– A young woman explains why she chose to become a young mother than aborting her baby

By Akola Thompson
Growing up in a life in which she wanted for many things, when now 26-year-old Samantha Robinson found out she was going to become a mother at 20, she became worried as to the life she would be able to provide for her child.

“I was unprepared on every level,” she said, “financially and emotionally- I was a child myself.”

Despite realizing that she was still trying to figure out life, Samantha convinced herself that abortion was not an option for her as her mother, whom she has a very close relationship with, encouraged her to have her son and give him a chance at life.

So, deciding to listen to her mother, Samantha remained in Kitty, Georgetown, taking care of her two younger siblings while her mother, who is a single parent and the breadwinner of the family, continued running her business which was located in Mahdia.

Upon, Ethan Robinson’s birth, her now five year old son, Samantha vowed to always put her son first, despite how she may feel and what she would lose as he was what mattered now.

For the first few months, Samantha struggled to make ends meet and provide a loving home for her son but six months after her son’s birth, they lost their home to arson. To this day, they still do not know who burned their house down and the reason behind the act.

With nowhere to live and the daily struggle of surviving, Samantha left Guyana to visit her son’s father in Barbados. The plan she said was to visit for six months and return but when the time came for them to return home, she left Ethan behind.

The two parents, for the welfare of their child made the decision to have their son remain in Barbados so that he could be better provided for.

“It was the biggest, saddest sacrifices I ever had to make in my entire life on this earth thus far but at the same time it was the best decision for Ethan,” said Samantha.

At the time, both her son’s father “was studying at UWI,” she said, so his mother would normally do everything for Ethan while they sorted themselves out.

Upon her return home, Samantha said that she faced judgment from many people, especially women who wondered how she as a woman and mother could leave her son in another country.

Many still judge me, she said, they believe it was an easy decision but over the years I’ve had sleepless nights in which I just cried for my son but I continued living happy because I knew he was taken care of.

“Those who choose to judge and continue to judge me for my decision were not the ones who were trying to help me out of the situation I was in at the time, so I tried my best to ignore it all and try to better myself so that I myself could provide a life for my son down the line,” she said.

With the option of going back to school now open to her, Samantha returned to Carnegie, the school of Home Economics and completed her culinary courses where she graduated with credits. She shortly after opened her own food business and does catering from home.

Currently, Samantha is in Barbados spending time with her son as she wanted to spend mother’s day with him and let him know that she will always be there for him.

“My son wasn’t a mistake at all. Despite what I have been through, I don’t regret my decision.

“I love being a mother and being a better woman because of my son,” she said, “my only interest is to provide for him and make sure he is happy and well taken care of.”