Jaden and Kiana: Learning Confidence and Accountability
Recently, on R3 Student Outreach’s YouTube channel, we got to hear from Kiana Napoles and Jaden Holmes, who are recent graduates of R3’s Employment Mentorship program! They talked about a few different topics, including the struggles that come with being a young parent and the future goals that they’ve set for themselves! This blog highlights a couple topics that were discussed, but if you would like to hear the entire episode of the podcast, head to our YouTube channel! Let’s take a look:
Jaden: So on a more serious note, my first question is: what are your future goals?
Kiana: My future goals… is definitely to have peace. Peace, I definitely want peace. Stability.
Jaden: You said stability and peace. What does that mean to you?
Kiana: Peace is more of not having to worry, not having so much stress, not having so much, you know, looking over your back or thinking that you're not necessarily in the right state of… when you're in the right state of mind, basically. When you're at the best state of your mind. What about you? What do you want out of your future?
Jaden: So, my more recent future goals: I want to move out of my mom's house. I think it's important for me, at this point in my life. I think I've had a lot of guidance from my whole family and all that good stuff, so I just really want to stay focused on making sure I get my associate's degree and moving out of my mom's house. So that's my future goals that I have my eyes set on.
So, what are your struggles you face while being a young parent?
Kiana: Most definitely judgment. I wouldn't know how to word it, but like a kind of, where basically as being seen as more of a child than you know, more as an equal. So that was most definitely a big one, because it was more of not being seen as equals, more as you’re, you know you're a young parent and you don't know what you're doing, you don't know what you're talking about. But in that case, of course. You know, so it's like a lot of judgment. Another one that I have faced that is also a big one in struggles is kind of the stability actually. Like, really it's because you're so young that you're trying to reach for these things to provide for your child and be able to give them what they want and of course a better life than what you have and then so more or less, it just kind of was a big struggle for me because it was hard for me to reach for those things being so young. What about you, what are some struggles you have faced?
Jaden: In my childhood, a struggle I had faced was not having a dad around, you know. Because I lived with my mom but my dad would pop in every now and then to make sure like his presence was definitely felt, he was in my life, but I just wanted him more in my life. So, that was a big one because when going to school, it would have affected how I learn, how I make friends, and I just wish he was more in my life.
To hear the entire episode, visit our YouTube!
Jaden: So on a more serious note, my first question is: what are your future goals?
Kiana: My future goals… is definitely to have peace. Peace, I definitely want peace. Stability.
Jaden: You said stability and peace. What does that mean to you?
Kiana: Peace is more of not having to worry, not having so much stress, not having so much, you know, looking over your back or thinking that you're not necessarily in the right state of… when you're in the right state of mind, basically. When you're at the best state of your mind. What about you? What do you want out of your future?
Jaden: So, my more recent future goals: I want to move out of my mom's house. I think it's important for me, at this point in my life. I think I've had a lot of guidance from my whole family and all that good stuff, so I just really want to stay focused on making sure I get my associate's degree and moving out of my mom's house. So that's my future goals that I have my eyes set on.
So, what are your struggles you face while being a young parent?
Kiana: Most definitely judgment. I wouldn't know how to word it, but like a kind of, where basically as being seen as more of a child than you know, more as an equal. So that was most definitely a big one, because it was more of not being seen as equals, more as you’re, you know you're a young parent and you don't know what you're doing, you don't know what you're talking about. But in that case, of course. You know, so it's like a lot of judgment. Another one that I have faced that is also a big one in struggles is kind of the stability actually. Like, really it's because you're so young that you're trying to reach for these things to provide for your child and be able to give them what they want and of course a better life than what you have and then so more or less, it just kind of was a big struggle for me because it was hard for me to reach for those things being so young. What about you, what are some struggles you have faced?
Jaden: In my childhood, a struggle I had faced was not having a dad around, you know. Because I lived with my mom but my dad would pop in every now and then to make sure like his presence was definitely felt, he was in my life, but I just wanted him more in my life. So, that was a big one because when going to school, it would have affected how I learn, how I make friends, and I just wish he was more in my life.
To hear the entire episode, visit our YouTube!
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