I'm Tired.

I don't understand the outcry against teen pregnancy.  After entering my 40's and having a child, the logic of the teenage mother is suddenly crystal clear.

There are the obvious reasons a teenager should be a mom - like the fact that their bodies will bounce back much more easily.  And their high expendable incomes and valuable life experience.  But I think the most obvious reason for teenage moms is the sleep factor.

When I was in high school, particularly in my sophomore year - I literally slept no more than 3 hours every night.  Between sneaking out of the house every night (it's OK my mom has finally accepted this) and getting up at 5:30am for seminary, there just wasn't much.  And I feel I was pretty consistently high functioning.  Not because of my grades, but because of how effective and lively I was socially.  Obv.

I just didn't need sleep.

Now I'm 42.  Every night that passes with less than my requisite 7 hours of beauty sleep, and that actually comes much closer to 3 hours makes me more of a crazed, literally certifiable, looks-like-a-homeless-person human being.  I cry.  I can't talk to people without becoming angered.  I say things I wish never came out of my mouth.  But sometimes I'm also really, horribly glad they did.  See?  Twisted.

I'm glad I had a baby.  And I'm glad that I did it at my age - which by the way, the obgyn told me is now classified as "elderly mother" and not the kinder "mature mother" - because it has helped me see the light.  To become less judge-y and more accepting. 

16 year olds getting pregnant?  God bless them.  They're smarter than we think.  Now excuse me while I try to sneak in some beauty rest during my daughter's 15 minute "long" nap.