Raquel's Story

Being a mother can be challenging but being a mother in high school can be even more challenging. Reflecting on her high school pregnancy almost 30 years ago, Raquel has learned a lot about being a mother with the help of Mattie and the Teenage Incentive Program.

“The only thing that made us different as mothers was that we were young. In other cultures, 15-years-old is the right age to have a baby. At the end of the day, you are still a mom, no matter how old you are.”

At the time of her pregnancy, TIP was just getting started and Raquel was one of the first teenage mothers to be a part of the program. TIP first came into her life after finding out she was pregnant and had no idea what her options were. As she got further along in her pregnancy, the school began a program to help her. 

During the development of the program at her school, she would go to a specific class/teacher that helped her with the classwork of a class she could not physically get to because of her pregnancy. Mattie heard of Raquel and came to her school to help her further when it came to work, being a teenage mother, and making some tough decisions.

Raquel says TIP helped her get on WIC, assisted in everyday tasks of being a mother, and with schoolwork. They were her own little teacher aside from the teachers on campus. There was no such thing as maternity leave for a high school student, so her school and TIP made sure she managed her time wisely and finished her schoolwork to stay on track to graduate on time.

After having her baby, Mattie came to Raquel’s house to show her how to care for her newborn.

Having her grandparents watch her baby as she went to school half a day and worked at the Shell oil company the other half was how she survived her high school years.

Graduating on time as planned all while working, providing, and spending time with her baby was hard but attainable. “It’s hard for teens to be a mother, it is hard for grown people, too. Do not let that deter you, your kids can be great. If you do not have the means, find the means. Some people prepare, but no one says, ‘I’m going to be the perfect mom’.”

Over the years Mattie and Raquel have kept in contact with one another.

“Thank you for being there for me and helping me with my classes,” says Raquel. “Helping me with my kid because I didn’t know a lot about being a mother.”

Raquel has two children that she has put through college. and would like teen moms everywhere to know, “Always keep your head up. “I know it gets hard and tough. Take care of your kids because they are your kids. Mentor them. Keep an open communication. I think that’s why my kids have done well. It is not the end of the world if you have a kid young.”

By Karisa Norfleet

TIP Writer