Even when your children get older, it’s still important to be good parents to them. It can be challenging, especially if they aren’t on the life path you’d hoped for them, or they have problems you really don’t want to deal with. Some children also don’t want your help, and would be more interested in ignoring your advice and striking out on their own as soon as they are old enough. If they do this, don’t despair. Most of these wayward children will return home or at least come back into a parent’s life as they grow older and realize life wasn’t what they thought it would be. You never stop being a parent, once you have a child. These children may grow up gracefully or they may struggle, but they are loved and cared for by their parents – and, unfortunately, sometimes they aren’t.
Child abuse and neglect is a real problem, and it’s not just an issue for babies and toddlers. Older children and teenagers sometimes run away to escape these problems, or they get into trouble with the law, sleep around, take drugs, or do anything they can in order to try to get away from the pain they’re suffering. If you see these kinds of family problems taking place in a family you know, saying something to the authorities is the right move. The family might not thank you for it, but your conscience will be clear and you will have helped to put a young life back on track. In time, a lot of these children and their parents will rebuild their relationships and start interacting with one another again. If they’ve gotten some help, that interaction can be positive and very healthy.
It’s when they don’t get any help and don’t change their lifestyles and behavior patterns that there is serious risk. Children who grow up abused often never learn proper parenting skills and good coping skills to deal with issues that they face in life. They can abuse their own children, too, but stopping abuse early can help protect against that.
