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Young people are often regarded as irresponsible, immature agents of chaos. Full of passion and wild ideas, people in their late teens or early twenties are often seen by society as a group of people who are generally unequipped to make any big life decisions.
As young adults, we feel like we have the green light to behave this way as it is what society seems to expect from us. Growing up in the West, we are taught that it’s okay to delay any major life decision and to “have fun while we still can.”
This is why it comes as quite a shock when I tell people that I was married at 18 and had my first child at 20. At first, some people tend to assume that I am the victim of the “oppressed Muslim woman forced into marriage young” stereotype.
It makes me laugh because the people who know me well know that I am anything but stereotypical. I was simply blessed to have met the right man, even if it was a little earlier than expected.
Nowadays, young parents seem to have a bad reputation. We are often regarded as people who have irresponsibly rushed into big life decisions or who have failed to use the necessary precautions to ensure that we wouldn’t have any “accidents.”
It makes me sad that society sees us this way, when really; our younger years are the best times to take on new challenges.
Personally, I am really glad to have been blessed with a child this early on in my life .I feel that my youth is allowing me to be much more flexible and adaptable to my new routine with a baby. The energy most people my age use to stay up late at night partying is the same energy that helps me stay awake in the wee hours of the morning when Dean needs me.
Being a young mom is a blessing and an adventure. It’s a challenge, and there’s no denying it, but I find that it’s so much easier to tackle when my mind and body are young and lively. It’s a character building experience like no other.
There is no set recipe for a successful life – every one makes their own. A blessing in one person’s life could be considered a disaster to someone else and vice versa. Although I am now a big believer in young parenthood, I acknowledge that it’s really not for everyone.
I just hope that I can help others gain a new perspective and realize that you don’t necessarily need the 401K, the retirement plan, the car, the big house and the white picket fence before starting a happy family.
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