The family unit has an incredible impact on society as a whole. I have seen firsthand, after living through a family crisis, that the effects of brokenness are impossible to ignore. I have also been a witness to countless family and friends whose lives have been distressed by their parent’s choice to end a relationship with their child’s other parent.
I believe that children receive the most benefit when they are raised with both parents in their home. You might argue that it would be better for the family to separate if there is constant turmoil in the home. However, I think that the rewards of watching their parents struggle and come through turmoil on the other side can reap priceless rewards for the child.
What can you learn from watching your parents struggle and then work through their problems? First of all, you would learn that the idea of a fairytale is not realistic. If you believe that true love should be without problems, you will be tempted to throw in the towel at the first sign of frustration. Next , you can learn effective communication and conflict resolution by watching them work through their issues. These two life skills will be used over and over again as an adult.
As I have watched children grow up without their family unit intact, I have seen so many negative effects. I have watched children grow up missing a relationship with one of their parents. The parent that leaves often creates a new family for themselves. The child left behind is now left to suffer with emotional issues as they struggle to make sense of what they did wrong. Many times a child, who is not mature enough to understand the situation, feels a sense of responsibility for the breakdown of their family.
The single parent who has stayed is now also solely responsible for supporting the family. This obligation takes the parent away from home for many hours a day because they may have to find a second job to even make financial ends meet. This lack of quality supervision leaves the child with many opportunities to make dangerous choices. Many times, this single-parent family also lives in poverty which can affect future success for the child.
There may be some situations where the break-up of a family may be the best answer. The safety of family members may be at stake when there is physical or sexual abuse taking place. I have heard of mothers and their children who have needed to go into hiding in order to be safe from an abusive husband and father. The victims in these families will not be able to escape emotional scars but with help, they can put the pieces of their lives back together.
I’m sure that some would say, “What happens in another family has no effect on me.” I would disagree. These emotional problems and poverty situation may at first appear to only affect those in the family. However, if you think about it, each individual person joins together to create a single society. Not a one of us live on an island. We are each affected by the lives of those around us.
I think that in today’s society, we tend to be a selfish people. We so easily throw our family to the wayside. So often, there are no dangers to our well-being. We simply decide that we are bored with our partner or we come to the conclusion that our happiness is the most important thing. I believe that we would find that if we seek available help for our families during times of crisis, the people we become through facing the struggle head-on would be such an amazing gift that can be left as a legacy for generations to come.
javarunner 