Since 1982, the Ounce of Prevention Fund's network of Parents Too Soon (PTS) programs for teen parents throughout Illinois has supported communities, programs, and families through a mix of mechanisms: funding, program development, extensive training and support, and public policy advocacy. This article describes a qualitative view of how participation in PTS programs has affected the lives of children and their young parents. The nurturing relationships and reliable information offered by effective teen parent programs bolster teens' development as people while building their self-confidence as parents. In a relationship-based program, the manner in which program staff develop positive relationships with teen parents directly influences the nature of the relationships that parents construct with their children. When program staff match experiences to the individual teen's thinking style, she can learn to offer mutually satisfying, developmentally appropriate experiences to her child.