RESOURCES FOR PRENATAL, POTENTIAL, & PRESENT TEEN PARENTS: 
an interview with Lou Ann Weyer, Teen Parent Specialist

(In order to gain some insight into the world of teenaged parents, we recently spoke with Lou Ann Weyer, a Teen Parent Specialist with Youth In Need.)

St. Louis Chinese American: What would be your advice for a potential mother who wants to have a child while still a teenager?

Weyer:  I would tell (the teen) to find someone who has a young child, preferably a baby, and spend 24 hours shadowing them, doing everything that they do as a parent.  (The teen) should get up in the middle of the night when the child is crying and even change the baby's diapers...  then, let them make the decision about whether or not they really want a child right away.  Babies appear cute and cuddly when they're happy and quiet, but when things don't go perfectly, teens can change their tune about babies rather quickly.

St. Louis Chinese American: What is the primary goal of these programs?	
Weyer: The main objective of Youth In Need's teen parenting programs is to empower teens in their quest to continue working toward their life goals, preventing them from becoming completely derailed from a life-changing event such as this.  The process may take a bit more time than the teen anticipated it would before she became pregnant, but success is still within reach.  In the short term, we want them to be able to finish high school and to become good parents to their children.

St. Louis Chinese American: How do you go about accomplishing those goals?

Weyer: It depends on the situation.  Sometimes, I might facilitate groups in the schools working with these teens.  I might bring in child development information or some resources on how to deal with their own parents during this time.  If it's a problem with staying in school, then I'll usually go to the school counselor to see how we can better accommodate this student.  Not that we're going to give them special privileges, but to see how we can work with them to keep up their grades and continue encouraging them to stay in school.  In some cases, I may even serve as an advocate for the student when a teacher refuses to give them any slack at all.

St. Louis Chinese American: What seems to be the greatest challenge facing the teen parents who you come across?

Weyer: I've found that the younger the teen is when she gets pregnant, the harder it tends to be for her to stay in school.  If I feel that they need more extensive assistance than I can provide, I refer them to our Early Head Start Program, which deals exclusively with pregnant mothers.  That means that someone would come into their home once a week, visit with them, and help them sort out some things. 

Youth In Need, a non-profit organization serving the youth and families of eastern Missouri has taken a "strength-based" approach toward helping teens.  This method stresses the empowerment of youngsters to solve their own problems.  Youth In Need counselors avoid preaching or belittling clients and work to improve situations rather than searching for blame in them.  The program offers personalized in-home visits, information and assistance on life needs, and opportunities to share experiences with peers.  For more information concerning the Prenatal Teen Program, please contact Youth In Need at (636) 946-0101.