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UNFOLDING THE BITTER-SWEET STORY

A Research Paper Presented To the Senior High School Faculty

Anibongan National High School

Anibongan, Carmen, Davao Del Norte

RESEARCHERS

Intong, Janice S.
Antopina, James C.
Biotumas, Jeanelyn B.
Macawili, Mejay P.
Deanon, Rhovic A.
Deanon, Evaresto N.
Guerrero, Janrei B.
Candolita, Re John V.

G11-GAS AMETHYST

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CHAPTER 1

INRODUCTION

Teenage pregnancy is a well-known issue that has been studied

extensively. However, most of the research focuses on teenage mothers,

leaving teenage fathers out of the conversation. This case study aims to

unfold the bitter-sweet story of teenage fathers, exploring their experiences

and the challenges they face. The study will delve into the emotional and

psychological impact of becoming a teenage father, as well as the social

economic implications. Through this case study, we hope to shed light on the

often-overlooked perspectives of teenage fathers to provide insight into how

we can better support them. Within an Indonesian context, increased attention

towards fathers’ involvement in pregnancy and childbirth includes their

engagement in national maternal health campaigns and preconception health

behaviour (Santi, 2019); the presence of fathers during antenatal care,

preparation for birth and their views on place of birth.

And attitudes towards fathers’ involvement in child rearing (Sary &

Turnip, 2015). Little is known about the experiences of Indonesian adolescent

fathers whilst their partner was pregnant or as a first-time parent. Teenage

fatherhood is a complex and often overlooked issue in the Philippines.

Becoming a father at a young age can bring both joy and challenges for the

young men who experience it. While some teenage fathers rise to the

challenge of parenthood and find motivation to succeed, many struggle to

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balance the responsibilities of fatherhood with their education, work, and

personal lives. Social stigma and lack of support from family and society can

make the situation even more difficult for teenage fathers. In this article, we

will explore the bitter-sweet story of teenage fatherhood in the Philippines and

look at ways society can better support these young men.

Anibongan Carmen, a small town nestled in the heart of Davao Del

Norte, has a story to tell - a story of teenage fathers. It is a story that is both

bitter and sweet, one that unfolds the struggles and the triumphs of young

fathers who are still navigating the complexities of adolescence. In this town,

where the traditional gender roles are deeply entrenched, teenage fatherhood

is a taboo subject. But this story brings to light the challenges that these

young fathers face in raising their children,as well as the support and love

they from their families and communities. Join us as we delve into the world of

teenage fatherhood in Anibongan Carmen.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this case study is to know about the student father

perceptions, know their life experiences and hard work; in terms of studying

despite the difficulties they have encountered as a student and as a father at

the same time.

RESEARCH QUESTION

1. What are the experiences of teenage fathers?

2. How do teenage fathers cope with the challenge they encountered?

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3. What are the insights of a teenage father?

THEORETICAL LENS

One influential theory in this area is the "Ecological Systems Theory"

proposed by Urie Bronfenbrenner in 1979. Although not solely focused on the

student-father relationship, this theory provides a comprehensive framework

for understanding the various environmental systems that interact to shape a

child's development.

One notable theory developed in the field of fatherhood studies is the

"Involved Fathering Theory." While not limited to the student-father

relationship, it examines the active and engaged role of fathers in their

children's lives, including their educational experiences and development. The

Involved Fathering Theory acknowledges that fathers' involvement goes

beyond traditional gender roles and highlights their impact on various domains

of their children's lives, including academic achievement, social-emotional

well-being, and overall educational outcomes. This theory emphasizes the

importance of fathers' direct and indirect involvement, support, and positive

parenting practices in fostering positive outcomes for their children.

While there may not be a specific author and year associated with the

Involved Fathering Theory within the specified time frame, this theory

emerged and gained prominence in the field of fatherhood studies during the

2000s and beyond. Scholars and researchers, such as Ross Parke, Michael

Lamb, and David Hawkins, have contributed to the study of involved fathering

and its effects on child development, including educational attainment. It's

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important to note that fatherhood studies encompass a wide range of

research and theories examining the role of fathers in different contexts. The

Involved Fathering Theory represents a significant shift in understanding the

importance of fathers' active participation and support in their children's lives,

including their academic journey.

As the above review shows, despite their aspirations to ‘do good’ and

‘be there’ for their children, young fathers may face considerable challenges

and barriers to parenthood. For those living in disadvantaged circumstances,

these challenges are all the greater, indicating the need for professional

support and encouragement. When the right services are in place and good

support is provided at the right time, poor outcomes for young parents and

their children can be addressed (Hadley, 2014). Where the involvement of

young fathers is supported at the antenatal stage and during the birth, they

are more likely to maintain this involvement over time (Maxwell et

al.,2012).However young fathers often report very negative experiences of

midwifery and health visiting services, as they are seen as unsympathetic,

judgmental and ill-informed about the lives of young fathers (Paranjothy et

al.,2009). Many young men have specifically reported feelings of exclusion

and marginalisation during their encounters with service providers (Roskill et

al.,2008).Evidence suggests that some family services do not view

engagement with, or pro-active support for, young fathers as a priority (Page

et al.,2008). Fathers may be constructed as absent, no use, troubled or

troublesome, in a variety of professional settings. This is not simply confined

to child protection and surveillance services, that have a safeguarding remit,

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and that tend, inevitably, to view young fathers as both at risk and as a risk: a

threat and danger to themselves, to women and children (Featherstone et

al.,2007; Maxwell et al.,2012; Featherstone, 2013).It is a perception that has

become ingrained within official orthodoies and popular thinking on young

parenthood (Duncan,2007).

REVIEW RELATED LITERATURE

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While young fathers have been neglected in social research in the UK,

over the past fifteen years a small but growing body of empirical evidence has

emerged across a range of studies. This review article draws selectively on

this literature to document the characteristics of young fathers in the UK and

their lived experiences. It presents compelling evidence for the desire of

young fathers to be engaged as parents, despite the sometimes multiple

challenges that they face. The article begins with a demographic profile of

young fathers and documents what is known of young fathers’ relationships

with their children, the child's mother and wider kin. It goes on to consider a

range of practical issues facing young fathers. The article concludes with a

consideration of young fathers’ support needs and experiences of

professional support, drawing out the implications for policy and professional

practice.

Concerns about youthful fertility are not new. In popular discourse

young parents are often portrayed as being irresponsible, ignorant and as a

threat to the social order (Duncan, 2007). Mothers tend to be viewed as

vulnerable, lone and morally suspect, while young fathers are frequently

considered to be absent, no use, criminal and socially excluded (Johansson

and Hammarén, 2014). In the past, teenage parenting research had primarily

focused on young mothers, while young fathers were largely ignored

(Turner, 2004). The lack of young fathers’ accounts has been attributed to

access difficulties, uncooperative attitudes by gate-keepers and the

unwillingness of young men to take part in research due to the legal

implications of underage sex, or perceived negative attitudes towards them

(Reeves, 2006). Young fathers can also be ‘hard to reach’ if mothers are

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reluctant to involve them during the pregnancy, birth or the child's upbringing,

and if the pregnancy was unplanned (Ferguson and Hogan, 2004).

Although young fathers are an under-represented research group, academic

interest in fatherhood can be traced back to the 1970s in both the US and the

UK. A rich and diverse body of work has emerged from the 1990s onwards, in

line with changing patterns of partnering and parenting (Lewis, 2000;

Marsiglio, 2000). Over the last fifteen years, young fatherhood research has

also grown in both countries. A large proportion of this research stems from

America, and focuses on young, disadvantaged African-American and Latino

fathers, where higher rates of early parenthood are most evident (Wei, 2002),

but a more varied intercontinental context is consistently emerging. Studies

have explored a range of issues, including contextual and behavioural

predictors of young procreation (Miller-Johnson, 2004); the impact of young

fatherhood on personal outcomes (such as education and income); fathers’

interest and involvement with their children (Speak, 2006); barriers and

facilitators to fatherhood participation (Sheilds and Pierce, 2006); parenting

skills (Nylund, 2006); relationships with the baby's mother (Reeves, 2009) and

grandparents (Neale and Lau Clayton, 2014). With one or two exceptions (for

example, Quinton, 2002; Berrington, 2005; Kiernan, 2005; Shirani, 2015), this

research is cross sectional; very little research evidence exists of a

longitudinal nature, and most of this is statistical evidence from large-scale

surveys, rather than qualitatively driven enquiry. This review article draws

selectively on this literature to document the characteristics of young fathers

in the UK and their lived experiences across a number of domains. In the

process, the review highlights the heterogeneous nature of young fathers and

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the importance of understanding the lived experiences of young fatherhood

within policy and practice.

The under-eighteen conception rate in England and Wales is at its

lowest since 1969. The estimated number of conceptions to women aged

under eighteen was 24,306 in 2013, compared to 27,834 in 2012, which

signifies a considerable decrease from the previous year (Office for National

Statistics, 2015). Regional differences can be seen within these statistics. For

example, in the north-east of England 30.6 per 1,000 women are aged fifteen

to seventeen, in comparison to the south-east where 20.5 per 1,000 women

are aged fifteen to seventeen (Office for National Statistics, 2015). Although

teenage pregnancy has steadily decreased, pregnancy rates remain the

highest in Europe (Public Health England 2014), while the number of

pregnancies and births outside of marriage has also gradually decreased; in

1991, 18.2 per cent of UK teenage births occurred inside of marriage

compared to 2.2 per cent in 2013 (Family Planning Association, 2014).

For some, this may indicate a breakdown in parental relationships and

suggest absentee fathers. However, in contrast to popular views which

portray young fathers as feckless, promiscuous and uncaring (Barker, 2005),

research consistently shows that many young fathers are committed to both

mother and child, and are keen to have an active fathering role during and

beyond the pregnancy (Quinton et al., 2002; Lohan et al., 2011). In one study,

up to 80 per cent of young couples conceived in an ongoing relationship

(Gates and Byrom, 2008). Furthermore, studies have found that 39 per cent of

the young fathers in the sample lived with the teenage mother during the

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pregnancy (Kiernan, 2005), and at the time of the birth, two-thirds to three-

quarters of young fathers are in a relationship with the mother

(Kiselica, 2008). In the UK, 78 per cent of babies who are born to teenage

mothers are registered in both their parents’ names (Fatherhood

Institute, 2011), arguably demonstrating a high level of commitment to the

child, regardless of the parent's relationship/marital status. Many young

parents do eventually go on to marry, and the likelihood of adolescent parents

marrying increases if they cohabit (Fagan et al., 2007).

Young fathers are commonly defined as those under the age of twenty-

five (Fatherhood Institute, 2013). Due to common perceptions that individuals

should postpone family life until their early thirties, young parents are typically

positioned as an anomaly, whose early entry into parenthood is seen to

violate social norms around individualized plans for education and

employment (Duncan, 2007). In the UK, the average age for becoming a first

time father outside of marriage is twenty-seven years (Office for National

Statistics, 2015), and so in this context young parents are portrayed as

deviating from normative life course practices. For babies who are born to

teenage mothers, and where births are jointly registered, about a quarter of

young fathers have been identified as aged twenty and under; in almost half

the cases, fathers are aged twenty to twenty-four, and in one in six cases,

fathers are aged twenty-five to twenty-nine (Hall and Hall, 2007). The children

of teenage mothers often have fathers who are in their twenties

(Dudley, 2007). Younger fathers are less likely to be involved or to stay

involved compared to young adult fathers at the older end of the age

spectrum (Kiselica, 2008). One study found 20 per cent of seventeen-year-old

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are still involved nine months after the birth of their child, compared to 65 per

cent of eighteen- to nineteen-year-olds, 56 per cent of twenty- to twenty-one-

year-olds and 76 per cent of twenty-two to twenty-three-year-olds (Quinton et

al., 2002).

Young fathers, like young mothers, are more likely to come from low-income

families or suffer from social exclusion and poverty. Experiences include:

living in areas with high unemployment rates, homelessness, living in care,

history of drug and alcohol misuse in the family and poor educational

outcomes (Swann et al., 2003). Incidences of teenage pregnancy may be

more prevalent amongst certain ethnic minority groups, with Caribbean,

Pakistani and Bangladeshi women more likely to become teenage mothers

than white women (Berthoud, 2001). Research also suggests that early

fatherhood is relatively common among men of African Caribbean heritage

within both a British and an American context (Wei et al., 2002). Cultural

attitudes and beliefs have been cited as possible precursors for early

parenthood within minority community groups, demonstrating that beliefs

around young fathering are constructed and understood differently across and

within societies, and young parenthood is not necessarily considered

problematic or undesirable (Arai, 2009). As Bonell (2004) argues, the view of

young parenting as a major social problem is relative in terms of time, context

and location. To date, little is known about the sexual practices and attitudes

of British ethnic minority teenagers, or the ways in which potential risks or

protective factors operate among them, indicating the need for further

research on young minority ethnic parents (Teenage Pregnancy Unit, 2005).

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From the available demographic information, young fathers cannot be seen as

a homogeneous group. The constitution of fatherhood, fathering practice and

identities can be highly variable and are affected by individual and overlapping

factors such as socio-economic background; ethnicity; opportunities for

education, training and employment; residency type; relationship status with

the baby's mother; support from maternal and paternal grandparents; and

future trajectories (Neale & Lau Clayton, 2011).

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of great help to those student-fathers who have the

same journeys’ with the participants in this research. Likewise, this study will

gain insights and be mindful of their roles as parents and as a student.

Furthermore, this may gives an inspiration to those student-fathers who lose

their hopes.

On the other side, this will give a better understanding of the lives of a

student-fathers. And this will serve as an eye opener for those students to

know the obstacle they encountered as a student father in spite of the fact

that they are still in school.

To the Parents. This will provide information on the student father’s

lived experience that they can use to guide their children. Also they will know

how to help their children if they experience this kind of problem.

Teachers. This will help them to teach more understandably and

effectively. This will help improve the way teachers effectively guide their

students. That as an educator it is the responsibility of each teacher to help

and guide their students in an effective way. This study will also serve the

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teachers with more knowledge about the student’s father’s lived experiences.

This will help them assess if the school knows how to handle this kind of

situations. This will also help administrators in making the right plan in order to

be more inform about the intervention programs.

Students. It provides insights into the challenges opportunities that

student- fathers both in terms of their academic and being a mother.

Future Researchers. This study may serve as an inspiration for

researching and learning more about the father of the participants. This may

serve as a useful source for their studies. The knowledge their collect through

their research could be used to become an active future researcher.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

To give an apparent view on some terms used in this study, the

following terms are being defined.

Student father - Who incite in finishing their study at the same time doing

their responsibilities as a father to their child.

Bitter- Sweet - being at once bitter and sweet. especially : pleasant but

including or marked by elements of suffering or regret. a bittersweet ballad.

bittersweet memories.

ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

Chapter 1- Presents the overview of the study. It contains the

background research of the study undertaken. The section also contain the

research questions, review of related literature that speaks on the journey of

being a student-father, theoretical lens that contains different theories that

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supports the research conducted, and the significance of the study. It also

includes the definition of terms used to give an apparent view on the words.

Chapter 2- It covers the research design used, as well as the research

participants of the study and the processes to follow. Additionally, this section

of the research goes into great length about the data collection process and

analysis as well as the ethical considerations including the respect to persons,

consent and confidentiality that are beneficial to the researchers.

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CHAPTER 2

METHODOLOGY

This chapter will present the methodology use in the study. This will

comprises the methods and design use, the informants and participants of the

study, data gathering procedure, data analysis, and ethical consideration. This

introduces the methodology use in the investigation on the query in gathering

data of Unfolding the Bitter- Sweet Story of the Teenage Father.

RESEACH DESIGN

This case study describes the lived experiences of the participants

who serves an integral piece of all successful human subjects research. The

researcher utilize case study because case study is the study of structures of

consciousness as experienced from the first person point of view. The central

structure of an experience is its intentionally, its being directed towards

something, as it is an experience of or about some object.

RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS

The informants of this study will be the 3 student fathers with the age of

(15-18 years old) of Anibongan National High School, Anibongan, Carmen,

Davao del Norte, who undergone experiences being a student-father.

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DATA COLLECTION

Before actual gathering of data, the researcher will send a letter of

intent with proposals for the conduct of the study to the Office of the Principal.

After the response, the following steps will employ in gathering the data:

First, read the research interview procedure and informed consent to

the research participants after the letter of approval from the School Principal.

Second, the participants will be given an orientation about the study

and ask them to participate through either in-depth interview (IDI) or Focus

Group Discussion (FGD) as a means of data collection. The process will start

with a introductory phase, in which the moderator welcome the participants,

outlines the purpose of the discussion and sets the parameter of the interview

in terms of length and confidentiality.

Third, give them the research questions guide then, conduct the

research interview to the research participants . Lastly, interpret, translate

and, encode the data collected from the participants.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The following ethical standards in conducting the study will be utilize by

the researchers, this are the following: respect for persons, justice, consent,

and confidentiality

Respect for persons. It is the concept of all people deserve the right to fully

exercise their autonomy. Showing respect for persons in a system for

interaction in which one entity ensures that another has agencies to be able to

make a choice.

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Consent. It is one of the founding principles of research ethics. Its intent is

that human participants can enter research freely (voluntarily) with full

information about what it means for them to take a part, and that they give

consent before they enter the research.

Confidentiality. It represents an agreement that is formed between the

research and participants, via the informed consent process, personal

information, responses, and others. It will not be disclosed to anyone outside

of the research team unless otherwise agreed upon.

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Chapter 3

Results

This chapter presents the experiences, coping mechanism and insights

of teenage fathers who are still active in academic learning. Their response

were taken from the in-depth Interview (IDI). participants anchored on the

three basic questions we aimed to uncover:

1. What are the experiences of teenage fathers?

2. How do teenage fathers cope with the challenge they encountered?

3. What are the insights of a teenage fathers?

Thus chapter is divided into three parts: Part 1 is the participant’s data

from which qualitative data were collected. Part 2 is the analysis procedure

and steps in the categorization of the emerging themes from the result of the

in-depth interview (IDI) questions and Part 3 is the summary of responses.

Profile of the Participants

In-depth Interview

There were three (3) participants in our in-depth Interview (IDI) all of

the names were replaced by pseudonyms based on their personalities and

close names. Personal information were also obtained for better description of

the participants.

Table 1: Profile of participants in in Depth Interview

Pseudonyms Age Civil status Location Occupation

Benot 20 Married Salvacion Local farmer

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Prk 3

Lito 23 Married Salvacion Local farmer

Prk 3

Jonathan 29 Married Tuganay Extra

Table 1 include the profile of the In-Depth Interview participants were

used for confidentiality agreement between them and researcher. Participants

pseudonyms, age, and civil status was also discussed. Unfortunately this

study is conducted in a Case Study method, that is why there is no FGD table

in this chapter.

Categorization of data

In categorizing the data, the first step was to group the responses of

the participants and identified the common answers in order to come up with

the essential themes. These data were arranged and organized based on the

common or general concepts presented by the participants. Re-groupings

were done to reduce the essential theme, the main theme into fewer items.

The process finally generated three essential themes. The second step as

data display presented in tables 2, 3 and 4. The important phrases that

emerged from the transcripts and comments were identified as thematic

statements. They were organized to come up with the essential theme.

In regrouping 50% was considered general themes, 25-50% and less

25% are variant answers The second step as data display presented in table

2, 3 and 4. the important phrases that emerged from the transcripts and

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comments were identified as thematic statements, they were organized to

come up with the essential theme.

Table 1: The challenges of UNFOLDING THE BITTER-SWEET STORY

 “There are so many challenges that I am not

Challenges of being a ready to be a father.”

teenage father  “Of course, It's really hard at first because

you don’t know what to do yet.”

Defiances of a teenage  “It’s fun, sometimes it’s tiring but you have to

father keep on going”

 “I feel happy and nervous at the same time”

 “The financial part especially when problems

keeps coming one after another.”

Financial problems  “Be diligent, you need to temporarily stop

studying to meet your family needs.”

 “The most challenging encounter is the

financial one, the children will be in pain

more than me.”

 “My responsibilities are to help my wife in

Family needs raising and educating our child.”

 “Finding a side job to provide my child and

family their needs.”

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The research question focused on the experiences of experts with

regards in being a teenage father. The participants openly shared their views

during the conduct of In-Depth Interview.

Difficulties on teenage fathers

Parenthood comes with its challenges and requires one to be able to

reorganize himself to learn new coping strategies and growth to provide

parental care. This reaffirms earlier findings by Knoester and Eggebeen

(2006) and Palkovitz and Palm (2009) who underscored that fatherhood

warrants teen fathers to start establishing social ties with families and also

connect with the labour force. Moreover, young teen fathers tend to need

space to figure themselves out after finding out that they are going to be

fathers and at times deviate from relating with their families and friends. Some

teenagers who become fathers tend to mourn their adolescent phase after

realising that they are going to father a child at a young age. In the same vein,

Knoester and Eggebeen (2006) and Palkovitz and Palm (2009) avowed that

the transformation from adolescence to fatherhood bares a burden on the

shoulder of teen fathers thus leading to confusion. Although that is the case,

authors believe that other teen fathers do cope with the transition particularly

those who are from religious families because they carry with them the

pervasive rule of not dwelling on the wrong things.

Benot (not his real name)openly shared about his experience:

“There are so many challenges that I am not ready to be a father.” (IDI#2)

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Lito (not his real name) supported the statement of Benot and stated the

challenge of a teenage father:

“Of course, It's really hard at first because you don’t know what to do yet.”

(IDI#3)

However, this perspective is limited as well. These statements have

major impacts on other teenage father to continue their journey. One

challenges they encountered and stressed-out by the participants was the

challenges specially time management. They sometimes hesitate if the school

and fatherly responsibilities will come up together as one and sometimes skip

school.

Benot (not his real name) openly discussed that:

“It’s fun, sometimes it’s tiring but you have to keep on going” (IDI#1)

Jonathan (not his real name) also added:

“I feel happy and nervous at the same time” (IDI#3)

They stated that they are confused on what they feel and what they will

do in being a teenage father. However, they always pursue their dream

because of their child and family's support. They stated that at this young age

they sometimes feel happy and nervous at the same time due to this

responsibility they carried.

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Benot (not his real name) stated that:

“The financial part especially when problems keeps coming one after

another.”

(IDI#1)

Lito (not his real name) also added that:

“Be diligent, you need to temporarily stop studying to meet your family needs.”

(IDI#2)

Jonathan supported the statement of Benot and Lito:

“The most challenging encounter is the financial one, the children will be in

pain more than me.”

(IDI#3)

This statements aim on the main problems of their role as a Teenage

Fathers. They sometimes skip school just to provide their family a important

things. This main problem caused them to mush stress that they they think

they will not be a responsible fathers by not providing their family their need.

However, they find a way or a side job to meet their needs and to provide

themselves a good source of income.

Benot (not his real name) openly shared that: “My responsibilities are to help

my wife in raising and educating our child.”. (IDI#1)

Jonathan also added that:

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“Finding a side job to provide my child and family their needs.” (IDI#3)

Financial stability is crucial for meeting the basic needs of any family.

Adequate income ensures access to housing, nutrition, healthcare, education,

and other essential amenities meeting the needs of the modern family

requires a collective effort from society. By addressing financial stability,

quality education, healthcare and wellness, work-life balance and social

support systems, we can create an environment that supports the well-being

and growth of families. Recognizing the diversity within families embracing

inclusive policies and practices will enable teenage fathers to build a stronger

relationship where their family has the opportunity to thrive.

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CHAPTER 4

DISCUSSION

This chapter include the study’s discussion, conclusion, and

implications for further research that are based on the study’s findings. The

objective of this case study was to document the experiences, coping

mechanisms and insights of the Teenage Father’s rapport: An avenue to

students erudition through an In-depth interview and Focus Group Discussion.

Experiences of a teenage father in lives as they become a father

The interview gathered from teenage fathers Benot and Lito highlights

the challenges they face in becoming fathers at a young age. They face

various challenges, including feeling unprepared, lack of knowledge, time

management, conflicting emotions, financial struggles, and a sense of

responsibility. Benot and Lito express that they are not ready to become

fathers at a young age due to their lack of knowledge and experience. They

also struggle with school and fatherly responsibilities, sometimes deciding to

skip school to provide for their family.

The financial aspect of their role is a significant challenge, as they often feel

torn between their school and fatherly duties, causing them to prioritize their

family over their education. They also find side jobs to meet their needs and

provide for their family. Despite these challenges, the teenage fathers

recognize their responsibilities towards their families and continue to support

their wives and children in raising and educating them.

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Coping mechanism with the challenge they encounter as a teenage

father

The text discusses the challenges faced by teenage fathers, including

time management, financial issues, and the need for support from family. The

participants express a willingness to persevere and not give up, despite facing

challenges such as not being ready to be a father or not knowing what to do

initially. They also mention the financial aspect, which can be both fun and

tiring, but they continue to pursue their dreams.

The main problems faced by teenage fathers include financial issues, which

can be both financial and emotional. They often skip school to provide their

family with important things, which can cause stress and stress for them.

However, they find ways to meet their needs and provide a good source of

income.

The coping mechanisms mentioned include perseverance, emotional

awareness, support from family, problem-solving and resourcefulness, and

shared responsibilities. These coping mechanisms help them overcome

financial difficulties and find alternative sources of income. Overall, the text

highlights the importance of understanding and coping with the challenges

faced by teenage fathers in their journey.

Insights of the teenage fathers in building a good inspiration/ motivation

to those teenage fathers and also as a student

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Teenage fathers face challenges such as lack of knowledge, time

management difficulties, and financial constraints in their new role. They may

experience mixed emotions and may feel overwhelmed by their

responsibilities. Despite these challenges, many fathers pursue their dreams,

driven by love and family support. Financial burdens can cause stress and

lead to temporary sacrificing education. Teenage fathers recognize their

responsibility and support in raising and educating their child, seeking side

jobs to meet financial obligations.

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