A lot of things come up when you’re a young mother that you may not always be ready to handle. Being a young mother is like being thrown into a pool of water without knowing how to swim. There are things you must learn and learn fast! Everyone won’t always want to help you out; there are some things that you must do yourself. Below I have listed the best survival tips when it comes to being a young mother.

Staying Focused: Keeping your mentality is essential when u are a young mother because you will need to have a clear and rational mind especially when are raising your children on your own. Sure you may feel down from time to time, however; you can’t let the negatives in life interfere with the positives; always push forward no matter what.

Don’t lose Yourself: Just because you have kids doesn’t mean you can’t do things you once enjoyed prior to having kids. Take the time to pencil yourself in a special day just for you without the kids so you can pamper yourself. A lot single young mothers seem to forget that it is okay to take a little more time getting dress to go out the house instead of wearing pajamas every where you go. I feel as if you weren’t wearing PJ’s out doors prior to you having kids, don’t start because you should always lead by example.

Lead by Example: Remember your kids are watching your every move so when you teach them right from wrong, make sure that you are actually practicing what you preach. If you had to drop out of school just for the simple fact you were pregnant and could no longer do school while in this state, after you give birth you can always go back to school. If you don’t do it for you, do it for your kids! Show them that you can do anything you set your mind to no matter what obstacles come your way and they will respect you for it.

Financial Support: Everyone needs a little help sometimes and it’s understandable if you reach out to get help from the government. In the helping of you bettering yourself, so you do not always have to depend on that once a month check, just call your local D.E.S (Department of Economic Security) for more information. When you do work, do not over work your body because it is not fair to your child. If you overwork yourself on a daily basis, you will not want to play with them and that will make raising your child difficult.

Don’t get Discouraged: Getting discouraged is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to raising a child by yourself. Not only will this affect your attitude from day to day, it will also effect how you talk and play with your child. Children have no idea what “problems” are, all they know is how much they love their mother and how to have fun, let them stay in a child’s place. If you have other problems or concerns on your mind, never take them out on your children!

Family Support: If you’re family is willing to be there for you and your child, you’re one of the lucky ones! Don’t take that for granted, however; if you feel as though your family has strayed away from you due to you having a child at a young age, TRY to move past it. The reason I say TRY is because I know how hard it can be to stay strong when you feel as though the whole world is against you. If you’re family isn’t willing to accept your situation, the only thing you can do is keep moving forward for you and your child. It sounds a lot easier than it really is, I know, however; you must keep your head towards the skies in order to pull through this difficult time.