I am 21 years old and the father of a 15 year old boy, but they don’t take me seriously.

A 23-year-old girl has told how she is the mother of a 17-year-old boy after becoming the legal guardian of his half-sister.

Hunter Nelson, who currently resides in Kentucky, began posting about his unusual family setup on TikTok in an attempt to help others going through similar situations.

In a series of posts, he informs people that he did not have a child when he was six, but instead took in teenage Gracie in 2021. The two share the same father, and he passed away in 2015.

Then, in May 2021, Gracie’s mother also died and that’s when Hunter decided to find a way to petition for her guardianship to keep her “safe, happy, and with all her needs and wants met” instead of placing her in foster care. .

While many people told Hunter that she was wasting her life, she says that becoming a mother has changed her life for the better.

The university student, who majors in primary education, explains: ‘My life took on a new purpose when she came to live with me! I love seeing her come to enjoy being a teenager.’

After her father’s death, social services were considering placing Gracie in foster care or with an aunt, but the aunt didn’t turn out to be a good fit.

“There were things going on that…just weren’t safe for Gracie,” Hunter explained.

He also mentioned that there was a history of alcohol abuse in the family, with his father drinking heavily with his partners.

In an attempt to help his sister who lives in North Carolina, Hunter filed for legal guardianship, which he said cost about $120 at the time.

However, it needed a family member’s signature and the ‘resentful’ aunt was unwilling to sign. Ultimately, the matter went to court.

After a legal battle, the case was settled and Hunter won guardianship of his half-sister.

She said that when Gracie moved in with her, all she had was a backpack full of clothes and a pregnant dog.

To make Gracie feel at home, Hunter said he made her bedroom “super cute and bought her some clothes.”

In a video, she details some of the fears she had becoming a mother at 15. Presented as if they were her inner thoughts, the accompanying captions read: “No other parent or staff member at your high school is going to [sic] take me seriously

‘I can already feel people asking me what grade I’m in when I go to their events… How am I going to teach him to drive when I can barely drive?’

While Hunter said assuming the role of mom has been difficult, she says she’s had a lot of support from friends, her own mom and her boyfriend.

She says of her boyfriend: “I honestly couldn’t do anything without him, he’s very supportive, proud of me, lets me know I’m doing a good job…and his mom is a godsend.” too.’

Since posting her story online, Hunter has been inundated with comments from intrigued viewers.

Many people were confused about how she became a mother so young to begin with, so Hunter detailed her situation step by step.

In terms of what life is like at home, many people asked Hunter if he enforces the rules, to which he answered ‘yes’.

She says she doesn’t allow Gracie to sleepovers at her friends’ houses, she can’t smoke, she can’t drink alcohol, and she can’t vape.

On the subject of social media, Hunter says Gracie is allowed on apps like TikTok and Instagram “but I follow her to regulate who interacts with her.”

Other commenters have been intrigued as to what Hunter and Gracie’s relationship is like, since they are so close in age.

One commenter quipped: ‘Do you all have a strong sister-bond relationship or more of a mother-daughter relationship?’

In response, Hunter said that the relationship is “a bit of both” but that his primary role is “father.”

She continued: “She understands that it’s my job to keep her safe, I’m her guardian.”

“I have to make sure that she is not making any decisions that are harmful to herself or to other people around her.

“We have fun together, we love each other, and we like the things that sisters do, but I’m also her only father figure, so it adds that extra element to it.”

‘She has rules and chores to do. I do everything her mother would do.

While Gracie respects Hunter as an old man, she doesn’t call her “Mom.”

Growing up, Hunter said that she and Gracie were “never really that close”, growing up within five hours of each other.

A family photo discovered by Hunter shows her meeting her baby half-sister for the first time at the hospital.

Another photo shows her smiling as she cradles the newborn on the sofa at home.

The two also have another half-sister, who is the product of a third relationship their father had.

Some people have asked how Hunter manages financially.

The aspiring teacher says she had some money saved up, has a part-time job, and both she and Gracie received some money from their father’s passing.

Summing up life as a mother, Hunter says in one of her video clips: ‘It fluctuates. Some days it’s very, very difficult and I think I’m going to pull my hair out.

‘Some days it’s so easy and we get along so well. That’s been the hardest part for me, having to admit when I need help and having to ask for that help.’

Looking ahead, Hunter is concentrating on graduating college and helping Gracie pass her driving test.

She concludes, “I think it really turned out for the best for both of us and I think we’re both very happy now.”