Relationships2 min(s) read
Published 09:17 25 Jul 2020 GMT
A mom is going viral after sharing the story and her reaction to her 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy on TikTok.
Back in April, 35-year-old mom-of-three Nicole Hennessy downloaded TikTok for the very first time. She now boasts over 159,000 followers on the social media platform, and it is easy to see why.
Two days ago, Nicole, from Rockville, Maryland, shared a video detailing how she found out her teenage daughter was pregnant, and how she subsequently reacted to the news.
In the now-viral clip, mom Nicole acts out the story of finding a pregnancy test wrapper that daughter Angelina had left in the bathroom.
Check out the video below:
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However, revealing that the first test came back negative, Nicole then explains that after Angelina left for school the next day, she went to buy her daughter another pregnancy test - which came back positive.
Recalling how Angelina was left in tears by the overwhelming news, the video also reenacts Nicole's response to the positive test, which included educating her daughter on her "three options" moving forward (which were abortion, adoption, or raising the baby).
The video has since been viewed 12 million times, opening up discussions about good and bad parenting, teenage pregnancy, and privacy.
One person commented saying: "And that's on a GREAT MOM."
A second added: "Three options? YOU ARE AMAZING!!!! Thank you for teaching her the right way instead of being forced to have it if she didn’t want to."
This was echoed by a third, who commented: "'Showing her her three options' THIS!!! So much this! You're a wonderful mother!"
A forth praised Nicole, saying: "We love a supportive mother that LET RESPECTS HER DAUGHTERS BODY AND HER RIGHTS AS A HUMAN."
Another person commented: "I know you’re being supportive but do you have your daughter's permission to post this? I don’t think it’s right to expose her like this [without] asking."
In a follow-up video, Nicole explained that Angelina - who is now seven months pregnant - did give her permission to share the video.
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However, per Insider, other commenters wrote that Hennessy had "failed as a parent" and "let her children do whatever they want".
In response to the criticism, Nicole explained in another clip: "My job as her mother was to educate her and help her be the best person that she wants to be, not who I want her to be."
She added that not presenting her daughter with "three options" would have been "manipulative".
Nicole explained that she and Angelina went through each option in detail - an approach that she believes will help her daughter become "strong" and "independent".
[[tiktokwidget||https://www.tiktok.com/@nicolehennessy2/video/6852801319028264197]]
Speaking to Insider, Nicole said: "The way you react to a situation like is not only going to form your future relationship with your child, but it's also going to form the opinion they have of themselves.
"You have to give them the love and support they need and help them figure out what's best for them.
"I think that parents sometimes forget that their teenagers want that open, honest relationship. They want to go to their parents. And when we get upset or judge quickly, it pushes our kids away from being open and honest with us."
Teenage pregnancy can be scary for everyone involved. Fortunately, for so many of us, the three options are there to provide us with choices - and a supportive parent at your side can help take so much of the fear and pressure away.
Well done, Nicole!
