Quote From: precious2meCourts should not be the place family disputes are settled, however sometimes there is just no choice. There are so many children living in violent or dysfunctional homes while grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other family members have to stand by and watch the slow, but certain, destruction of these children. Unwed parents often lead to children being raised by one parent and the other parent unavailable to the child. The extended family is extremely important to provide support to both the children and the single parent in these cases. What happens when one or both parents can not or will not provide a safe environment for the child? Social Services and the court system can step in when the situation is extreme enough, but not soon enough to prevent emotional damage to the child and often not soon enough to prevent physical damage to the child. Family members can talk to, give suggestions, beg, plead, and threaten the parent into better behavior, but the parent soon learns that they own the child and no one can change that. They can then use the child to extort money, things, promises, or behaviors from the family in order to keep the child safe. Although parents should have the right to raise their children in the way they choose there should be safeguards in place for the children. Parental rights should not be protected to the detriment of the children; however this is the case in many situations. Hopefully this story will have a happy ending.
Family squabbles only become worse when the legal system is drug into the midst.
This problem goes on in my family also. My brother--who is 48--is now in the middle of a squabble with his stepson and his wife over the children. Half the time, my brother, Ralph, has custody of his grandchildren. The state of Washington has agreed that children's best interest are not are with their natural parents. My brother and my sister in law have accused the natural parents, their children, of everything from neglect to drugs and thievery, Ralph and Holly expect to have a good relationship with everyone involved.
It isn't easy. It sure isn't realistic.
I believe that women have a competitive nature. We compete with one another over some of the most inane things. My mother loves a good competition with me over who is the best parent. And, nothing makes her happier than my unhappiness. She gets to lord it over me to her heart's content.
