Teens abandoned by parents

This video from The Today show this morning shocked me. I know adolescence is an extremely difficult time for parents and teens. I've been working with teens and their families for 15 years now. The mood swings, the hormone changes, the identity questions, the experimentation, the difficulties of friendships and relationships and so much more make being a teen overwhelming and stressful. I understand how tired and frustrated parents can get...there are inumerable demands on parents from all angles and dealing with a teen at home can be the proverbial straw. But just as I cannot imagine giving up an infant by leaving it at a hospital, I can't imagine leaving your teenager there either.

Dropping off an infant is much different than dropping off a teenager. An infant needs total care and if the parent is not capable of giving that care and safety, then a hospital may be the only alternative for that child to survive. But a teen is capable of survival on his or her own. If a parent is afraid of abusing the teen, there are other resources available for help rather than just abandoning a child completely.

A quick Google search on 'parent and teen resources' yielded a wealth of good resources that you can also find locally.

If you are struggling with your teen here are some other good sources of help.

• Read the "Love and Logic" books starting with the teens edition which will give you easy and practicle solutions that will work. Pick one up at your local library (for free) or buy a copy.
• Visit http://www.mvparents.com/ for more practical tips and information about all ages and parenting tips plus resources.
• Contact your county social services office to get connected to their counseling resources...they have individual and family counselors available for all ages, income levels, and situations.
• Contact a local church or school. Your child's school has counselors on staff and if you don't want to talk to your child's counselor, ask for someone else they can refer you to (at another school or in the county).
• The bottom line is do not give up!

God does not give up on any one of us, or abandon any one of us no matter what.

Yes, there are teens who suffer from debilatating conditions and addictions that make it impossible for them to stay in a home, but there is help in those situations too. In the end, if it is best for your teenager not to live at home there are resources available to help you through that as a parent. But making an informed and supported decision with the help of professionals to send your teen away from home is very different than dropping them off at a hospital somewhere.
I know families who have been through incredible heartbreak because of the choices their teens made. But in every case, when those parents reached out for help they found the support and resources they needed to handle whatever situation came their way. But in every case (even the worst ones) the parents never just gave up on their child. And even through the tremendous heartbreak, God never abandoned anyone...the child or the parents.

No matter what you are facing with your child(ren), remember that God will never give up on you, and as a parent you can never give up on your child.

Pray today for all the parents who feel like giving up. And pray today for all the children who feel abandoned.