Mom Shares How She Reacted To Her Teen Daughter’s Pregnancy And People Are Praising Her Parenting Skills
Storytelling on TikTok is an art form in and of itself. One of the more popular trends on the platform right now is re-enacting events through a song from Teen Beach Movie called I Can’t Stop Singing.
But few have used it as brilliantly as Nicole Hennessy. The mom-of-three and photographer from Maryland recently filmed a video to the tune to speak about the way she and her 17-year-old daughter Angelina handled the teen getting pregnant.
With permission from Angelina, Nicole showed how the two of them battled emotions in search of the best course of action. It becomes clear pretty soon in the clip that the 35-year-old mother simply wants what’s best for her daughter, without being angry or judgemental.
So far, Nicole’s calm and educational reaction has been applauded by over 14 million people who watched the video, and something tells me she’s gonna be just as cool of a grandma as she’s a parent.
More info: nicolehennessyphotography.com | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok
@nicolehennessy2By popular demand story time ##teenmom ##storytime ##reaction ##fyp♬ I am at ur moms house – elizabeth_chetwynd
“Angelina is a soul from the ’80s, I would say,” Nicole introduced her daughter to Bored Panda. “She is incredibly artistic, she paints and works with ceramics — her talent blows me away. She is a lover of all types of music, an awesome cook, and the type of person whose heart feels for everyone. She is not afraid to be true to herself but she also lifts up others. With a dash of sarcasm and humor for good measure.”
The moment Nicole saw the pregnancy test wrapper, she knew it was Angelina’s. Her initial reaction was ‘Angelina needs me, so don’t react!’ The mom hugged her daughter tight and told her she would help her figure this out.
“Our relationship is ever-changing. At the start of teens, it was typical; we loved each other but she’d much rather be out with friends,” Nicole said. “Now, with the pregnancy and the pandemic, we spend our days together.”
Nicole admitted it was quite the transition, looking at her little girl become a young woman and then a mother. “We have a mother-daughter relationship that is strong, respectful, and also like a partnership, we help each other out. I’m so proud of her and her maturity and strength!”
So when she sat down with her daughter helping her to make a rational, informed decision, Nicole understood that it was Angelina’s next chapter, not hers. Her job was simply to educate the 17-year-old as much as she could. “I told her that she has 3 options: abortion, adoption, or keeping and raising the baby,” Nicole said. “My husband and I sat down with her and talked in length about all 3 and the pros and cons to each one. He and I agreed in advance that we would not voice our opinion to her because it is her life to choose and we did not want to pressure her to make a choice.”
After going over the facts, Nicole found Angelina a therapist so she could not only make the decision but fully accept and live with it as well. “We talked to my Reverends at church (who are open-minded and loving) and we also went to the women’s center and Ob-Gyn. Also, her primary called her to check in.”
Angelina took a long while to process her options. “She at one point considered each of them (I made a ‘part 2’ video about that) but at the end, she felt keeping and raising the baby is what her heart wanted,” Nicole said. “So here we are, 7 weeks away from meeting her little boy. She will stay living at home so she can finish school and college and try to save money. She has our full support. It takes a village.”
Nicole’s TikTok immediately went viral
So she posted an update
@nicolehennessy2Story time By request here is part 2 ##teenmom ##storytime ##reaction ##part2 ##fyp♬ I am at ur moms house – elizabeth_chetwynd
After going through this journey as a parent, Nicole highlighted that no matter the issue, it’s important for moms and dads to constantly strengthen the bond with their kids so they feel safe coming to them. “Yes, they are young but they are a person with feelings and they need to not feel scared and alone.”
“If I did anything right as a mom, it was creating a space where my kids know they can come to me and my love won’t ever go away,” she said. “Also, because she was given space to make her own choice, she will thrive, she will not feel like a victim of the choice pushed on her. She chose her path on her own and that means she is willing to sacrifice to be successful with that choice.”
Nicole added that things happen in life that seem scary and bad, but she personally believes it all has a purpose. “Try and stay positive and look at what positivity can come from each bad thing.”
Angelina will be welcoming a baby boy this September
Image credits: Nicole Hennessy
Image credits: Nicole Hennessy
Image credits: Nicole Hennessy
Here’s what people said after hearing their story
Her mother handled that wonderfully, but I cannot stress enough how important birth control is to prevent this kind of situations. I wish all the best to the young mother and her child.
The instant I gave birth and held my daughter it's like I just knew that when the change came for her we would talk, and talk and talk. And she would be well educated and decide if birth control was right and what type and when she needed it, or thought about needing it she would know what to do and where to go. I think that's the biggest part. Kids fear asking for it because it's sitting they either are having sex or want to. Too much taboo around sex, when it should be around unprotected, irresponsible sex.
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This is a perfect example of pro choice does not necessarily mean pro abortion. People say to me 'if you're pro choice, you must be willing to get an abortion.' Absolutely not. I, personally, never could. But I 100% support anyone who feels they need to. This mom needs to to write a book on the proper way to deal with a teen pregnancy. Also I love how she used pictures of herself to illustrate her daughter's side of the interaction. This is so much better than photograping her daughter when she was vulnerable and then posting then all over the internet like so many of those awful Instamoms are known to do.
To all people concerned how they are financially going to push through. Imagine a scenario where the parents of a grown teenager have a new baby. A grown teenager having a baby sibling. Now, you got your answers.
Also that is their business and we cannot assume they cant afford it. Im sure the mom would have discussed that if it were the case
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This made me teary-eyed. My daughter is grown now, but this is the kind of mother I hope I would have been. I was 17 in the '60s. My parents would have been much the same way as these lovely people. To see this give me hope in these terrible, terrible times.
I was very young when I had my first son and to far along to get to make a choice to terminate the pregnancy when I found out. Thank God for my momma who stood by me and helped me raise my son. My daughter got pregnant at 17 or 18, and I wished that i had handled it like my mom. Instead I cried, only because i knew the hard road ahead. Almost 9 years later she is currently 5 months pregnant and already an amazing mom and we are looking forward to a new baby boy in the family. I couldnt imagine where my life as a young mother would of went if I didnt have the support of my mom, and it makes me sad to know girls out there dont get the support they need. While my daughters first pregnancy brought me to tears there was never a thought of not being there for her and helping her.
My mum wouldn't hear ANYTHING other than me going to the abortion clinic and terminating. No choices
Missy Moo Moo.... firstly, I am so sorry you weren't given a choice. I'm so sorry you had to go through something as life-changing as being in that position in the first place. And THIS is exactly why I am pro-CHOICE, because I don't believe anyone should have told you what choice you "should" make, for yourself. I hope you are, and continue to be, kind to yourself. <3
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I need this woman to be my mother. I'm 25 years old, somewhat financially independent and still terrified of getting pregnant because my mother wouldn't approve and would hold it over my head for the rest of my life as ammunition against me when I do or say something she doesn't like.
Sounds like you should start distancing yourself from your mother.
Load More Replies...
I think it is fantastic that they could do this together. This is their choice, and I'm thankful that my daughter is nearly 30, so if she did get pregnant, she'd be much more prepared. All that being said, and I don't feel that I'm being selfish, I just couldn't have another baby living with me. I can't afford to stay home to help take care of a baby either. I would do what I could to support my child, but as I said, I just couldn't.
I worked for a very wise boss who signed her three daughters up for volunteer work -- and she took a month off to do it with them. When each daughter turned 11, she did two weeks of volunteering at HeadStart day care -- where many of the moms are teenagers. When the girls turned 12, they did two weeks at Planned Parenthood -- mostly straightening up the waiting area -- the girls were also exposed to horrible protesters. When the girls turned 16, they did a week at Denver City Jail women's intake -- mostly cleaning and logging confiscated belongings. INFORMATION helps prepare children for adulthood -- particularly females for whom pregnancy is a possibility and mostly controllable.
Nicole, the mother, is 35. Angelina, the daughter, is 17. Of course the mother was sympathetic and knew what to do she experienced the same thing at Angelina's age.
When I got pregnant, well past the age of consent, my first reaction was abortion. I was depressed and fill of fear for the abuses of the people/other children around her would inflict on her. I didn't want her to have to live through that. However, the lame self attempts to self abort with pennyroyal tea didn't work. God intended for me to have her. I do not regret having her. She has been the best thing to ever happen to me. I wasn't the best mom, though she will fight anyone who says I was not a good mom. She identifies as gender neutral, so I try to say Them/they for my offspring, but it's hard when they have always been my gloriously beautify daughter who was harmed as such when she was too young to understand and I was a single mom who didn't find out until it was ten years past... If I could go back, someone would be dead, and my child would have had a supportive environment to heal instead of the years of emotional trauma that they endured afterwards. Thank you.
Its good that the mother was there to support her daughter during a very stressful time.
Ohh if the babies born In September we might share a birthday! This is the best way to handle things I'm glad the mum was so supportive.
I think Angelina made the right choice and well done mom for supporting her. It would be nice to hear if the dad will be involved
No offense but this isn't about whether or not you think Angelina made the right choice or the wrong choice, it's about her making the best choice for herself.
Load More Replies... Abortion, birth and adoption, birth and raising, I suppose.
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The teen daughter of a teen mom falling pregnant? Huge surprise there. Still, she handled it very well when she found out that her daughter was following in her footsteps. Zero life lessons learned or passed on.
While this is a heartwarming story, did the mom make sure she had her daughter’s consent to make this and post it? I can’t see a parent make a viral Tik Tok about her daughters pregnancy.
Because this was about this event from a parent's perspective. Parents go through their own anxiety and concerns when watching their kids grow up and face life challenges. This was about her journey in trying to support her kid, who was going through some major life events. Because this kind of event affects everyone who cares for the daughter. :) And I don't think it was "about herself", because it was showing both sides of the process. If it was just about the mom, she would never have indicated what her kid was going through.
Load More Replies...
The mom most likely would help her daughter out until she got on her feet again.
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She might do it because she wants to educate other parents, who would handle such a situation with guilt or force, traumatising the teenager for life. I agree that at least the teen should be private. Sharing her pregnancy photos with the world feels like unwanted voyeurism.
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this teen mom stigma thing needs to go... it's not your life who are you to judge
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This probably helped lot of people without supporters going through the same situation.
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Not necessarily.... we have no idea what their plans are for the future. All we know is how they made this decision. I've known a number of very young parents, in a variety of situations, who didn't rely on parents to pay for / raise their kids.
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How they settled this with the father is not our business and I guess we all know how she got pregnant. None of your questions are relevant to the story. The story is about being supportive and not kicking a pregnant child out of the door or make a huge drama out of her pregnancy and blaming her for being irresponsible. Give her all the options and support her in whatever choice she makes.
Load More Replies... Her mother handled that wonderfully, but I cannot stress enough how important birth control is to prevent this kind of situations. I wish all the best to the young mother and her child.
The instant I gave birth and held my daughter it's like I just knew that when the change came for her we would talk, and talk and talk. And she would be well educated and decide if birth control was right and what type and when she needed it, or thought about needing it she would know what to do and where to go. I think that's the biggest part. Kids fear asking for it because it's sitting they either are having sex or want to. Too much taboo around sex, when it should be around unprotected, irresponsible sex.
Load More Replies... This is a perfect example of pro choice does not necessarily mean pro abortion. People say to me 'if you're pro choice, you must be willing to get an abortion.' Absolutely not. I, personally, never could. But I 100% support anyone who feels they need to. This mom needs to to write a book on the proper way to deal with a teen pregnancy. Also I love how she used pictures of herself to illustrate her daughter's side of the interaction. This is so much better than photograping her daughter when she was vulnerable and then posting then all over the internet like so many of those awful Instamoms are known to do.
To all people concerned how they are financially going to push through. Imagine a scenario where the parents of a grown teenager have a new baby. A grown teenager having a baby sibling. Now, you got your answers.
Also that is their business and we cannot assume they cant afford it. Im sure the mom would have discussed that if it were the case
Load More Replies... This made me teary-eyed. My daughter is grown now, but this is the kind of mother I hope I would have been. I was 17 in the '60s. My parents would have been much the same way as these lovely people. To see this give me hope in these terrible, terrible times.
I was very young when I had my first son and to far along to get to make a choice to terminate the pregnancy when I found out. Thank God for my momma who stood by me and helped me raise my son. My daughter got pregnant at 17 or 18, and I wished that i had handled it like my mom. Instead I cried, only because i knew the hard road ahead. Almost 9 years later she is currently 5 months pregnant and already an amazing mom and we are looking forward to a new baby boy in the family. I couldnt imagine where my life as a young mother would of went if I didnt have the support of my mom, and it makes me sad to know girls out there dont get the support they need. While my daughters first pregnancy brought me to tears there was never a thought of not being there for her and helping her.
My mum wouldn't hear ANYTHING other than me going to the abortion clinic and terminating. No choices
Missy Moo Moo.... firstly, I am so sorry you weren't given a choice. I'm so sorry you had to go through something as life-changing as being in that position in the first place. And THIS is exactly why I am pro-CHOICE, because I don't believe anyone should have told you what choice you "should" make, for yourself. I hope you are, and continue to be, kind to yourself. <3
Load More Replies... I need this woman to be my mother. I'm 25 years old, somewhat financially independent and still terrified of getting pregnant because my mother wouldn't approve and would hold it over my head for the rest of my life as ammunition against me when I do or say something she doesn't like.
Sounds like you should start distancing yourself from your mother.
Load More Replies... I think it is fantastic that they could do this together. This is their choice, and I'm thankful that my daughter is nearly 30, so if she did get pregnant, she'd be much more prepared. All that being said, and I don't feel that I'm being selfish, I just couldn't have another baby living with me. I can't afford to stay home to help take care of a baby either. I would do what I could to support my child, but as I said, I just couldn't.
I worked for a very wise boss who signed her three daughters up for volunteer work -- and she took a month off to do it with them. When each daughter turned 11, she did two weeks of volunteering at HeadStart day care -- where many of the moms are teenagers. When the girls turned 12, they did two weeks at Planned Parenthood -- mostly straightening up the waiting area -- the girls were also exposed to horrible protesters. When the girls turned 16, they did a week at Denver City Jail women's intake -- mostly cleaning and logging confiscated belongings. INFORMATION helps prepare children for adulthood -- particularly females for whom pregnancy is a possibility and mostly controllable.
Nicole, the mother, is 35. Angelina, the daughter, is 17. Of course the mother was sympathetic and knew what to do she experienced the same thing at Angelina's age.
When I got pregnant, well past the age of consent, my first reaction was abortion. I was depressed and fill of fear for the abuses of the people/other children around her would inflict on her. I didn't want her to have to live through that. However, the lame self attempts to self abort with pennyroyal tea didn't work. God intended for me to have her. I do not regret having her. She has been the best thing to ever happen to me. I wasn't the best mom, though she will fight anyone who says I was not a good mom. She identifies as gender neutral, so I try to say Them/they for my offspring, but it's hard when they have always been my gloriously beautify daughter who was harmed as such when she was too young to understand and I was a single mom who didn't find out until it was ten years past... If I could go back, someone would be dead, and my child would have had a supportive environment to heal instead of the years of emotional trauma that they endured afterwards. Thank you.
Its good that the mother was there to support her daughter during a very stressful time.
Ohh if the babies born In September we might share a birthday! This is the best way to handle things I'm glad the mum was so supportive.
I think Angelina made the right choice and well done mom for supporting her. It would be nice to hear if the dad will be involved
No offense but this isn't about whether or not you think Angelina made the right choice or the wrong choice, it's about her making the best choice for herself.
Load More Replies... Abortion, birth and adoption, birth and raising, I suppose.
Load More Replies... The teen daughter of a teen mom falling pregnant? Huge surprise there. Still, she handled it very well when she found out that her daughter was following in her footsteps. Zero life lessons learned or passed on.
While this is a heartwarming story, did the mom make sure she had her daughter’s consent to make this and post it? I can’t see a parent make a viral Tik Tok about her daughters pregnancy.
Because this was about this event from a parent's perspective. Parents go through their own anxiety and concerns when watching their kids grow up and face life challenges. This was about her journey in trying to support her kid, who was going through some major life events. Because this kind of event affects everyone who cares for the daughter. :) And I don't think it was "about herself", because it was showing both sides of the process. If it was just about the mom, she would never have indicated what her kid was going through.
Load More Replies... The mom most likely would help her daughter out until she got on her feet again.
Load More Replies... She might do it because she wants to educate other parents, who would handle such a situation with guilt or force, traumatising the teenager for life. I agree that at least the teen should be private. Sharing her pregnancy photos with the world feels like unwanted voyeurism.
Load More Replies... this teen mom stigma thing needs to go... it's not your life who are you to judge
Load More Replies... This probably helped lot of people without supporters going through the same situation.
Load More Replies... Not necessarily.... we have no idea what their plans are for the future. All we know is how they made this decision. I've known a number of very young parents, in a variety of situations, who didn't rely on parents to pay for / raise their kids.
Load More Replies... How they settled this with the father is not our business and I guess we all know how she got pregnant. None of your questions are relevant to the story. The story is about being supportive and not kicking a pregnant child out of the door or make a huge drama out of her pregnancy and blaming her for being irresponsible. Give her all the options and support her in whatever choice she makes.
Load More Replies...
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