My story of teenage motherhood, childhood struggles, building a family, finding my purpose, and creating a life I am proud of.
There are moments in life when I look around my home, watch my children growing into young adults, see my husband going about his day, and think about how far we have come.
Sometimes I genuinely have to stop and remind myself that I built this life.
Not because I had wonderful parents showing me the way. Not because someone handed me opportunities or helped me get started. Not because I had a safety net to fall back on when things got difficult.
I built this life because I had to.
I became a mother at 17, grew up in a home that I wouldn’t wish on anyone, started working when I was just 12 years old, and spent most of my life figuring things out as I went.
I didn’t have parents to call for advice. I didn’t have someone to help me financially or show me how to navigate adulthood. I had myself, Chris, and eventually the beautiful family we created together.
And while our journey certainly hasn’t been perfect, I am incredibly proud of where we are today.
This is the story behind the woman who created Funky Frugal Mommy. It’s not a story about having everything figured out. It’s about working hard, breaking cycles, loving your children fiercely, and building something beautiful even when you didn’t start with much.
Growing Up Wasn’t Easy: I Had to Become an Adult at 12
My childhood was not what childhood should be.
My mother struggled with drug addiction, and growing up in that environment meant I had to learn how to survive long before I should have needed to.
By the time I was 12, I was taking care of my younger brother and trying to look after my mother. I was a child who needed someone to look after me, but instead, I was trying to hold together a household that was falling apart.
We relied on food banks. There were hungry nights. There were situations that no child should have to experience.
Our home was extremely neglected. There were 11 unfixed cats, messes everywhere, and animal urine throughout the house. It was the kind of environment you might see on an episode of Hoarders.
It was a nightmare.
I don’t share this because I want sympathy. I share it because childhood experiences shape us, sometimes in ways we don’t fully understand until much later.
When you grow up without stability, you learn to become independent. You learn to figure things out. You learn not to expect anyone to come and save you.
But you also learn what you never want your own children to experience.
I knew I wanted something different.
I wanted a clean home, food in the cupboards, children who felt safe, and a family that could enjoy being together without worrying about what was going to happen next.
I wanted normal.
And as I got older, I became determined to create it.
Those experiences shaped the way I raised my own children and the kind of home I wanted to create. I have always believed that building a better future for your family starts with appreciating the little things and making the most of the life you have.
Becoming a Mom at 17 Changed Everything
When I became pregnant at 17, I was scared.
Of course I was. I was still young myself, and suddenly I was going to be responsible for another human being.
Chris and I had already been together for years. We had grown up together in many ways, and we knew we wanted to raise our child together.
We weren’t prepared financially, and we certainly didn’t have everything figured out. But I knew one thing: I wanted to be a good mother.
I wanted to give my child the kind of childhood I never had.
I knew that wasn’t going to happen by wishing for it. It was going to take work.
A lot of work.
I had to hustle, find opportunities, make money, learn how to manage a household, and figure out how to provide everything a growing child needed.
There was no handbook waiting for me. I couldn’t call my mom and ask how she handled something. I had to learn through experience, mistakes, research, and determination.
Becoming a mother so young was challenging, but it also gave me something incredibly important to work toward.
I had a purpose bigger than myself.
I wasn’t just trying to build a better life for me anymore. I was building one for my children.
Looking back now, I realize how much becoming a mother shaped the person I became. I have spent so many years learning as I went, and I still believe that raising children and creating a family you are proud of is one of the most meaningful things you can do with your life.
Raising My Children Became My Greatest Accomplishment
I genuinely loved being a mom.
Even with all the responsibilities, the bills, the work, and the exhaustion, raising my children was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.
I knew I was going to be a good mother, and I worked incredibly hard to make sure I was.
I wanted my children to have a happy home. I wanted them to be well fed, clean, cared for, and getting to school every day. I wanted them to have opportunities, memories, experiences, and the freedom to figure out who they wanted to become.
I worked full-time while raising my family and making sure the bills were paid.
There were plenty of stressful days. Providing for a family isn’t cheap, and keeping everything running takes an enormous amount of effort.
But I did everything I could.
I wanted a home where my children could bring their friends, enjoy themselves, make memories, and feel comfortable being exactly who they were.
Looking back, I think one of the things I am proudest of is how present I was throughout their childhoods.
I didn’t want to miss their lives while working to provide for them.
And that is one of the reasons my career took the direction it did.
As my children have grown older, I have become even more aware of how important it is to teach them the skills they will need to live independently. I want them to understand money, responsibility, and making good decisions. These are some of the reasons I enjoy sharing practical advice and money-saving tips for families on Funky Frugal Mommy.
How I Turned Motherhood Into a Career
I always wanted to stay home with my children.
When we started attending playgroups and spending time around other families, I began having other mothers approach me about watching their children.
They saw how I interacted with my own kids. They saw how I cared for them, played with them, and handled everyday parenting.
They started asking if I would look after their little ones.
The timing was perfect. I had just had a baby myself and needed to find a way to earn an income while still being home with my children.
And that is how my home daycare journey began.
What started as a way to work while raising my own family eventually became a wonderful career.
I was able to welcome other children into my home, create activities, plan crafts, prepare meals, watch little personalities develop, and help families who needed reliable childcare.
My children grew up with me right there throughout their lives.
I got to be the mom who was home. I got to experience the everyday moments that can be so easily missed when you’re working outside the home.
I also got to turn something I loved into a career.
Over the years, childcare became such a huge part of who I am. It taught me patience, creativity, flexibility, and just how much personality a tiny human can squeeze into one day!
It wasn’t always easy, but it allowed me to build a working life around the thing that mattered most to me: my family.
And I wouldn’t trade those years for anything.
For other parents trying to balance work and family responsibilities, I also share helpful resources and financial information for families on my blog.
Building a Life With Chris: Love Is More Than Just Getting Along
Chris and I have been together since we were young teenagers.
We have spent a huge portion of our lives growing up together, becoming parents, working, building a household, and figuring out adulthood.
We both came from difficult childhood environments, although our experiences weren’t identical.
We understood what it was like to grow up without the kind of support and guidance children deserve.
I think that gave us a shared understanding of what we wanted for our own family.
We wanted better.
But one thing I have learned over all these years is that being married and building a life together takes work.
A LOT of work.
Marriage isn’t just about liking each other or having fun together. It’s about teamwork. It’s about getting through difficult financial periods, stressful situations, disagreements, and all the unexpected things life throws at you.
Sometimes it’s about putting your heads together and figuring out how you’re going to get everything paid.
Sometimes it’s about supporting each other when you’re exhausted.
And sometimes it’s about getting through another one of life’s ridiculous challenges and laughing about it later.
We’ve been through so much together that it’s honestly insane when I think about it.
We aren’t perfect, and our life isn’t perfect, but we have continued to work toward the same goals.
We want our children to have opportunities. We want a comfortable home. We want food on the table, bills paid, and a future we can enjoy.
We have built this life together, one difficult decision and one accomplishment at a time.
Building a life together also means making financial decisions that help your family move forward. We have learned that managing money, planning ahead, and finding ways to save can make a huge difference over the years. I share more practical ideas in my family finance and budgeting articles.
Nobody Raised Me, and That Is Something I Think About Often
This is probably one of the hardest parts of my story to explain.
I have never really had parents.
Not the kind you can call when something goes wrong. Not the kind who show up to help you move, offer advice, babysit, or help you through a difficult financial situation.
I haven’t had someone consistently guiding me through adulthood.
There is nobody standing behind me telling me what the next step should be.
I have had to figure out so many things on my own.
And honestly, sometimes that sucks.
People don’t always realize how difficult it is to navigate life without a support system.
There are moments when you wish you had someone older and wiser to turn to. Someone who could tell you what they would do, reassure you that things will work out, or simply help you carry some of the weight.
I didn’t have that.
Instead, I became the person who figured things out.
I learned how to raise children, manage a household, build a career, handle responsibilities, and make decisions without having someone show me how.
Sometimes I think I work so hard to make everything look like I was raised by some amazing people.
I want my home to be welcoming. I want my children to feel loved. I want to be dependable and responsible. I want to create traditions and memories.
I want to give my family all the things I wished I had growing up.
And I think that is something a lot of people who grew up in difficult homes can understand.
Sometimes the most important thing you do as a parent is make sure your children never have to carry the same burdens you did.
Breaking Generational Cycles and Creating a Different Childhood
I don’t think you have to be a perfect parent to give your children a wonderful childhood.
I certainly haven’t been perfect.
I’ve made mistakes, worried about money, stressed over responsibilities, and had plenty of days when I felt like I was running on empty.
But I have always tried.
I wanted my children to know they could count on me.
I wanted them to have food, a safe home, clean clothes, encouragement, and someone who would show up for them.
I wanted them to have a mother who was present.
Growing up, I learned what happens when children are left to fend for themselves. I knew I didn’t want that for mine.
I wanted them to enjoy being children.
I wanted them to have friends, hobbies, school experiences, birthday celebrations, family adventures, and all the silly everyday moments that make childhood special.
I also wanted my children to experience fun without feeling like everything had to cost a fortune. We have always tried to find ways to make memories together, whether that meant enjoying activities at home, exploring somewhere new, or simply spending time as a family.
That’s one of the reasons I love sharing affordable family ideas and money-saving tips with other parents.
Now, as my children get older and approach the end of their school years, I can see the results of all those years of hard work.
They have their own personalities, dreams, goals, opinions, and plans for the future.
They are becoming their own people, and I couldn’t be prouder.
It is strange watching the little ones you once carried around the house become young adults who are making plans for their own lives.
But it is also incredibly rewarding.
I hope they always know how much work went into giving them the opportunities they have today.
Building Funky Frugal Mommy and Creating Something of My Own
Over the years, I have also found ways to turn my experiences and interests into something beyond my daycare career.
I started Funky Frugal Mommy as a place to share family life, parenting, frugal living, recipes, DIY projects, product reviews, and everyday experiences.
I wanted to create a space where I could share helpful ideas with other families.
I know what it is like to have a tight budget. I know how important it is to stretch your grocery money, find affordable activities, make things yourself, and get the most out of what you already have.
I also know that being a mom is about much more than saving money.
It’s about making memories, finding little ways to make life easier, discovering products that genuinely help, and sharing the things that make everyday family life enjoyable.
Funky Frugal Mommy became another part of my journey.
It gave me a place to share my experiences, connect with other parents, create content, and build something that belongs to me.
I love that I can share things I have learned through motherhood, childcare, family life, and all the adventures along the way.
I never needed to become someone else to create this platform.
I just needed to be myself.
And that is exactly what I want Funky Frugal Mommy to continue being: a place for real family life, honest experiences, helpful advice, and affordable ideas.
If you are new to my blog, you can explore some of my favourite family-friendly recipes, frugal living and financial tips, and all the everyday ideas I share to help make family life easier.
What I Would Tell My 17-Year-Old Self
If I could sit down with the 17-year-old version of myself, I think I would have a lot to say.
First, I would tell her to stop being so hard on herself.
You don’t have to have everything figured out.
You don’t have to be the perfect mother, wife, employee, or person.
You are allowed to make mistakes. You are allowed to learn as you go. You are allowed to enjoy your life instead of constantly worrying about what needs to happen next.
I would tell her to slow down and enjoy motherhood.
Take more time to appreciate the little things. Enjoy the messy crafts, the silly conversations, the bedtime routines, and the moments when everyone is together.
I actually think I did a pretty good job of being present.
Running a home daycare meant my children had me around throughout their childhoods, and I am incredibly grateful for that.
I would also tell my younger self to save more money.
I would tell her to think about buying a home, planning for the future, and making financial decisions that would help create long-term security.
But most importantly, I would tell her that she is going to be okay.
She is going to build a family. She is going to create a home. She is going to work incredibly hard, and one day she will look around and realize she has accomplished things she once thought were impossible.
I wish I could give that younger version of myself a hug and tell her that she doesn’t have to carry everything so heavily.
She is doing better than she thinks.
What I Want for the Future
For so many years, my life has revolved around working, raising children, managing a household, and making sure everyone has what they need.
I started working when I was 12 years old.
I have spent so much of my life working hard and trying to make things better. There have only been relatively short breaks along the way, including during pregnancies.
And while I am proud of that work ethic, I am also getting to a point where I think about what comes next.
My children are growing up. They are getting closer to finishing school, finding careers, and building lives of their own.
I want them to become good people. I want them to find jobs they enjoy, become responsible adults, and create lives they are proud of.
And yes, I would love for them to be successful enough to spoil their mom a little someday!
After working for so many years, I would love to enjoy my golden years without constantly worrying about the next bill, the next responsibility, or the next thing that needs to be done.
I want more time with Chris.
I want family visits, adventures, relaxing days, and the freedom to enjoy the life we worked so hard to create.
I want to look back and know that all those years of working, sacrificing, planning, and pushing forward gave us something wonderful.
I don’t need a perfect life.
I just want to enjoy the one we have built.
I have also been thinking about how important it is to plan for the future while still enjoying the life you have today. I want to make smart financial decisions, create more security for my family, and eventually enjoy the freedom to slow down. If you are working toward similar goals, you can find more ideas in my financial planning and money-saving guides.
I Didn’t Have the Childhood I Wanted, So I Built the Family I Needed
When I look back at my life, I don’t see someone who had everything handed to them.
I see a little girl who had to grow up too soon.
I see a teenager who became a mother before she was ready financially but knew she wanted to give her child the best life possible.
I see a young woman who worked, learned, struggled, and kept going.
I see a mother who wanted her children to have a clean home, full bellies, happy memories, and someone they could always depend on.
I see a wife who built a life alongside the person she grew up with.
I see a daycare provider who turned motherhood into a career and helped other families along the way.
And I see a woman who created a business, a home, and a future without having parents to show her how.
I am proud of that woman.
I am proud of the mother I became.
I am proud of the family Chris and I have created.
I am proud that my children have goals, dreams, and opportunities.
And I am proud that despite everything I experienced growing up, I didn’t let that become the story of my entire life.
My childhood was difficult, but it doesn’t get to define the rest of my story.
I didn’t have the parents I needed, but I became the mother I wanted to be.
I didn’t have someone to show me the way, so I figured it out myself.
And I didn’t start with much, but I built something I am proud to call my own.
If there is one thing I hope someone takes away from reading my story, it is this:
You don’t have to come from a perfect family to create a beautiful one. You don’t need someone to show you how to build a good life. Sometimes you have to become the person you needed when you were younger.
And sometimes, when you finally stop long enough to look around, you realize just how far you have come.
With love,
Amanda
Funky Frugal Mommy
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