If you have just found out you are unexpectedly pregnant, there are probably a wide range of emotions and questions you may have. You might be feeling overwhelmed, anxious, nervous or excited. One thing that might be on your mind is your family…. Whether you live with your parents or grandparents or you are planning to go home for the holidays and tell your family the news, one question you might be asking is, “How do I tell my family I’m pregnant…?”
First of all, try not to stress yourself out TOO much about telling them before you KNOW how they will respond. But at the same time, be prepared for a not so happy reaction. This is news that will affect their lives as well, so expect them to possibly go through emotions like sadness, anger, disappointment etc. But also, feel hopeful that, more than likely, those negative feelings are not going to last forever.
It might be a good idea to think of someone who can go along with you to tell your family… Maybe a sister or brother, a close family friend, an aunt… It might come in helpful to have someone there with you who can support and encourage you and possibly be a sounding board for you and your family.
You might want to bring along any information you have gathered about your pregnancy and plans you might be considering or have already made.
If you and your family do not communicate well… or at all, you might want to consider delivering them a letter. This will help you to express your feelings and thoughts, and it might enable them to receive all of the information before reacting. Although a letter might be a good idea, I would strongly suggest NOT announcing your pregnancy to your family through text message over the phone.
Although, you have the responsibility of telling your family, know that Portico is here for you no matter how they react. We are also here for them if they need us. You are welcome to offer for your family to come to Portico and talk with a peer counselor about the feelings they may be experiencing. We truly desire to walk through this with you and help make sure you successfully get to the other side of this situation… feeling hopeful, strengthened and empowered. Your story matters to us, and we are excited to see the next chapter…