A teen mom shares her pain, frustrations, and joys as she parents her child. An honest look at the realities of early parenthood. Great resource for your poetry unit. Wonderful gift for teen moms.

Laura graces each page with her love for her child, her family, and her life — communicating to the world the physical AND emotional challenges of teen parents.
Tchernavia “T” Ranesfore
Safe Journey Program Social Worker
Charlotte-Mecklenurg, NC (former teen mom)

Laura Haskins-Bookser was 18 when her first child was born. After several years of simply surviving, she turned her life around, earned a college degree, and found her way to a satisfying life. She told her story in Dreams to Reality — Help for Young Moms: Education, Career and Life Choices. Through her poetry, she now shares her emotional life as a very young mother.

Young Moms of Today —
and for those who remember life as a young mom.

— A wonderful gift for young moms —

Poetry by Laura Haskins-Bookser, The Softer Side of Hip-Hop©

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If Only I Could They told me that life would be too hard to live my dreams Because of the baby growing in my belly They said I was too young to know what it means To be a good mama to my sweet baby But I wanted to be a good mama so I did I wanted to go to college so I did I wanted to travel the world so I did I wanted I wanted I did I did What would I have done If I believed them The Babysitter I want you but I want my freedom too and to date without worrying about how much I’m paying the babysitter I want you but I want to finish school and get a job that pays me money that I don’t have to give away to the babysitter I want you but I want a husband first who can work all day so I don’t have to leave my babies with the babysitter I want you I want you but I don’t too Because it ripped my heart out today when you cried for me reached for me didn’t understand why I had to leave you with the babysitter Need I wanted to feel close to you so I walked through the field of flowers the one you took me to the first time we were together The winter air just starting to settle in made my breath like short smoke rings floating in front of my face The flowers dried, wilted stalks rose up from the ground like claws grabbing at my ankles Without you it was just an ugly patch of weeds I had to look twice to be sure I was in the right place You Why are you so worried about what everyone else thinks instead of being worried about me Why have you forgotten I’m the one who needs you the one you promised to take care of forever Why are you so worried about them about being ashamed when all I worry about is shaming you Why do you look out the window to avoid talking to our nosy neighbors about it Why did you tell everyone that everything is fine when the truth is we haven’t spoken for weeks Why are you so worried about what everyone else thinks when you have failed to notice I need you

Laura Haskins-Bookser’s first book, Dreams to Reality — Help for Young Moms: Education, Career and Life Choices, chronicles her struggles and successes as a single mother, as well as offers information to other young mothers.

In The Softer Side of Hip-Hop, Laura now shares the poetry she used to help her cope with the emotions and feelings she dealt with as she journeyed from teen pregnancy to adulthood. While the poetry is all written from the viewpoint of the author, Laura used traumas she witnessed from friends and family as the inspiration for some of the poems, such as the ones addressing issues of alcoholism, adultery, and sexual abuse.

She currently lives in San Diego, California, with her husband and their three children.

Author's Website: ww.teenmomincollege.com