit for you and your child. Making an adoption plan is a big decision, but we’re here for you every step of the way. Why Consider Adoption? Adoption Puts You in Full Control You get to choose the family you want for your child, the type of adoption you want to pursue and the agency you want to partner with as you go through this process. Adoption is Free for the Birth Mother Adoption costs are 100% free and covered by the adopted family. Included are important things like: 24/7 support and counseling Adoption planning Medical care for the birth mother and baby Legal services Living expenses, depending on your circumstances Adoption Gives You Peace of Mind Knowing your baby is being loved and cared for by the couple of your choice
How To Tell Your Parents You Are Pregnant
“Give them a chance, they might surprise you.” This is probably not the first thing a girl thinks as she is biting her nails trying to figure out how she will share the news of her pregnancy. Having to tell her mom and dad that she is pregnant is just about the scariest thing a girl can imagine doing. Even with loving and supportive parents, one will still probably face anger, disappointment and accusations. It is never an easy thing to do. However, there are better ways than others to share, ways that can help them process this major event well. It is very important to remember that doing anything in isolation, especially processing decisions about pregnancy, can be harmful. It is good to go to your current support system, mom and dad or caretakers, and ask for help and counsel. More than likely, they will want to be involved and will want to be there. Prepare what you want to say and how you will say it. It is good to be as calm and collected as possible when sharing the news. Leaning on a well prepared script or even reading your words from a piece of paper, will
5 Keys to a Lasting Relationship
All relationships have hard times. There is no such thing as a perfect relationship, so let’s take that notion off the table. However, there are things that you can do to set your relationship up for success. Here are 5 keys to a lasting relationship: 1. Be Honest Share your honest feelings about how your significant other makes you feel. Words can either build us up or tear us down. Let them know how much their words hurt or encourage you. 2. Check In Sending a text can make someone’s day. Just a simple “Hope your day is going well!” can mean the world to them. At the end of the day, sit down and go over your day with each other. Ask questions! This shows your partner that you’re genuinely interested in them and what’s important to them is important to you. 3. Trust Trust in one another has to be enough. If there is no trust, then the relationship will not last. Trust that the other person is faithful and committed. Don’t let past hurts or betrayals keep you from giving your current significant other the benefit of the doubt. 4. Honor Respect is earned, but honor is given.
WHAT TO DO WHEN LIFE THROWS YOU A CURVEBALL
For those who do not automatically understand the original definition of “curveball,” here it is: a pitch thrown with a strong downward spiral, causing the ball to drop suddenly and veer to the side as it approaches home plate. The batter waits anxiously for the pitch and most likely expects the ball to head straight towards him. But then, out of the blue, the ball changes course and flies wayward, the bat missing contact altogether and all hopes and expectations, are gone the way of the ball. The “informal” definition is something unexpected, surprising, or disruptive. More than likely, you have dealt with the latter more than the former. Every person that has ever existed has experienced this phenomenon called a curveball. It happens because we only have so much control in our own lives and even less control in the lives of others. They hit us out of the blue, causing us to stumble or throw us to the ground. These curveballs have many shapes and sizes but there are things we can do, ways in which we can respond to help us deal most effectively with these events. Instead of reacting and allowing the “curveball” to strike us
HOW TO TELL YOUR BOYFRIEND THAT YOU’RE PREGNANT
Finding out you’re unexpectedly pregnant is life changing. You’re probably not sure what to do next. When it comes to telling your boyfriend, it’s best to tell him right away. This affects him too and you most likely don’t want to handle this all alone. Here’s a good approach to breaking the news: Discuss your strengths as a couple. All couples have good and bad days. Emphasize the good days you’ve had together. Talk about how you’ve overcome challenges before. Tell him you’re pregnant. If you’re in a loving relationship, this could potentially be a surprise that will lead to an even closer relationship. If not, he still needs to know regardless of your status together. Offer to include him in the decisions. The coming days will be filled with lots of choices to make. Letting him into the decision making process will make him feel included and you feel supported. Let him know how much you need and appreciate his support. Here’s a secret about men: they want to feel needed! Also, you’re in this together and it’s important to show support to one another. Give him time to process. Maybe you’ve had hours or days to sort