‘I’m 21 and my daughter’s 15 - her teachers never take me seriously’: Parent’s struggle revealed

Nelson moved her 15-year-old from North Carolina to Kentucky to live with her in 2021. Photo / Hunter Nelson / TikTok

This article was one of Herald Lifestyle’s best-read stories of 2023.

Most people in their early 20s would be out partying, drinking, going on dates and travelling budget-style as they embrace their youth.

But unlike the rest of her peers, 21-year-old Hunter Nelson has forgone the party life and instead is a fulltime parent to her teenager.

Being a 21-year-old with a 15-year-old child has been an immense struggle, with Nelson saying teachers and other parents don’t take her seriously.

Taking to social media, she opened up about the judgement she gets from those who are supposed to be in supportive or education roles, and the impact it’s having on her 15-year-old.

“Me driving down the road am realising I’m 21 with a 15-year-old,” a visibly stunned Nelson from Kentucky, penned in the closed caption of her controversial TikTok confessional.

“No other parents or staff members at her [high school] are gonna take me serious. I can already feel people asking me what grade I’m in when I go to her events.

“How am I gonna teach her how to drive when I can barely get down the road?”

However, the judgement didn’t end there.

Nelson moved her 15-year-old from North Carolina to Kentucky to live with her in 2021. Photo / Hunter Nelson / TikTok

The comments section was filled with people questioning the logistics of a 21-year-old having a child so young.

“U WERE SIX WHEN YOU HAD A BABY?” asked one person.

The same question was asked numerous times.

But the story behind the age gap is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

Her peculiar parenting situation has since been explained, with Nelson assuring viewers she didn’t have a baby when she was 6.

Instead, she revealed the 15-year-old is both her sister and now legally her daughter.

“I recently filed for guardianship of my sister a few months ago … I felt the best way to keep my sister safe, happy, and to have all her needs and wants met was to come live with me.”

Nelson explained that their father died in 2015 and her half-sister, Gracie, had also lost her mother shortly after.

After learning that Gracie was in danger of being placed in foster care following her mum’s death, Nelson petitioned the courts for guardianship of the teen.

“It’s 100% legal,” she noted in the video.

Nelson revealed she had to endure legal pushback and death threats from Gracie’s family before she was granted full guardianship. Photo / Hunter Nelson

While the heartwarming act of taking over guardianship to keep her sister safe has been praised, it also attracted nasty hate, and death threats from Gracie’s bloodline family.

Gracie’s blood Aunty even hired a lawyer in an attempt to stop Nelson’s plea for custody.

Initially, Gracie was also against the move. Nelson confessed the now 15-year-old “threw a fit” and was “very upset with me”.

Nelson explained that Gracie was temporarily living in an unsanitary and abusive environment after her mum died, but despite Gracie’s pushback against the idea, she pursued the guardianship because “it felt like I was doing what was best for her even if it was very hard for the both of us”.

Eventually, Gracie changed her tune and is now supportive of the guardianship being given to Nelson.

Sitting next to Nelson, Gracie on camera said it was the best decision saying “put the kid’s safety and pride and necessities over their emotions.

“Sometimes they’re not going to be happy about it, but you just gotta do it.”

This article was originally published on April 5, 2023.