Two-Parent Families Make A Difference

[Adam's Apple]

Someone put together a poem about the whole tragedy of child abuse. Sorry that I don't know the source. I received it in one of those "round robin" e-mails that people send to other people with similar interests.

SARAH

My name is Sarah I am but three,
My eyes are swollen, I cannot see,
I must be stupid, I must be bad,
What else could have made my daddy so mad?

I wish I were better, I wish I weren't ugly,
Then maybe my Mommy would want to hug me.
I can't speak at all, I can't do a wrong
Or else I'm locked up all day long.

When I awake I'm all alone
The house is dark, my folks aren't home.
When my Mommy does come I'll try and be nice,
So maybe I'll get just one whipping tonight.

Don't make a sound! I just heard a car
My daddy is back from Charlie's Bar.
I hear him curse, my name he calls
I press myself against the wall.

I try and hide from his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now, I'm starting to cry.
He finds me weeping and shouts ugly words,
He says its my fault that he suffers at work.

He slaps me, hits me and yells at me more,
I finally get free and run for the door.
He's already locked it and I start to bawl,
He throws me hard against the wall.

I fall to the floor with my bones nearly broken,
And my daddy continues with more bad words spoken.
"I'm sorry!", I scream, but its now much too late
His face has been twisted into unimaginable hate.

The hurt and the pain, again and again
Oh, please, God, have mercy! Please let it end!
He finally stops and heads for the door,
While I lay there motionless, sprawled on the floor.

My name is Sarah and I am but three,
Tonight my daddy murdered me.

 

[acludem]

I have read this study and article and the study has a major underlying flaw that calls into questions it's validity - it fails to take into consideration that many children in single parent, or live-in boyfriend/girlfriend families already were living in bad surrounding circumstances, especially poverty.

Certainly the divorce rate is a problem, and certainly divorce has a profound effect on children, but sometimes there is no other option. I would rather a child be raised in a single parent home than in a home with an abusive marriage, a marriage where someone is a drug addict, a criminal or a control freak.


The problems listed that kids in single parent family homes have are, in my opinion, just as much because kids in single parent homes tend to be poor. Poverty causes these problems more than whether a child is in a single-parent home or not. Here's a study:http://www.aafp.org/afp/990315ap/1577.html

And BTW, I'm not married, but my parents will celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary this year. They've overcome a ton of struggle, including my father becoming paralyzed 20 years ago.

acludem

 

[Hobbit]

I have read this study and article and the study has a major underlying flaw that calls into questions it's validity - it fails to take into consideration that many children in single parent, or live-in boyfriend/girlfriend families already were living in bad surrounding circumstances, especially poverty.

Certainly the divorce rate is a problem, and certainly divorce has a profound effect on children, but sometimes there is no other option. I would rather a child be raised in a single parent home than in a home with an abusive marriage, a marriage where someone is a drug addict, a criminal or a control freak.


The problems listed that kids in single parent family homes have are, in my opinion, just as much because kids in single parent homes tend to be poor. Poverty causes these problems more than whether a child is in a single-parent home or not. Here's a study:http://www.aafp.org/afp/990315ap/1577.html

And BTW, I'm not married, but my parents will celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary this year. They've overcome a ton of struggle, including my father becoming paralyzed 20 years ago.

acludem

I have friends of all income levels with divorced parents. Some were abusive. Some broke up for money reasons. Most just weren't willing to keep the committment through a rough spot. There is even a group of people I know who have parents with a "progressive" view of marriage where they marry, don't have kids, then divorce when it starts to get a little boring. Then they get married again, have kids, and get divorced as soon as the last one leaves the house. Then, they get married one more time so they can grow old together.

Poverty doesn't cause divorce. Lack of commitment causes divorce.

I'd also like you to explain why which parent is missing changes the disorders they've had. Those who grow up with only one parent are often clingy and tend to be too dependant in relationships. Girls without dads and guys without moms tend to be very promiscuous, constantly moving from one relationship to the next, desperately trying to fill in the void. I can't remember the specifics of the other way around, but if I remember correctly, girls without moms tend to become tomboys, and boys without dads become a bit affeminate.

While it's true that those who don't have the discipline and responsibility to maintain a marriage are typically bad at child-rearing, it's a) still ALL their fault, not society's for making them poor or whatnot and b) not the only reason their kids have issues.

 

[dmp]

Someone put together a poem about the whole tragedy of child abuse. Sorry that I don't know the source. I received it in one of those "round robin" e-mails that people send to other people with similar interests.

This one is better:

Her parents never took the young girl to Church
Never spoke of His name
Never read her His word
Two non-believers walkin' lost in this world
Took their baby with them
What a sad little girl

Her Daddy drank all day and Mommy did drugs
Never wanted to play
Or give kisses and hugs
She'd watch the TV and sit there on the couch
While her Mom fell asleep
And her Daddy went out

And the drinking and the fighting
Just got worse every night
Behind their couch she'd be hiding
Oh, what a sad little life

And like it always does
The bad just got worse
With every slap and every curse
Until her Daddy in a drunk rage one night
Used a gun on her Mom
And then took his life

And some people from the city
Took the girl far away
To a new Mom and a new Dad
Kisses and hugs everyday

Her first day of Sunday school the teacher walked in
And a small little girl stared at a picture of Him
She said, "I know that Man up there on that cross
I don't know His name but I know He got off

Cause he was there in my old house
And held me close to His side
As I hid there behind our couch
The night that my parents died"

 

[Nienna]

This one is better:

Her parents never took the young girl to Church
Never spoke of His name
Never read her His word
Two non-believers walkin' lost in this world
Took their baby with them
What a sad little girl

Her Daddy drank all day and Mommy did drugs
Never wanted to play
Or give kisses and hugs
She'd watch the TV and sit there on the couch
While her Mom fell asleep
And her Daddy went out

And the drinking and the fighting
Just got worse every night
Behind their couch she'd be hiding
Oh, what a sad little life

And like it always does
The bad just got worse
With every slap and every curse
Until her Daddy in a drunk rage one night
Used a gun on her Mom
And then took his life

And some people from the city
Took the girl far away
To a new Mom and a new Dad
Kisses and hugs everyday

Her first day of Sunday school the teacher walked in
And a small little girl stared at a picture of Him
She said, "I know that Man up there on that cross
I don't know His name but I know He got off

Cause he was there in my old house
And held me close to His side
As I hid there behind our couch
The night that my parents died"

That song gives me goosebumps.