Driving down a country back road, with Taylor Swift’s song “22” blasting and the rhythmic calls from the backseat “Mama, mama…”

This is Brooklin’s life. At 14, she gave birth to her daughter Brileigh Faith. Her life is vastly different from most teens in the town of Excelsior Springs; it is defined by coordinating drop offs, online school, night shifts at the Olive Garden, and - most importantly - spending quality time with her young daughter.

“There aren’t a lot of teen moms around here. But, my mom had me at 14 so I guess, in my family it’s kind of normal. Some people might think it’s crazy, but it’s just my life.” As she raises Brileigh, Brooklin has had to make difficult decisions. She rarely sees her mother who Brooklin says has a history of alcohol abuse and a revolving door of boyfriends. “You need to be really careful with who you have around your kid. I don’t want Brileigh to be around all of that.”

Brooklin’s dad, however, beams with pride when he talks about his daughter’s journey. “A kid raising a kid…I know how that sounds, but she’s a really good mother.” At the end of the day, that is Brooklin’s first priority.

She works long night shifts as a line cook -- she is too young to be a server, and a busser’s pay wasn’t enough to live on -- in order to give her daughter what she needs, as well as special memories like winter wonderland-themed parties and road trips to bigger, neighboring cities. While Brooklin hopes to study psychology in the future, she is focused on raising a happy, smart girl who knows her mama loves her. She is becoming Brooklin, each and every day.