A Narrative Essay on the Learning Experience: Birth of My Oldest Son

This essay is a reflective narrative by a student detailing their experience of becoming a mother at a young age and the profound impact it had on their life and relationships. The essay focuses on the emotional and psychological challenges of teenage pregnancy, the initial fear and confusion, and the pivotal role of family, particularly the parents, in providing support. The narrative highlights the student's journey of self-discovery, the sacrifices made, and the lessons learned about parenthood, resilience, and the importance of family. It describes the father's initial reaction, his eventual acceptance, and the subsequent role he played in the student's life and the upbringing of the child. The essay also touches upon the challenges of balancing education and motherhood and the lasting impact of these experiences on the student's personal growth and perspective on life. The student reflects on the development of her relationship with her parents and their role in shaping her understanding of what it means to be a parent.

Running Head: LEARNING EXPERIENCE: BIRTH OF MY OLDEST SON
Learning Experience: Birth of My Oldest Son
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

1LEARNING EXPERIENCE: BIRTH OF MY OLDEST SON
LEARNING EXPERIENCE: BIRTH OF MY OLDEST SON
My son was born as a healthy boy of 9lbs 2oz, and there was a warm feeling which
filled my heart, but it was not merely due to becoming a mother but understanding what it
was to be a father. I was pregnant with my oldest son when I was a young child of only
fourteen, but those nine months of pregnancy seemed like a span of nine years. My story is
not how my son or my pregnancy changed my life but rather how I understood my parents
and saw them in the role of being one that changed my life. I could have never imagined the
change I was going to experience and the role that my parents, especially my father, would
play.
I was only fourteen, and when I saw the symptoms and panicked. It was one of the
darkest days in terms of emotion and psychological strain, but I knew that I had to get myself
tested. I was confused, to say the least, and the fear of a child did not amount to the dismay of
telling my parents. I went for the test with my friend and the father of the child. The next day
the phone rang to give me the dreaded news. My mom picked and was confused about getting
the call from the doctor’s office, asking for Gerry. She did not see it coming that the request
was meant for me as the doctor told her that Amy Gerry has been tested positive for her
pregnancy test. Yet, she handled it bravely till she disconnected the call and burst into crying.
For the first time in my life, I saw clearly how brave my mother was, for she evaluated
quickly that I needed her support. She was there within every step, even when in my last
trimester when things became really hard. She talked to my child’s father’s parents, but they
were not supportive of it at first. But, they came around after seeing my parents care.
I decided that it will be better if I was the one to break the news to my father. I will
never be able to forget the look on my father’s face when I first told him about my
pregnancy. I have expected a considerable upheaval, but my father seemed to have been
shaken with the thought of his little girl being responsible for a new life. It sometimes took

2LEARNING EXPERIENCE: BIRTH OF MY OLDEST SON
for him to come around, but he hated the father of my child throughout pregnancy, and I
could see the reason clearly. But when he came around the fact, he was always there for me. I
was unable to come across the fact that my father had accepted my pregnancy. But he was
there with me on every step. My body was not ready for this change due to which I went
through complications. I had to stop going to school in the sixth month and was heartbroken.
The next day I saw my father come in the store carrying notebooks, which surprised my
mother and me both. After that day, I did not miss a single subject done in the class. He
moved homework to the teachers, which he helped me complete. In the whole process, I saw
a different man emerged from my father. As for the father of my child, one cannot blame
him as well, for he was only seventeen, and the way he reacted was also due to his fear.
My father was the first one to see my son, and I saw him crying for the first since he
heard the news. He hugged him and said that he will never let any harm come to him. I
completed my studies after the post-partum symptoms subsided, and my father was the one
who taught my son everything. He even looks and sleeps like my father now. They have
given me the role model of what it means to be a parent. I taught my son to call my father
pops, and he loves his pops more than anything in the world. I decided to work hard on
myself to make sure that I can live up to the example set by them.