When you are faced with decisions involving an unplanned pregnancy, there are not easy choices.  Lois' Lodge is committed to providing you with complete and accurate information on each of your options.  Parenting is a huge but rewarding responsibility.  To choose to parent is to choose to fully invest yourself in the life of another, for the sake of the other.  Most find parenting to be an even bigger blessing than they originally thought it would be, but they also find it to be more challenging than than they imagined it would be.  As with any life changing decision, you must ask yourself several questions.  A few of those questions are:

Do I have an adequate support system to raise this child?

Do I have the resources to support a child financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually?

Could I handle a child and a job and/or school at the same time?

What are my personal life goals and how would a child fit into that plan?

Am I willing to learn what it takes to be a good parent?

As a parent, your life is no longer yours or simply about you.  You have another human being who depends on your love and relies on your ability to provide for his every need.  You cannot live your life for yourself any longer.  Although you had nine months to prepare for the birth of your child, nothing will give you a reality check like being woken up to the cries of your child at 3 AM, being called home from work due to your child's illness, or missing out on events because you have no one to watch your child. 

From the paragraph above, one may think that once you decide to parent, life is downhill from there, or there is an impending doom.  However, that is not the case.  Life is only as difficult as you make it or want it to be.  If you decide in your mind that nothing is going to stop you from pursuing your dreams, then not even the reality of parenting should shake you. Determination is definitely something that moms experiencing an unplanned pregnancy need.  Motivation is key.  If you feel unmotivated and have been constantly told you cannot amount to much, use that as your fuel.  Do not let people underestimate you.  Even if they do, you can prove them wrong. 

Do not allow yourself to get in a slump because you feel or believe that life has thrown you a hard ball you weren't prepared for.  You need to take responsibility for your actions.  If you consented to sex and ended up pregnant, assume the responsiblity for your actions without further complaint. Let this experience make and not break you.  Let it strengthen you.  If you had no passion or motivation in the past, let your child be your motivation.  If, in the past you had no desire to improve yourself, improve yourself for your child.  If you ever need help or have questions regarding parenting it is important that you find people you can ask. Lois' Lodge is here to help.