From The Vault: An Interview With Two Teen Moms Turned Medical Students

This mama is going on a bit of a break this holiday season, but don’t fret! In between some of the new content, I’m revisiting some of my most popular posts for the newbies to our community. This piece was originally published June 2011. 

I meet a lot of fabulous women on this blog. It is probably one of the top two reasons why I keep on posting every day. I get inspired and uplifted by your stories and it all makes me what to be a better mother and a better person.

A couple months ago, Jessica and Emma contacted me. (See their smiling faces right up there?) They are the moms behind the blog, Stethoscopes and Sippy Cups, where they are chronicling their journey through medical school.

Both women had their kids while in high school. They’re about to start med school in a couple weeks. When asked if she ever feels like giving up, Jessica gave one of the best answers I’ve ever heard in terms of motivation:

I would say to really sit down and visualize your goals; break them down into smaller components so you are less overwhelmed. What exactly do I mean by this? It is probably best to use an example.

One of the high school parents I have mentored over the years really wanted to be a nurse, but she had many obstacles in her way that were preventing her from achieving this goal. We sat down and made a list together of everything she needed to succeed, ranging from a car to full-time childcare for her daughter. We talked about ways she could obtain each component, such as the use of childcare vouchers or living near public transportation.

She is presently enrolled in college courses and is well on her way to success, but she was initially afraid to take that first step. In her eyes, her situation seemed overwhelming and impossible.

I want to stress to teen parents that they should never be afraid to reach out for help. If you lack a direct support system, there are many wonderful organizations available to you that were created for this purpose. I would also stress to teen parents that they should not be intimidated by time.

Many feel as though it would take too much time and money to complete college, so they forgo education altogether. The time is going to pass regardless; how do you want to spend it?

It’s so true. If you’re scared to do something, or fear that it will take too long, just remember that (God willing), that time will pass anyway. If you think, “Man, by the time I finish school, I’ll be 27,” ask yourself – would you rather be 27 and at your goal, or be 27 and still at the starting line because you never took the first step? Food for thought.

Read the interview with Jessica here. The interview with Emma can be found here.