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Subject: |
My Daughter's Essay About Parenthood |
| Date: |
2009-10-30
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My Daughter's Essay About Parenthood
Hi Dr. Laura,
This is an article my daughter wrote for her 11th grade journalism class. I thought your jaw would drop once you read what only a 16 &fra12; year old could express. Yes, I made a mistake that nearly cost her and I the strongest bond a mother and daughter could ever have. I raised her for 13 years by myself (divorced mother) with not one date. I swore I would wait till she was 18 and out of the home like you strongly suggest!!!! But no, like a fool, I blew it and let someone in. He is gone now.
My Daughter and I are good once again. Please read...I want to help another mother from this destruction.
My Daughter's essay:
"Imagine a single mom and her daughter, who have shared years of laughter and encouragement together. They have a bond unmatched by any kind of relationship and have always been extremely close, supporting each other through hard times. However, one day, the mother decides that she needs a man in her life. She runs off to a faraway land to get married, spontaneously leaving her daughter, at age 13, with her grandparents. Of course, the daughter loves her grandparents, yet she cannot help but fall into an inescapable vortex of confusion and hurt. How could her mother, her best friend, who she has had years of life with, leave her for some guy? This, unfortunately, is an issue a lot of teenagers face today. Many parents, in hot pursuit of their own selfish interests, leave their children at the mercy of someone else.
Parents have the legal title of "guardians" for a reason. Parents should put the needs of their children far before the needs of themselves. Abandoning a kid, especially a teenager, can do a lot more damage than one might think. First of all, it is already hard enough to grow up in today's world with the amount of peer pressure and schoolwork children face, let alone deal with the (emotional puncture wound) that abandonment leaves. Abandonment from a parent results in depression, self-doubt, loss of motivation, instability, and confusion. This cannot possibly help the daily situations that a typical child has to deal with. In fact, it puts an extra strain on them. Children need stability and a consistent environment that they can expect to return to every day. The world can be an intimidating place, and it is imperative for parents to be there for their children. No other family member can relate to a son or daughter the way a parent can relate to him or her. Many teenagers already feel completely misunderstood by society and need their parents to provide them with guidance, support, and encouragement in their time of change and uncertainty.
Of course, living with someone other than the birth parent of a child, can give them insight into the world of a different perspective on life that they otherwise would not have found living with their parents. They have their whole lives to find out these things, and should not be bothered with these minute details when they already have stress with school, growing up, and trying to find out who they are and who they want to become. Children should be focused on homework and discovering what they want to do with their lives.
Parents instill stability, confidence, and guidance to help their children succeed. Even though teenagers and their parents may fight, teenagers really do look to their parents for help and acceptance. No one can replace a birth mother or father, and parents need to realize that fact. If parents could put their own needs aside, they can focus on what matters: helping the generation that succeeds them and giving them what they need to survive and attain happiness."
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