My Favorite Childhood Book

"The Little Engine That Could" is one of my favorite childhood books. It is about a train with a small engine that chanted the words "I think I can" over and over to get over a hill. The train with the larger engines gave up, but the little engine train was persistent. It didn't give up and it accomplished its goal. The story is similiar to my early childhood life. I got preganant when I was 15, had my daughter when I turned 16. Some of my family and so called friends said I wouldn't finish school, because I had a baby. It was challenging and I started believing them, at times. I often asked myself "what am I going to do?" I went to school everyday, even when I felt sick. I came home and did my homework and chores. After I finished, I fed and bathed my daughter. I didn't have time to go outside and do things that teenage children did, because I had to take care of my child. My mother didn't babysit, so I would take my daughter to school with me. During that time, they had a school for pregnant teens that allowed them to bring their kids with them and during class breaks you were given the chance to go check on your child. It was a good program. I did everything I could to prove to myself that I could do whatever I put my mind to. I never gave up. When I graduated from high school, my daughter was going on two years old. I walked down that aisle and up on that stage, to get my diploma, and all I could think about was my precious little girl. I could see her in the balcony, reaching for her mom and smiling. It was a wonderful day for me and my child. I did it and I never gave up and I am continuing to strive. I am now the only undergraduate and soon to be graduate in my immediate family. I always remember to strive for my goals and never let disencouraging words or people get in your way. I did it and so can others.