In the last two days, I have heard more than a few heart-wrenching stories about children and their home lives. Many come from broken homes, parents who are out of work, parents who are either absent or incarcerated, parents with substance abuse, and kids who are living with extended family members, often older grandparents who are in bad health. These students need help, love, a shoulder to cry on, and a positive adult role model. Often these kids cry out in disruptive, destructive, or disrespectful ways, only because they are not sure how to get help or the right kind of attention. My heart goes out to these kids, because it is the parents in their lives who are not providing the balance and security that kids so desperately need.
In hearing these stories, it makes me so thankful that my marriage to Mitch is strong, that our love for Gizmo is unwavering, and that we had great role models in our parents to show us how to raise a family right.
3 comments:
Wow , that was nice. Thanks
Pa Poke
Amen! We see a lot of that everyweek as D continues in his ministry. Sometimes I just look at him and say Where are the parents, then sadly to say you understand why the kids do what they do.
Don't get me wrong we have other students who are awesome and somewhat normal but we do see alot of needy ones. You have been blessed with a loving home, siblings, and extended family. I agree we always need to count our blessings everyday! Auntie M
Tina, you really hit on something- one of the issues in these sorts of situations is that more often than not, parents are just doing the best they can.
It's not like we bother to teach kids important stuff in school, like how to communicate with other people appropriately and effectively, or other pertinent life skills. Ideally, this is stuff that kids should be learning from their parents, but dysfunction tends to continue throughout the generations. You know that saying about how "sh*t flows downhill"? Totally applies to mental health.
How is it, exactly, that we expect people to do a great job parenting when they don't have good examples to follow?
I don't mean to rant, but this is EXACTLY why I have no patience for the fact that we don't do a good job funding mental health in this country.
And yes, while many of us are fortunate enough to have good role models to follow, and for those of us married/partnered, etc., we're lucky to have solid, healthy relationships, there are many people out there who aren't so lucky.
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