This article was originally published on Kueez
Life in Hollywood isn't easy (despite what the tabloids might say), it's extremely competitive, subject to abrupt changes, and at any moment an actor or singer might find themselves unable to find work after thinking that they'd made it to the top. This is probably why so many celebs tend to blow off steam in extravagant ways: boat trips, giant mansion parties, and private planes to London and Paris. However, many young celebs find themselves in a completely different situation - as young parents with babies who are relying on them. These are the celebrities who credit their children with helping them become their best selves, and you might be surprised to see who you find on this list!
1. Candace Cameron Bure — 22
Right after Full House wrapped in 1995, Candace Cameron Bure married NHL hockey player Valen Bure. When Bure was just 22, the couple welcomed their first daughter Natasha, and the two could not have been happier.
However, as a young mom, Bure said everyone wanted to comment on what she was doing wrong, but she had the last laugh. Now that her three children are all in their teens, she can confidently say her parenting style worked because there is no one right way to parent.
2. Sofia Vergara — 19
After marrying her high school sweetheart at 18, Sofia Vergara welcomed her son when she was just 19-years-old. She wasn't one of the biggest names in Hollywood yet, and Vergara said she had all the energy in the world to raise a child.
Vergara credits her teen energy for being able to keep up with her son when he was little, and now they are best friends. She raised her son trying to set the best example for him, and she did a pretty good job despite raising him on her own after she divorced his father.
3. Kylie Jenner — 20
After months and months of speculation, Kylie Jenner revealed she gave birth to her daughter Stormi on February 1, 2018. At the time, Jenner was just 20-years-old, but she was ready to be a mother. Jenner said she always wanted to be a young mom, and she is lucky to be in a position to provide for her daughter.
Jenner has been anything but secretive since she announced her daughter's birth, and we can't get enough of Stormi's adorable face. While many people have criticized Kylie's parenting skills, Stormi seems to be doing just fine.
4. Brandy — 22
After a few different relationships, Brandy got involved with the producer of a film she was working on, and they kept their relationship private until they announced her pregnancy. At the time, Brandy was only 22, but she was ready to be a mother.
Throughout her daughter's life, Brandy has always tried to set a good example. She admitted that she has struggled as a mother, especially with her mental health, but she had a strong support system around her to help out.
5. Reese Witherspoon — 23
While she was still married to Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon gave birth to her daughter Ava in 1999. Witherspoon was 23-years-old, and although she was an established actress already, she said that no amount of financial stability could prepare you for motherhood.
Witherspoon said being a young mom was scary, and she felt unprepared. She didn't know what it would do to her career, and her entire life changed overnight. However, she wouldn't change anything about her experience because she now has three beautiful children.
6. Jamie Lynn Spears — 16
Former Zoey 101 star, Jamie Lynn Spears, was just 16 when she announced her pregnancy, and fans of the show concluded that this is why it got canceled. Her pregnancy resulted in an extended break from Hollywood because she wanted to give her daughter a sense of normalcy.
In an interview, Spears said, "There's a human being growing inside of me, and I'm so young, I'm almost a baby myself." She was nervous to tell her family and friends because it was embarrassing, but she never cared what the gossip papers said.
7. Gigi Hadid — 24
The world was shocked when Gigi Hadid announced her pregnancy. At the time, she was 24, and people couldn't believe this poised model was bringing new life into the world. Although she kept most of her pregnancy a secret, she did share the most gorgeous maternity shots.
Hadid had a beautiful baby girl with former One Direction star Zayne Malik, and they have been taking parenthood one day at a time. In interviews, they have both said it was an easy transition into parenthood.
8. Britney Spears — 23
When Britney Spears was still married to Kevin Federline, she gave birth to her first son in 2006. She was 23-years-old, and it almost seemed like she had no one to help her because her husband wasn't helpful and she was dealing with postpartum stress alone.
Despite the pressures of Hollywood and being a young mom, Spears said being a parent is the most rewarding thing, and her children will always come first. As her sons have grown up, she has gone through so much, but at the end of the day, we know she is a good mom.
9. Victoria Beckham — 24
Victoria and David Beckham got married at a young age, and they welcomed their oldest son, Brooklyn, when Victoria was 24-years-old. After him, the Beckhams expanded their family with three other children. Despite keeping her life private, people still criticized her parenting.
As a mother of four, Victoria said she sometimes felt like she was being pulled in four different directions on top of work. She has always been one to face challenges head-on, including motherhood, and we think she has done a pretty good job.
10. Kate Hudson — 24
Although Kate Hudson was 24 when she had her first son, she said she felt like she was 12-years-old. She might be a pro at motherhood now, but she said she struggled when her son was born. However, she said she learned to make time for herself.
Now that she has three children, Hudson said she feels like she is exhausted between balancing work and motherhood. She is lucky to have older children who can help with her youngest when she is juggling a million things.
11. Hilary Duff — 24
Everyone's favorite Disney star Hilary Duff became pregnant with her first son when she was 24, a year after marrying her first husband. Duff was happy to be a young mom even though her friends were all at different stages in their lives.
Duff said her pregnancy was easy, and she had a lot of energy for her son because she was so young. This is not to say that she didn't get exhausted, but she handled motherhood with ease, like everything else she does.
12. Solange Knowles — 18
Some people might not know, but Solange Knowles is not just Beyonce's sister, but she is also a mom to her son Daniel. When she was 18, she gave birth to him with her first husband in 2004. It was right before her career started to take off, so it must have been hard to balance everything.
The same year she welcomed her son, she lost her childhood best friend in a tragic accident, and Solange looks back on that year as one of the hardest in her life. Despite having her son at a young age, she said the decision was made out of love, and she learned to balance everything.
13. Adele — 24
As Adele was raking in the awards and topping charts with her hit songs, she also became pregnant with her son. At just 24, Adele found herself about to have a child, which was not easy for her. It was especially challenging after the birth.
After she had her son, Adele suffered from postpartum depression, and she regretted becoming a mother at such a young age. She said she is afraid to have a second child because of the depression she experienced after her first pregnancy.
14. Keisha Castle-Hughes — 17
When the Game of Thrones star was just 17, she welcomed her daughter, and people had a lot to say about her having a child so young. When the news broke about Kiesha Castle-Hughes' pregnancy, the media had a field day with it because she was so young and not married.
Castle-Hughes didn't want to become the poster child for teen pregnancy, but she said she had to push that out of her mind and do the best she could for her daughter. It was not an easy transition, but she has learned to balance her career with being a mother.
15. Ashlee Simpson — 23
In 2008 when Ashlee Simpson was just 23, she and her ex, Pete Wentz, welcomed their first child, Bronx. While she seemed to handle becoming a mother well for her age, she said it was a learning curve like anything else that is new in life.
When Simpson had her second child, she already had the parenting routine down, and she loved watching her son become an amazing older brother. Simpson also had her older sister to guide her through the experience and give her advice.
16. Roseanne Barr — 18
When she was just 18 years old, Roseanna Barr gave birth to her daughter Brandi Brown. Barr decided to give her daughter up for adoption because she was a teenager at the time and didn't feel like she would be a suitable mother at the time.
However, when Brandi was 17-years-old, she reunited with her first daughter. Barr also had four other children later in life, but she was settled in her life, career, and marriage at that time. We hope she and Brandi stayed close after their reunion.
17. Niki Taylor — 18
When she was just 18-years-old, Niki Taylor traded the runways for motherhood. The gorgeous model had twin boys with former Miami Hooters linebacker Matt Martinez. Taylor said she always saw herself becoming a young mother but didn't know her marriage would end so quickly.
By the time she gave birth, her marriage was already spiraling, but she was young and thought it was love. Luckily she has found love again and expanded her family with two more little ones since then. Although it didn't work out with their father, she was the best mother to her sons and continues to shower them with love.
18. Naomi Judd — 18
When Naomi Judd was just 18, she gave birth to her first daughter Christina Ciminlla (later called Wynonna Judd). Four years later, she gave birth to Ashley Judd, and this was all before she turned 25. The young mother struggled to be a good parent to Ashley.
Naomi was a drug addict and would let awful things happen to Ashley, including leaving her home alone for days at a time. Motherhood isn't easy, but they have overcome a lot as Wynonna and Ashley grew up. Also, Ashley doesn't blame her parents for what happened anymore because dysfunction was all they knew.
19. Jourdan Dunn — 19
Jourdan Dunn might be one of the world's biggest models, but to her son, she is just mom. When she was 19 years old, Jourdan welcomed her first child, and she was working until she was six months pregnant. Although she is an amazing mother, she struggled with the idea of bringing another human into the world.
Dunn says she was lucky to have such a supportive mother to guide her through pregnancy and motherhood. It helped her trust her instincts and become the amazing parent she needed to be for her child. She has tried to shelter him from the world we live in today, and that has been her biggest struggle.
20. Camila Alves — 24
Camila Alves was just 24 when she welcomed her first child with Matthew McConaughey. In many interviews, Alves had said that her mother-in-law was a huge help when it came to taking care of the children because she and McConaughey had such busy schedules.
Because she came from humble beginnings, she has instilled some of those principles into her children already. They aren't spoiled, but they are beyond loved. She is a great mother to her three children, and we wouldn't expect anything less.
21. Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi — 24
When we first met Snooki, she was just 21-years-old and wanted to spend her time partying all day. For the first five seasons of The Jersey Shore, Snooki got wasted almost every day and even got arrested once. However, when she returned for the final season, she shockingly had a bun in the oven.
At just 24-years-old, Snooki gave birth to her first son. People questioned her abilities as a parent, but she proved them wrong. People will always be ready to mom-shame celebrities despite knowing nothing about their personal situation.
22. Kendra Wilkinson — 24
When the former Playmate was just 24, she welcomed her first son with her former husband Hank Baskett. Kendra Wilkinson had a tough pregnancy because she found out her husband cheated while she was in her third trimester.
She has always tried her best when it comes to being a good mother, but there have been some struggles, as documented on her reality show Kendra on Top. Her son once said, "It feels like I don't have a mom," which was hard to hear because she had been away for work.
23. Whoopi Goldberg — 18
While we know Whoopi Goldberg is a great actress, we didn't know she had a daughter when she was 18. However, that wasn't her first pregnancy. She got pregnant at 14 but decided to terminate it. She did the same thing when she was 15 as well.
When she got pregnant for the third time, Goldberg was married and decided to keep the baby. It would be her only child, and she said it was the best decision to become a mother. She also became a grandmother when she turned 34.
24. Bristol Palin — 17
On the opening day of the 2008 Republican National Convention, Sarah Pailin's 17-year-old daughter announced her pregnancy. At the time, she was engaged to Levi Johnston, and she was excited to welcome her first child.
A few months after her son was born, Bristol and Levi split up. The couple tried to reunite for their son's sake, but things didn't work out. Palin then had a daughter with someone else when she was 25, but she has no regrets about being a young mother.
25. Sophie Turner — 24
Many people forget how young Sophie Turner is because of her massive success, and the fact that she is married to Joe Jonas, who is 30-years-old. However, last year she gave birth to her first child, and she was only 24. While their daughter's life has been kept private, Turner did share some pregnancy photos throughout the nine months.
Turner has yet to show her daughter's face to keep her safe, and we don't blame her in these crazy times we live in. However, we can imagine that she is a wonderful mother with the help of her husband. They are often seen on strolls through LA enjoying the fresh air.
26. Taylor Hanson — 19
Taylor Hanson is one of the three musical Hanson brothers. When he was just 19-years-old, he became a father for the first time. Hanson said he and his wife always wanted to be young parents, and this was exactly what they had hoped for.
Now the couple has seven children, and Hanson couldn't be happier with the life he created. When his first son was born, he said, "Having Ezra is the best thing we've ever done. Life and art are all about these moments." He may have been the first Hanson brother to have children, but he wasn't the last. The brothers now have 12 children collectively.
27. Louis Thomlinson — 23
Louis Thomlinson is one of the former members of One Direction, and like a few of his fellow bandmates, he had a child before he turned 25. He had a brief relationship with a woman named Briana, and they welcomed their son Freddie in 2016.
Although Louis has said he doesn't get to see his son as much as he would like because Freddie lives with his mom in LA, he tries his best to split his time between the UK and the US. As little Fredding gets older, he looks more and more like his father.
28. Fantasia Barrino — 16
As the season three winner of American Idol, Fantasia Barrino was not only in the competition to pursue her dreams, but she also wanted to provide a better life for her son. When she was just 16-years-old, she became a mom for the first time, and while she doesn't regret having her son, she does wish she waited.
Fantasia even made a speech in front of teenagers telling them to prepare for their lives before having children because she missed out on so many things. She said she didn't want to listen to her mom and grandma, but her high school experience was much different than people her age.
29. Lil' Wayne — 15
The rapper earned his reputation in the music industry by joining Cash Money Records when he was just 9-years-old. He was the youngest member to join the label, and then when he turned 16, Lil' Wayne became a father for the first time.
Wayne and his former high school sweetheart brought their first daughter into the world, and they later got married before getting divorced two years later. It is clear that teenage parenthood didn't hold him back from achieving his career goals.
30. Lamar Odom — 19
Lamar Odom might not have had children with his ex-wife Khloe Kardashian, but he did have children when he was just 19 with his former girlfriend. They welcomed their first daughter in 1998 and their last child in 2005, who tragically passed away a year later.
Although Odom's career was not hindered when he became a parent at a young age, he did not get to spend that much time with his children when they were young because he was away playing basketball.
31. Suzanne Somers — 19
Actress Suzanne Somers is a well-recognized actress. Her upbringing was difficult because her father was an alcoholic, and she witnessed some awful things. However, when she met her first husband at 15, Somers thought it was true love, but she later realized it was a mistake.
Within two years, the couple got married and had their first child when Somers was just 19. Their marriage ended after she had an affair, and then she was left to take care of an infant alone. She started modeling to provide for her son and afford his medical bills.
32. Lebron James — 19
Lebron James is used to getting things done early in life. He went pro straight out of high school, and then had his first child when he was 19 with his longtime girlfriend, Savannah Brinson. Three years after their first child, the couple welcomed another son.
Although his career has taken him all over the country, Lebron has made sure to do everything he could to take care of his family and spend time with his children. Despite being a young father, he has always shown that he is devoted and loving.
33. Aretha Franklin — 12
Vocal superstar Aretha Franklin was already making a name for herself when she had her first child at 12 years old. She was a singing prodigy, and Franklin was thrust into adulthood before she was even a teenager.
By the time Franklin was in her 20s, she was balancing motherhood while turning out chart-topping songs. Although she was a teen mom, she didn't let it get in her way of rising to the top and becoming the queen of soul music.
34. Shirley Temple — 17
After two years of dating, Shirley Temple married James Agar when she was 17 and gave birth to the first of her two daughters. A few years later, Temple filed for divorce and won custody of her daughter. Temple would re-marry just a few years later and have two more children.
Although she was a mom of three, Temple still took various movie roles to further her career and provide for her family. Temple was many things to many people, but she had the most special bond with the people that called her "mom."
35. Anna Nicole Smith — 19
Before she launched her modeling career, Anna Nicole Smith was a high school dropout working at a fried chicken restaurant. It was there that she met her first husband, Billy Smith. The couple married when Anna was 17, and a year later, she gave birth to her son Daniel Wayne Smith.
Her marriage was short and unhappy, but Anna was devoted to her son. Her son tragically passed away from an overdose, and Smith died a few months later. People said she died from a broken heart because her son was her world, and he was taken too soon.
36. Maya Angelou — 17
Renowned poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou raised her children as a single parent with the help of her mother. In an interview with Oprah, Angelou said, "The world would throw me flat on my face with this little baby I'm trying to raise."
Angelou would go home to her mother, and her mom would act as if there was nothing wrong in the world. Although Angelou wasn't in love with her child's father, her mom encouraged her to bring the baby into the world and show it all the love in the world.
37. Liam Payne — 23
As the second One Direction star to have a child, Liam Payne was just 23 years old when his former girlfriend Cheryl Lloyd gave birth to their son Bear Payne. Although the couple didn't stay together after his birth, Payne has tried to be a devoted father.
However, due to the pandemic, Payne has not been able to visit his son in the UK for weeks on end. He said that it has been difficult not seeing his little boy, but he gets updates from Bear's mother regularly.
38. 50 Cent — 22
50 Cent was already well-established in the industry when he had his son at 22-years-old. 50 Cent said his son changed his perspective on life, stating, "When my son came into my life, my priorities changed because I wanted to have the relationship with him that I didn't have with my father."
Sadly, 50 Cent and his son have been in an intense feud for years. He blames his baby mama drama for the rift between him and his son. He claimed his ex-girlfriend put ideas in his son's head, and it caused friction in their relationship.
39. Elizabeth Taylor — 21
We all know Elizabeth Taylor as the movie star, glamour queen, and AIDs activist. However, in all of the media coverage about her, there was little talk about her children. She had her first son when she was 21 and added three more in later marriages.
People think that there was little talk about Taylor's family life because you don't usually think of mothers as people who are so glamourous. Taylor kept them out of the spotlight. The rare times they were seen with their mother was when she became a Dame and for her funeral.
40. Rod Stewart — 17
Singer Rod Stewart has made headlines over the years, and not just for his music. The media has been enamored with Stewart's love life and the children he had through numerous relationships. While people mainly talk about how old he was when his most recent child was born, others forget he was a father in his teens.
Stewart's daughter was born before his career really took off, and the couple decided to give her up for adoption because they were too young to care for a child. However, Stewart reconnected with his daughter in the '80s, and it took a while for them to feel like family.