Teens at Risk

“You don’t know me”. “You can’t tell me what to do.” ————spoken by an adolescent

Children today are faced with serious family disputes, sex & drugs consistent with a fearless search for love and acceptance, an overdose on celebrity as realism, a country in economic recession coupled by more unemployment. Often unemployment leads to home-based depression, anger and frustration, marital strain and an exacerbation in alcohol and drug use as sedatives and escapes.

There are more reports of child abuse, runaways, and overdoses inline with household stressors.

Your Children have Rights

•Children have the right to always be safe. This means safety from being hurt by anyone.
•Children have the right to clean clothes, a clean bed, and
a safe place to live.
•Children have the right to see a doctor when they are sick and when they may need a check-up. They also have the right to see a dentist.
•Children have the right to go to school.

Having said that, there are many wonderful, loving parents who fear they have created a monster when a child hits pre-teen years. Their sweet, responsible youngster begins running with a dangerous crowd; school grades drop and seem of little importance to the child; being “independent” is the be all and end all for a child that is clearly unable to make mature decisions. Their behaviors include running away; sexual promiscuity, suicide attempts; gang fighting; a total disregard for the family and anyone of authority, and complete disrespect of parents.

What happened to our beautiful and bright children, and when did we loose our control as parents?

“My child has it all, they really have it so good. Many children would trade their lives for a week of my son’s life, and yet he sees me as the enemy”. —————–spoken by a parent