Simon Prather
(Post from Oct 3)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/us/02omaha.html?scp=8&sq=children&st=cse
Having children is a blessing for most US parents. We have all herd of children being 'left on a door step', for various reasons, many to do with the burden of caring for a child over the long run. When children are abandoned by their parents, it is usually at a young age. This is something prominent all over the world. Many countries have laws protecting children's rights, and bearing the over all well being of a young life.
Recently in the United States there have been several incidences of teenagers being given up by their parents. These parents have been miss interpreting a Nebraska state law, mainly put in effect to protect "dumpster babies". Teenagers are notorious for causing a burden on families and communities; rebelling against authority and being overall hard to handle. This is why more and more boys and girls aged eleven to fifteen have been left in hospitals and police stations in Omaha and Lincoln. Last month a total of fifteen children were dropped off by a parent or other family member, being deemed unmanageable. These people are using a state law to justify getting out of control teens off their hands, or in some cases, avoiding financial crisis. A father reportedly dropped off nine out of his ten children at a police station, because of the death of his wife, leaving him with no support raising his kids. This has been seen as a cry for help, with a special initiative to change state laws.
Personal family turmoil has also become very prominent with this phenomenon. The director of Jim Casey Youth Opportunities has said "I have no doubt that there are additional stresses today on families who were already on the margin".
I personally feel like this is unacceptable. When parents have children they know it is a life changing event, and not something they can just walk away from. All over the world parents know the stress of raising kids, and they all find ways of managing this burden. We should enact state laws that actually help families cope, not create an easy escape.
3 comments:
With the economy in the state that it is in these days people have become desperate to provide a means of survival. Parenting undoubtedly is the hardest task that one could ever take on. They see dropping their children off as an outlet. I agree with you completely that individuals should consider both the pros and cons before initiating the parenting process. It is especially heart breaking to hear of the father who recently deceased wife, felt that he had no choice but to drop his children off. It's an unfortunate event for both him and his children.
I cant believe there are actually people in th United States of America that drop their teenagers off and leave them. I mean they are at the age now where they can possibly begin working and having an income and if they are not old enough to work most are old enough to figure out how to get something if they need it so i really dont understand this whole burden thing because it really just sounds like some bull somebody created in order to avoid their own responsibility.
I also agree that with the current climate of the economy, parents may feel leaving their children is a way for them to escape poverty. However, it is morally wrong to abandon a youth. Teens are emotionally unstable as it is, because of the raging hormones; children who grow up with out birth mtohers and fathers are emotionally scarred but those who have known family and are then just left behind face more struggle emotionally. Suicide rates have increased in the US since the economic downfall, now I can only assume teen suicide will also increase.
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