Dear Sweetguh,

Raising children is not easy for anyone. It is likely to be much more difficult for a teenager. Teens generally have fewer options for support than older people. Likewise, they have fewer options getting help raising their children, and those options, such as welfare, are increasingly limited.

Without a doubt, parenting can be one of life's most joyous experiences. But parenting can also be one of life's toughest jobs. Parenting is a 24-hours-a-day, seven-day-a-week responsibility that doesn't stop when a child stops being a baby. It lasts for at least the first 18 years of a child's life.

This is true no matter when a person decides to become a parent, but teenage mothers tend to have a more difficult time raising a child than their peers who delay childbearing:

• Their family incomes are lower.
• They are more likely to be poor.
• They are less educated.
• They are less likely to be married.
• Nearly 80 percent of teen mothers eventually go on welfare, but with current "workfare" programs in place, welfare support may be limited to only a few years.

There are also serious issues to consider for the children of teen mothers:

• Children of teen mothers lag in standards of early development.
• The infant mortality rate for children born to teen mothers is about 50 percent higher than that for those born to women older than 20.
• Children born to teen mothers are less likely to graduate from high school and more likely to be unemployed and to become teenage parents themselves than those born to women who delay childbearing.

A woman who is pregnant has three choices. She can:

• choose to have a baby and raise the child.
• choose to have a baby and place the child for adoption.
• choose to end the pregnancy.

There is no right or wrong choice for everyone. Every woman must decide for herself which choice is right. But deciding may not feel easy to do — there is a lot to think about. For instance, how will having a child now affect your plans for the future? School? Career?

If a teen does choose to raise a child on her own, she should let friends and family know that she hopes for their support before deciding to become a parent. Having help as a parent is important. But a parent cannot always expect to get help or support from friends or family.

It may be helpful to talk with someone you trust about all the things your thinking and feeling — someone in your family, a friend, a religious advisor, or a counselor.

To reach the Planned Parenthood center nearest you for referrals to counselors and family service organizations, call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.