Author Archives: jcolonxp24

I am Amazing and I am a Mother

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jasminMmhh where do I start? I mean… besides the fact that I’m totally amazing! Lol :)  But for real, I feel like I’m an amazing person for all I have accomplished in my life and all that I have put up with. I’m a high school graduate, class of 2012, I am employed, I’m a young parent advocate, and most importantly I am a mother to an amazing two year old lil boy named Xavier.

Notice how I put being a mother last. This is not because I am not proud, it is because motherhood is not the only thing that defines me. I am so proud of being Xavier’s mother and wouldn’t change it for the world, but I am more then just a mother and I strive everyday for that not to be my only title.

Becoming a mother has led me to many great and wonderful things, Xavier has really been my motivation.  As some people seeing having a child young as a life killer, I see my son as a life saver! Without my son I would not have been this amazing person that I am today, I would probably be still smoking weed everyday and not wanting to do anything for my life. So like I said before, I am amazing and that’s because I am a mother to a amazing lil boy named Xavier!

Jasmin is a participant of the Young Parent Ambassador Program at the Center for Community Health and Health Equity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

I Refuse to be Statistic!

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“Congratulations  graduation class of 2012!”

Never did I think I would be able to hear those words, especially after having my son during sophomore year. But I did it,  I walked across that stage with my class and beat every odd! And let me tell you, it is the best feeling in the word saying “I am a teen mother and a highschool graduate!”

Right away when people see high school student pregnant or about to become a parent they think there goes their education, there goes their life, and there goes all the dreams the hoped for. Well I’m Here to prove that they are wrong, I am not a statistic and I REFUSE to be classified as one! I am a mother, I am a high school graduate, I am a daughter, and I am a strong woman reaching for my goals! No where in there is there space for a teen parent statistic!

You make your own choices in life, and yes you may mess up once in awhile, but you can never let that get you down! I allow my choices to lift me up in life, not bring me down!

Trying to Beat the Odds

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Being a parent is definitely the hardest job you will ever have, and it’s even harder when you are trying to grow up yourself. Everyone always thinks once you have a kid at a young age your life just completely ends and that you just ruined your life. I’m here to say that for me, this is not true one bit.

My life began when I had my son, Xavier. What people don’t understand is my son’s birth motivated me to become who I am today. Before Xavier, I was not on track to graduate, I was always into trouble, and I didn’t care about anything or anyone. Now my son is 17 months old, I am graduating in less than 3 weeks, I have my own car, I have a job, I am going to college, and I have the life I always wanted. I can honestly say without my son in my life, I would not have any of this going for my life.

Is it hard? Yes, without a doubt! I cannot lie, I am stressed out and overwhelmed half the time. However, it is all worth it when I see the smile on my son’s face and knowing I am able to provide for him. I am determined to beat every odd and every statistic that comes with being a teen parent. And in the long run, my goal is not to prove it to other people that I can do it, but just show my son how much I would do for him and how important he is and always will be in my life!

A Teen, Student, Employee, Daughter, Mother!

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My name is Jasmin Colon. I’m 18 years old and have a 16 month son named Xavier! I got pregnant with Xavier when I was 16 years old and had him when I was 17 years old. Xavier is my whole life, and I love him very much, but it is very hard trying to juggle being a mom, a teen, a student, a employee, a daughter, and still try to have a relationship with my boyfriend/baby’s father.

However hard it may be, it is not impossible. Every day I have to deal with the looks and the comments, that I’m sure every teen parent goes through. I’m asked daily if I’m still with my baby’s father, what my parents think, and how does it feel not being a teen anymore. Sometimes it doesn’t bother me that the ask because I understand people are curious, but I hate when people I really don’t know want to get in my personal life and judge me.

Yes, I am still with my baby’s father, but what does it matter. No, my parents weren’t happy, but what does it matter. I love being a mother even if I’m still a teen, but again what does it matter. People say all these negative thing about teen parents, but nevertheless we are still parents and are trying to do what is right for our children. There are parents in their 20s or 30s and are still acting like teens, that are not with their babies father, that live off the government, that go clubbing, and that don’t have a steady job, but people don’t make a big teen about them as they do to teen parents.

The way I see it is, it doesn’t matter how old you are as a parent, it matters how well you take on the responsibility. This is why I became an ambassador with the Stepps Boston program, to open people’s minds to realize that we are not a disease. Yes, we might have made a mistake in our lives, but we are human. I am proud to be a teen parent, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!