Topic : 06/17 A Daughter in Danger? Part 2

I know Dr. Phil is just trying to bring this girl home, but, I can't help but be appalled at her extreme act of self-centeredness, selfishness, carelessness and stupidity. Will she ever look at herself and realise the cost to our goverment, her family and Dr. Phil for her petulance? She  was clearly raised without some much needed boundaries and good sense. I heard on the trailer that Dr. Phil wants to reach out and choke Abdullah, but I want to reach out and spank her for her ignorance. And, what was that about wanting a round trip ticket? I can only hope she said that as a ploy to make it appear that she would come back. Sheeesh!

I just wanted to share that I am an American with a wonderful Arabic husband.  We both love our cultures and love one another.  It is hard, I won't lie about that and yes we do have extra barriers that others don't have, but ultimately our marriage is so fun.  I love traveling, I love his family and they love me. 

I am a super strong woman and have an equal say in EVERYTHING!  Just remember all the women and children who are beat and even murdered in the U.S. due to abusive American men!  You have to watch yourself just being a woman no matter what country you are in! 

I know that this is such a scary story and I think that Abdullah is scary, but I hate the fact that it keeps confirming all the stereotypes of the Arab man!

You were not responding to me, but I am going to give you my 2 cents worth.

Our teen is the only one in her large group who does NOT have a cell phone. She doesn't need to have one. She can use the school phone, if she needs to reach us. We pick her up from school and she is with us. We drop her off at soccer and her coach is her caretaker. We drop her off at tennis and that coach is her caretaker, etc.

When she learns to drive, she will borrow my pre-paid EMERGENCY-ONLY cell phone. Too many kids WASTE both time and money on cell phones. ThHey are a huge disruption and distraction in their lives. Many parents have indulged their children and created spoiled, immature young people.

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As for MYSPACE, ANY parent who would never allow his/her teen or child to speak with a stranger SHOULD NOT allow him/her to be on MYSPACE. It's NO DIFFERENT than talking to stangers and asking for trouble! Our teen has a large group of friends and they all converse on-line. They also visit gaming sites together on-line. MYSPACE is off limits. It's out job as parents to make the BEST decisions possible for our children as they slowly and gradually learn to fly!

You do not "teach children how to take care of themselves" by giving them too much and giving them things that are often dangerous (ex. MYSPACE). You teach them by being great role models and not indulging their every want.

Teens don't need to be distracted and wasting money with cell phones AND they don't need to play with fire when it comes to MYSPACE. I am not only a parent of two, I am a high school teacher. I have seen and heard it all! Teens are emotionally immature and it's our jobs as parents to care for them.

The family had almost 2 years from the time she first left to the second time to stop her.  They could have done something then, if they really wanted to take the time to do it.  They let it go on and the love got stronger.  Now she's 18.  She made her own decision.  She's obviously serious about how she feels about the guy.  She's not brainwashed.  She is just the type of person that is willing to give alot of herself for love and acceptance.  Besides, that dude is too dumb to brainwash anyone.  He sounds like he might be a little on the slow side.  And it's not just the language barrier.  He looks slow too.  Watching them interact on camera showed me that he's not controlling and that she probably has more influence over him than he over her.  He does seem kinda mean and to have short patience.

The girl would do the same for a guy that lived in Ohio or California or in her home town, if she felt like she loved him.  She would let  any man she loved treat her badly or call her names.  That is where she needs help.  That is where the family failed to empower her with the appropriate values.  The only way she can figure it out is by going through stuff like this.  Let her get her heart broken, that's how you grow up.  You have to make mistakes.  People can't coach you through life and make you do this or that because they feel its the right thing.  You have to decide what you feel is right, even if others don't agree.  This is how you learn.  She is choosing the life she wants to have.  I think it is worse for her family to treat her like she's an idiot, because for the rest of her life she'll feel like she can't make her own decisions.  She'll always take the role of naive victim.  I think they should lay off of her.  If they get her home they should go to McDonald's eat a Big Mac, take her shopping, give her some advice and let her decide what she wants to do. 

WHY is Dr. Phil and his staff still allowing naieve parents to post the photos of their adorable babies and children???!

Dr. Phil, go to some of the law enforcement training I have been to (and my husband, too) and see how these images are copied, then morped to show sexual objects in children's mouths and hands. Then these images circulate thru the Internet, often ending up on the computers of perverts who get off on them.

NO parent should EVER post his/her daughter or son on the Internet, regardless of how cute or handsome that child is (and, of course, the baby in this post is simply gorgeous:).

Parents, PLEASE listen before your child becomes a nameless victim!