Im A Successful Teenage Mum

I am 17 years old, and I live in the UK. I wanted to write and reach everyone thats looks upon teenage mums and dads as failures or problems in the community. This is MY side of my story, and the strangers in the street dont see who i am or what I have achieved as a Teen Mum...and i shouldnt have to walk around with it tattooed on my forehead either...why judge? At 16, me and my partner, who was 18 at the time, had already been together 3 years and we had our own house. I'd left school a year early, because it wasnt the place for me when i felt i should and could be earning money. However, i carried on studying and went into my school on the day of my exams, grabbing a few days off work. I passed all 15 of my GCSEs at B grade; despite working as a full time Field Sales Manager and not having been school since i was 14years old. Everyone, including the teachers and my exclassmates were sure I'd fail. My partner, who i met in school when i was 13years old, worked full time also, as an Electroplater, and we earnt our keep and did well in our lives. When we'd been together 4 years and lived together for almost 2 years, we decided to try for a baby....(NOPE>>>NO UNPROTECTED ACCIDENTAL SEX HERE!!) We reworked our budgets and made sure we could afford a bigger house and a bigger car, we planned to move first and then try for a baby, but i fell pregnant quicker than we'd thought so the race was on to get a bigger house with gardens! Our families were really pleased and wanted us to move back to our hometown, as the first house we'd bought was about 10miles away. At 5 months pregnant with our little boy, May 2008, we moved into our new house back in our hometown where we both grew up. I went on Maternity leave and we spent the next 4 months redecorating the house and preparing for our baby to arrive! Just over 4 months later on the 12/09/08 (Sept 12th) i went into labour and had our son on the 13/09/08 Leo was born at 10.30 on 13/09/08 (September 13th) weighing 8lb 4oz Im 17 and my fella is 19. Living, walking, breathing proof that not all teen parents live at home with mum and dad single, not knowing the daddy, or chasing him to see his kids! So before you look at a young mum, doing her best in the world to provide all that is needed by her child, dont judge, because it hurts me that some of the people I expected to be happy for me have never spoke to me again or have made awful comments to me such as : "youve wasted your life" NO, IVE CREATED A NEW ONE "i bet your mum kicked you out did she?" I HAD A HOUSE TO BEGIN WITH "your life will never be the same" I KNOW...THAT'S THE POINT My son is a week old tomorrow and I have never been happier, he is the perfect extension to our love and relationship to turn us from couple to family AND WE'RE LOVING EVERY SECOND.