Not everyone is cut out to be a parent. Countless stories of parents dumping their kids on someone else for days on end, and refusing to care for them, prove this.
A man did the same, when he left his toddler with his sister and went for a vacation. But once back home, he failed to say when, or if, he would pick up his child.
Here’s what happened when his sister got into an argument with him and decided to take matters in her own hands.
A woman was left caring for her nephew indefinitely when her brother refused to pick him up
Image credits: Yunus Tuğ / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
What began as a short-term babysitting favor turned into a full-blown family drama
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: VegetableBill2167
Parental neglect can leave lasting emotional scars
Every parent needs a community around them who will babysit their kids when they’re away or busy.
But putting your kids in someone else’s care for several days without any plan or timeline is as bad as abandoning them.
Being neglected by parents can leave long-lasting scars on a child, and research says it can make them feel shame, guilt, and emotional distress as they grow older.
Kids can also develop behavioral and emotional problems if they don’t have a designated primary caregiver, or if they are taken care of by multiple people when they are young.
Several countries have laws that warn against leaving a child without adequate care, supervision or communication from the parent — even when they are under someone else’s care.
Under US laws, “it is considered abandonment of the child when the parent’s identity or whereabouts are unknown, the child has been left by the parent in circumstances in which the child suffers serious harm, or the parent has failed to maintain contact with the child or to provide reasonable support for a specified period of time.”
While leaving your child with a relative is not automatically abandonment, Child Protection Services can intervene in cases when there are no firm, agreed plans with a caregiver and the kid is left for an indefinite period.
They can also intervene if the relative is unable or unwilling to care for the child.
Family caregivers also pay an emotional price
It’s the child who suffers the most in such situations, but we should not ignore the emotional strain felt by the relatives in whose care the child has been left.
In this case, the woman, who already has six kids of her own, felt overburdened when she was unexpectedly required to care for another child.
While she loves her nephew, and plans to take care of him if necessary, she was still left feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with the lack of clarity.
This kind of sudden responsibility can affect a caregiver’s mental health over time.
Experts say people should try to contact the parent repeatedly and document their attempts. In case the child is left indefinitely, without any concrete plans, the relative can also ask for written permission for caregiving authority if possible.
The Child Protection Services also recommends contacting them to find out if the situation is risky enough for their intervention.
Legal options, such as filing for temporary custody of the kid, are also recommended if the situation gets worse.
The woman talks about the child’s mother and her own struggles after people react
Advice and support poured in from the online community
The woman talks about her background and family dynamics
Image credits: Daniel Martinez / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: VegetableBill2167
She shares more about her brother’s situation
Many praised the woman for stepping up, calling her an “angel” for protecting nephew
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