Myranda and her boyfriend, Eric, both seem to have had a tough upbringing. Although we never learn much about Eric’s family, we know that he has been raised from the beginning by his grandmother and we never see his parents during the episode. Myranda was never really able to enjoy her childhood because her mom’s addiction problems got in the way. Myranda’s mom has had a lifelong struggle with addiction to drugs and alcohol. Even though Myranda doesn’t live her with mom anymore, her childhood will be cut short when she’s forced to become a mom herself.

Myranda and Eric started the episode living with Eric’s grandmother, but his grandmother makes it clear that they need to move out before the baby comes; she has no interest in listening to the baby crying every night. They don’t have much money saved up, so they have very few options. Eric’s cousin suggests that they move into a very small home that is right on the edge of his grandmother’s property. The first time the couple enters the shack it flat out looks disgusting. There are dead insects everywhere, plenty of trash, holes in the wall, and the carpet is half ripped out; this is no place to raise a baby and they know it. With the help of family and friends, they are able to renovate the home and actually make it look pretty nice. Were you surprised how quickly they were able to turn the house around? What would they have done if they hadn’t had the help of their friends or that little house wasn’t available?

Eric and Myranda get a reality check when they go shopping for baby items. Just a stroller costs nearly $700 and that’s what Eric currently has saved up in total from his part time job at the dollar store. I don’t think they realize how expensive it is to raise a baby. The first year of a baby’s life costs about $10,000, so it’s pretty clear that the $700 that Eric has saved up isn’t going to go very far. At least they are able to live in their home without having to worry about paying rent. Eric’s grandma was right when she described their situation as “babies having babies.”

The hardest thing to watch throughout the episode was Myranda having to deal with her mom. This is already a difficult time for Myranda and the time she needed her mom the most, but she just can’t be relied upon. Myranda’s mom has let her down her entire life and still continues to do so by not showing up for appointments or helping shop for baby items. I thought Myranda was so strong when she told her mom that she didn’t want her in the delivery room. There are only two people allowed in the room and Myranda decided to have Eric and her best friend in there—two people who had shown that they could support her during this incredibly stressful time. Myranda told her mom that she didn’t want any conflict in the delivery room and she knew her mom would be a source of tension, if she managed to even show up. Did you think Myranda made the right decision by not letting her mom be there for the delivery? Can you imagine what it would be like to be pregnant and NOT have the help of your mom?

Most new parents are so excited and thankful to receive help from their friends and family, but Myranda and Eric have to be cautious with Myranda’s mom. Although Myranda has been dying to get out of the house, she is really nervous about leaving baby Kaylee with her mom. Do you blame her? Eric convinces Myranda to trust her mom, so they can go out and get dinner together. During dinner Myranda is still really nervous and can’t help herself from calling her mom to check in. When no one picks up she gets really worried. Fortunately when they get home everything is all right. It’s clear that it is going to take some time before Myranda can totally trust her mom. What do you think is in the future for Myranda? Will she ever be able to totally trust her mom?  How long do you think it will be until money becomes a real problem for the couple?

Let me know what you thought about this week’s episode!    

This post was written by Roxanne, an intern for The National Campaign. Roxanne recently graduated from George Washington University where she studied human services and public health. She loves sports and traveling. She hopes to travel the world someday. Want to ask Roxanne a question? Send us an email!