I fell pregnant at 13 and dropped out of school – now I’m a mum-of-two and proved the haters wrong by getting a degree
A TEEN mum has proved all of the doubters wrong by graduating from her degree.
Maddie Lambert-Crowley dropped out of school after falling pregnant with her first child at just 13-years-old.
But this has been a bumper year for the mum-of-two.
She turned 21-years-old, welcomed her second child and has now completed her first degree – and we’re only in May.
Maddie, who self-styles as “that girl who got pregnant at 13”, welcomed a baby boy named Ryder James in March.
She also has a six-year-old daughter named Everly Joy, the child she fell pregnant with as a teenager.
She shares little Ryder with her husband, Randy Crowley, but shares Everly with another dad.
Maddie and Randy got married while she was pregnant with Ryder and tied the knot in an outdoor ceremony in September last year.
Now, she has proudly revealed that she has graduated from an arts degree.
Maddie announced the news in a series of Instagram pictures.
She held up a mortarboard that read “hot moms graduate” and posed with her two children.
The mum-of-two has previously opened up about the “hate” she received when telling the world she was pregnant aged 13.
“Whenever you would see the media surrounding teen mums, you see the TV shows, and it’s just really negative and it shows a lot of drama,” she told Truly.
“When I actually got pregnant, I was so scared of the reaction people were gonna give.
“I did get a lot of negative reactions, a lot of hate.”
People told the then-teenager that she had “ruined her life”, with one troll even wishing death on her.
Everybody had something to say and they didn’t hold back. I had people send me the address to abortion clinics
Maddie Lambert-Crowley
“Everybody had something to say and they didn’t hold back,” she continued.
“I had people send me the address to abortion clinics.”
Other girls at school mocked Maddie and put sports balls under their tops to mimic her bump when she was seven months pregnant.
This pushed her to drop out.
Maddie is a firm believer that teen pregnancy isn’t something to “look down” on young girls for.
She has openly admitted that she judged teen mums before becoming one, but now views things differently.
Different parenting styles explained
There are four recognised styles of parenting explained below:
Authoritarian Parenting
What some might describe as ‘regimental’ or ‘strict parenting.
Parents with this style focus on strict rules, obedience, and discipline.
Authoritarian parents take over the decision-making power, rarely giving children any input in the matter.
When it comes to rules, you believe it’s “my way or the highway.”
Permissive Parenting
Often referred to as ‘soft parenting’ or ‘yes mums/dads’.
Permissive parents are lenient, only stepping in when there’s a serious problem.
They’re quite forgiving and they adopt an attitude of “kids will be kids.”
Oftentimes they act more like friends than authoritative figures.
Authoritative Parenting
Authoritative parents provide their children with rules and boundaries, but they also give them the freedom to make decisions.
With an authoritative parenting style, parents validate their children’s feelings while also making it clear that the adults are ultimately in charge.
They use positive reinforcement techniques, like praise and reward systems, as opposed to harsh punishments.
Neglectful or Uninvolved Parenting
Essentially, neglectful parents ignore their children, who receive little guidance, nurturing, and parental attention.
They don’t set rules or expectations, and they tend to have minimal knowledge about what their children are doing.
Uninvolved parents expect children to raise themselves. They don’t devote much time or energy to meeting children’s basic needs.
Uninvolved parents may be neglectful but it’s not always intentional. A parent with mental health issues or substance abuse problems, for example, may not be able to care for a child’s physical or emotional needs consistently.