Give your kids up? OT

[Disneybridein2k3]

Remember that law where you could give your baby up at a local hospital and not be prosecuted? Does that law work with teenagers?????? AGGHH!!! Okay, if you can't give them up, can you at least trade them in for a nicer model??? I swear, she will be the death of me.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I feel your pain...

 

[Willow1213]

Up until Mid-November you could drop them off in Nebraska! This Atlanta mom dropped off her 12 year old. After this became a national headline, the law was amended for it's original intentions, newborns only!

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/10/26/nebraska_child_abandon.html

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

You've got to be kidding - I missed the deadline by 2 months!
Of course I was just joking (she's 2 months from her 15th birthday, by the way) - I guess I don't get out much and never actually saw the real headline. Ouch! I was going to say I can't believe someone would do that, but actually, maybe I do. I'm not saying it's something I would do mind you, just that I understand...

 

[Willow1213]

I knew you were kidding. Teens (especially girls!) can be a handful! I know I was at that age

I remember reading about the statistics when the article came out. You could drop off any minor, even up til their 18th birthday! They said something like 35 kids aged 10-17 had been dropped off under this law. I was SHOCKED! People would buy plane tickets and go to Nebraska just to drop their kids off there.

 

[stitchlover]

My 13 year old can be a complete handful. A few months ago my mom told her..."If your mom takes you on a really long ride and you see a sign that says Welcome to Nebraska don't get out of the car." Totally went over my daughter's head but I got a good chuckle out of it.

 

[firsttimemom]

there are some days I'm sure my 11 year old will never make it to her teens...

 

[peytonsmomie]

Heh, I live in Omaha, Nebraska. That was the 2nd time in a year's span that we made national news for something truly terrible (the other time being the Westroads Mall massacre of December 2007).

At first we all kind of shook our heads and figured that most parents wouldn't consider dropping off their kids. Then when child after child started being left, it started to really highlight some major problems we are having, as a society, as parents and as communities. It ended up being really sad, as the majority of the kids were those who had already been identified as troubled youth.

But yeah, teenagers are a real headache. My mom always used to say, "When your kid turns 12, you seal 'em up in a 50 gallon barrel with a hole for passing food in and out. When they turn 15, you seal up the hole." Of course, she survived me and my kid brother. You'll survive your girls too. Don't hold out hope that you won't go gray though. Heck, my 8 year old's already giving me those!

 

[Tissa]

My 13 year old ds has no concept of "think it but don't say it" I swear his mouth is going to cause him to spend the rest of his life in the dog house.

 

[cj9200]

As a proud parent of a 15 YO daughter, I would never think of dropping her off somewhere and be rid of her. Well, there was yesterday that if given the option I might have taken it. Oh, and the day before. Friday was good because she stayed overnight with a friend. Today was borderline.

Actually she is a good kid that is a princess much of the time but if the mood strikes her she morphs into the evil witch. I work for a non-profit that deals with at-risk youth and the stories I hear, you can only imagine. I can understand the frustration and hopelessness some of the parents (those that care) feel.

 

[SamSam]

I am SOOOO glad all that is behind me. A heads up to all of you dealing with teenagers, they do grow up. My ds is now 28 and is an absolute jewel. When she was a teen I wasn't sure our relationship would survive; thank goodness it has and we're very close, like we were in her pre-teen years.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

My DD is 20, and of course is beyond my legal responsibility, finally. Doesn't mean she's beyond the absolute mind-numbing stupidity of youth, though. Thankfully I observe the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[miss missy]

LOL!! There is one state that will let you drop of your child of ANY age!!! Let me find it LOL

added:
here it is!! Hurry before they change the law Seems it is for infants but the law was written wrong and parents are dropping their teens there Maybe we will start saying "I'm gonna drive you to Nebraska" soon to our kids

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/14/nebraska.safe.haven/index.html

 

[diz4ever]

There's a light at the end of the tunnel?!?!?!? My DD's are 22 and 24. When the oldest one was a teen she would follow me around the house talking, talking, discussing, discussing all our "issues" even though the problem was already completely resolved. She just had to get it out. I would lock MYSELF in the bathroom, wait . . . wait. . . wait. . . and when I opened the door, SHE WAS STILL THERE TALKING!!!! It is better now - we don't live in the same house! Just kidding - it does get better. Sending LOTS of pixie dust your way

 

[jblrn2b]

The best thing I ever did was become a mom - until he turned 12-13. (Thank god my 9 yo still loves me). Yes sons are difficult too. Some days, military school, boarding school and leaving him at a local hospital look attractive and I actually think about those options!!!! One of my dearest friends calls her teenager a "Meanager". Mine is 14 now - he is lucky to have made it that far - for him thank god for sports because it gives me something to hold over his head if he acts inappropriately and so I can get a break from him. Thank you dear coaches and teachers!!!!

P.S. I still love being a mom (I see glimpses of goodness)- but need others like you and my dear friends to laugh with otherwise tears would flow frequently.

 

[bcvdreamer]

My friend has plague hanging in her kitchen that says:

Parents of teenagers know why animals eat their young!

Love it. My oldest is almost 15, so I feel the pain and I don't see any light out of any tunnel!

 

[DSNY4ever]

I would lock MYSELF in the bathroom, wait . . . wait. . . wait. . . and when I opened the door, SHE WAS STILL THERE TALKING!!!!

I don't even have kids, but that gave me a good morning chuckle!

 

[cj9200]

My friend has plague hanging in her kitchen that says:

Parents of teenagers know why animals eat their young!

Whenever we ride Dinosaur, I always poke my daughter and kid her at the "patricide" scene. She knew the term patricide at a very young age. See, no longer off topic.

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

There's a light at the end of the tunnel?!?!?!? My DD's are 22 and 24. When the oldest one was a teen she would follow me around the house talking, talking, discussing, discussing all our "issues" even though the problem was already completely resolved. She just had to get it out. I would lock MYSELF in the bathroom, wait . . . wait. . . wait. . . and when I opened the door, SHE WAS STILL THERE TALKING!!!! It is better now - we don't live in the same house! Just kidding - it does get better. Sending LOTS of pixie dust your way

Awww, I love you guys Thanks so much for all of the kind words of support, advice, and for the laugh. I was thinking -- is the light at the end of the tunnel the train coming???

Diz4ever - my DD does that too!!! I flat out told her I didn't want to talk to her, locked myself into the bathroom and just like yours, she kept right on talking!!! It must be instinct; something built into them? And the thing is, she is normally a really great kid! On the car ride home that night we were even talking about our mother-daughter trip to Disney from the previous year and what a great time we had. And then aliens came in and sucked her brain right out when we pulled in our driveway. Who knew?

jblrn2b - DD14 is also involved in sports - she has been an iceskater since she was 5 but it is biting me in the butt. I would love to take it away but she is on a team that is currently competing in Easterns and being one of the older kids on the team, they kind of need her. While the coach will give her a lot of grief, I don't think they would support me pulling her all together. Thankfully though, we only have two more competitions left!

Whenever we ride Dinosaur, I always poke my daughter and kid her at the "patricide" scene. She knew the term patricide at a very young age. See, no longer off topic.

Thank you for my first morning laugh!!! That is awesome!

 

[PlutoGirl1117]

I hope my light at the end of the tunnel comes soon! DD is 14 and for 14 years she's been fighting me! Thank God my son was never like that! He's 17 and still loves me! His WORST is DD's BEST!

She really CAN be a great kid, but............usually for OTHER people!