Little Theodore Wilks is a giggling, healthy toddler.
As he snuggles up to his mum Mollie Syrigos in the family’s home in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, Mollie smiles.
“I can’t imagine not having Theodore. When I think about how things could have been, I feel sick,” she says.
“I know I’m young. People constantly remind me of that when I’m pushing Theodore in his pram, or when I go to the shops or to the GP. I see people staring at me and I know what they’re thinking. I know they’re judging me because I’m 15.”
“But I’m a good mum, Oscar is a great dad and we love our baby. We’re just like any other family – we’re just a bit younger than most other parents.”
Mollie and her partner Oscar Wilks, 16, first made headlines in early 2016 when she gave birth to Theodore, after discovering she was pregnant at 13. She’d just started high school and Oscar was only one year older at 14.
Now the couple have made headlines again by announcing they’re set to become parents again in early December.
“I know it will be a huge challenge, but I’m prepared,” says Mollie of baby number two.
“Of course, it was a shock when Mollie told me she was pregnant the first time because we were so young,” says Oscar, a first-year carpentry apprentice.
“Some people tried to convince her to have an abortion but neither of us wanted that.
“It was a shock for our families, but my dad was supportive and gradually most of our family accepted what we wanted. Mollie’s a great mum and I work hard to support my family. We’re not living off Centrelink. I will finish my apprenticeship and I’d like to have my own carpentry business. We’re not relying on the taxpayer’s dollar.”
Mollie, who is one of Australia’s youngest mums, met Oscar when she was 12 and they were both living in Geelong. Mollie says her home life was unsettled and several months after she met Oscar, his father Tim invited her to live with his family.
Theodore is a happy, thriving baby who is adored by his teenage parents.
Mollie and Oscar were using contraception but the Pill had uncomfortable side effects. In between switching contraceptions, Molly fell pregnant for the first time. She says she was trying to find another contraception that didn’t leave her feeling sick when she discovered she was pregnant again recently.
“I did a pregnancy test at five weeks. I remember it was 4am, Oscar and I were both awake and Oscar was giving Theodore his bottle,” Mollie recalls.
“We were both happy and there was never any doubt we’d keep our baby. We’re looking forward to growing our family. I’d like four children and I think this one is a girl. That’s how I feel.”
For the full story on Mollie and Oscar’s journey to baby number two, get the new issue of Woman’s Day – on sale now!
