Christina, 15 years old
"Nobody looks at me like I'm a teenager. They look at me like I was older. I used to go to the mall every weekend with my cousin. I still go, but I take the baby with me. After my daughter goes to bed, I can go out. My grandma will watch her when she's sleeping.
I would want my daughter to tell me when she's sexually active, so we could get her birth control and teach her stuff about it. I want her to be open with me, like I am with my mom and my sister. I don't want her to (date older guys), but I don't think there's any way I can stop her. If she's going to, I'd rather she let me know than keep it behind my back.
I feel I'm better with my daughter 'cause I love her and she's there for me. I'm there for her. It's kind of like a love you can't explain or anything. Other kids my age don't have that. They don't have a baby to take care of, or to teach them responsibility, or anything like that.
I'm gonna get my high school diploma at La Vida and go on to college. And I'm going to prove to all the people that just because you have a baby doesn't mean you can't do the same as somebody that doesn't."