For many young adults who are graduating high school, the next step is going to college. However, life doesn’t always go according to plan. 

Karina Beresford, a 21 year old artist and Dahlonega local, had her son Oliver, who is now two years old, right after graduating high school. “I did have plans to go to school. I had intended for a semester off to save and prepare, but obviously we didn’t make it there,” says Beresford. 

 “I was in pure shock when I first found out. Then it turned into fear and anxiety while I was figuring out what to do next,” says Beresford.

While there is no manual for being the perfect parent, Beresford does everything she can to ensure her son is prepared for the world around him. “My biggest thing is making sure that he is independent. Making sure that he knows what he likes to do whether it’s being creative or if it ends up being sports or just being outside or anything like that. It’s very much like letting him follow his passions and that kind of stuff and being able to fulfill himself,” says Beresford. 

Beresford has been fortunate with her employers being understanding of her situation and giving her a schedule that allows her to make enough money to support herself and son, but also spend plenty of time with Oliver. “I know it’s not like that for everyone, but thankfully I’ve had a supportive team around me,” says Beresford. 

“It’s hard deciding which is more important. Making the money to keep the roof over our head or spending time with him. It’s a constant guilt thing because I have to work to take care of him, but then I don’t get to spend my entire weekend with him,” says Beresford. 

Beresford explains that gaining cooperation from Oliver’s father can be extremely difficult when it comes to making ends meet and even getting a babysitter. “If you’re gonna have a kid, really make sure you like the person that is going to be helping raise him for the rest of your life,” says Beresford. 

For Beresford, there are many challenges to face while raising her son, but the hardest part for her is “seeing him have the same bad traits I have in myself, and I did not want somebody to have those,” alluding to her stubbornness. 

However, there are many great joys being Oliver’s mom. Beresford says, “…I can see him becoming somebody completely different as well.”

“Like being able to see this human develop in front of you, and that human came from you, and you helped make him who he is, and now he’s growing into this charismatic creative little being. It is the best.”

“One time we were hiking, and I had him like wrapped on my back… he was absolutely delirious because he hadn’t napped all day, and as we were coming down the mountain, we were touching each tree that we passed and like giving it a tap, and every time we would touch a tree he would just lose it and crack up and just nonstop laughter to the point where he couldn’t breathe. He was just laughing so hard every time we touched a tree. That is probably my favorite moment with him,” says Beresford. 

If Beresford isn’t working, then she’s spending time with Oliver which doesn’t leave much time during the day for her to tend to her own needs. “I have a lot of late nights and early mornings so that way I have extra time to myself at night and then I’m up for Ollie in the morning. That is my biggest stress relief is to be able to spend time just to myself or doing things that aren’t based on what somebody else asks of me,” says Beresford.

“I love Ollie, and I love who he is, but of course if I had the ability to go back and change that to where I was more ready for all of that, I would,” says Beresford.  

Beresford and Oliver have so much ahead of them and are looking forward to a life together full of travel, adventure and plenty of magic.