Do I qualify to be to young to be a Grand-Parent? Let me explain my story. If you can associate very well with me... then you qualify!!

I was 19 when I married... and had started having children when I was 20. I guess I had always kind of suspected I would be younger when my children married and had their own children. But boy-oh-boy: I was never prepared to become a Grandma before I was even 40 years of age.

Suddenly... at the age of 16, my oldest daughter came up to me and told me "Mom, I think I'm pregnant." My first thought was: How did this happen? Of course I knew that answer. My second thought was: Why did this happen? Was I a terrible Mother who hadn't paid enough attention to my daughter? Did I put to many responsibilities on her when she should have had less? She knew better... Did she do this to punish me?

The questions went on and on... with it always ending up being my fault. Till finally one day it occured to me... I had done my best. I wasn't being punished, by her or anyone else. Actually, I spent so much time the first couple of months feeling sorry for myself, I forgot that she needed my help cause she was the one that was suffering inside.

Finally we discussed how she was going to finish High School. She got support from the school system, they had a special learning schedule just for girls in this situation. We (my husband and I) had made it clear to her that we wanted her to still graduate in 2 years. She agreed.

I then spent time learning to deal with this pregnancy, with her mood swings, with her upset stomach, with her growing tummy and then backaches. I went to the doctor with her all the time. (She was to young to have her license at that time.) I went to the pre-natal classes with her. We talked to her about the financial responsibilities she was now taking upon herself. And the lack of a ex-boyfriend who would never live up to being considered a "Dad".

But the main thing that hurt.. was the fact that I had no one really to talk to. There are groups for her to deal with the situation. There are groups for the "Father" to help deal with the situation. But no where could I find a support group for the future Grand-Parents. I was only going to be a 37 year old Gamma!!!

I suddenly became very alone in my world. I was afraid of being judged on my mother-hood skills. It felt like everyone looked at me differently. It felt like no one really wanted to be around me any longer. I needed someone to desperately talk to... to help me calm down when I would get so upset. To answer my questions of what are my responsibilities. To help me be supportive with her when I just wanted to scream.

Somehow we all got through it... and truly we love this little grandson that was brought into our lives. We all had made it through this ordeal... and decided to give it our best. And we have never regretted any of it. I thought at least this would be a learning experience for the other 3 children we have. To help prove to them how much work it would be... in hopes that they would not make the same mistakes.

Unfortunately I was wrong. My second daughter got pregnant before she graduated a couple years later. She was able to deal with the normal school schedule... but was able to take special classes to help her deal with and learn how to handle situations. She got much sicker, and my husband and I had a lot harder time dealing with it. We were unfortunately not as supportive with her (to the degree that I do often regret how we dealt with her).

As soon as I found out she was pregnant, I started threatening my sons. I knew where they slept... and I would cut them off if they ever got any girl pregnant. (I guess they realized that I was only giving them an empty threat.) Because during the Christmas Season of 1999, my oldest sons ex-girl delivered our first baby grand-daughter. And can you believe this.. He was only 19 years of age. At least he graduated... but not by much.

Well, Laura is married.. has a step-son who has become our third grand-son and they have a daughter. The couple that we live with has a daughter who had a daughter also in 1998.. that we call our grand-daughter also.

So now I have all these grand-children.. and yet I am still only 43 years of age. My mom was still having my younger sisters at this age. And still... there is no support groups for the Grand-Parents-to-be. And in this day and age... I feel it is now a good time to change that!!!! So.. if you are like me and want someone that you can talk to and know will not judge you. Someone who has gone through the same questions, and emotions. Here we go!!!