Dear Abby: I’m 15 and my boyfriend, “Todd,” is almost 18. He wants us to have a baby. I would like to, but I live with my grandmother because my mom has a drug problem and my dad was killed when I was 9. I’m scared if I get pregnant she won’t let me keep it.

My grandmother and I don’t get along sometimes, and I’m scared she’ll have my boyfriend put in jail. Is it bad that I want to get pregnant? I’m in ninth grade and he’ll be a senior.

Wants to be a mom, Princeton, W.VA.

Before you and Todd rush into this, it is important to consider how you will take care of a baby. Babies are not just cute; they are also completely helpless and A LOT OF WORK.

Some schools offer students a program in which boys and girls are given dolls that require 24-hour care. Students are assigned to care for their “baby” for a week or more, and often, by the end of the assignment period, the desire to have a baby disappears as the reality about the degree of responsibility becomes obvious. Please look into the possibility of attending a class like this.

If you become pregnant as a freshman, it will lessen your chances of graduating. I cannot stress enough the importance of you and Todd completing your education before becoming parents. . You should also be prepared to stay together until your child is an adult.

Your grandmother is doing her best to raise you, and she already has enough responsibility on her shoulders. Another child might be more than she can physically and emotionally handle.