I could never comprehend why someone would want to have a child and then, during that child’s most needy years, leave. I’ve heard all the excuses before: “I forgot to wear a condom!” “My ex-wife won’t let me see her!” “I was really never ready to be a dad!” “I never saw my daughter because I was afraid she was hearing bad things about me!”
The list could go on and on, but it should have been cut short right at the beginning. Simply said, there is no reason a parent should leave a child behind.
I’ll share a story about a childhood friend of mine, Diana. When we were in second and third grade, Diana was one of the happiest, most well adjusted girls I’ve ever seen. I remember I was jealous of her because, during our second grade reading class, she went with the third graders since she was so far ahead of all the other students.
In physical education, she was the one that was always picked first to be on a team. I would often go to her house and she had a room based on the theme of Candyland. Her mother was very loving and was so “cool” that we let her play with us sometimes. I didn’t see her dad much since he was always “working” (I later found out he was working on his affairs), but I knew Diana loved him. She talked about him all the time as if he was some type of superhero.
I’ll never forget one night after the first day of school in 4th grade. Diana and I were so happy because we were both in Mrs. Meyer’s class and heard that Mrs. Meyers was a very nice teacher. We didn’t really understand why, after our first day of school, Mrs. Meyers seemed to be more of an army sergeant than teacher, but Diana and I agreed that if Mrs. Meyer’s yelled at either one of us, she would “regret” it.
Later that night, we heard the doorbell ring. It was pretty late at night, so my mom was very surprised to see Diana’s face at the door. Diana was crying profusely, and watching this made me want to cry since Diana was my best friend (and someone I thought would be my wife someday).
Article comments
1 - Someone Who Cares!
This is a great story. I couldn't agree with you more on the deadbeat parent issues, especially the deadbeat moms. My granddaughter has a deadbeat mom who abandoned her as an infant. She's now 5 and lives with myself and her father. Her deadbeat mother has NEVER sent a birthday or Christmas card. She's only willingly made two payments of $160.00, and that's only because she received information stating she was getting ready to go to jail. She has had three children by three different fathers, one being an illegal Mexican, another being an adulterer soldier, and this deadbeat had the soldier's baby while he was in the military and married to another woman!! These people are horrible criminals and should be treated as such. PRISON TIME!! I do believe this is the only way to correct these issues, at least in this case, anyway. This deadbeat's name is Misty Dawn Daniels Strong, she's married to an adulterer soldier named Andres Martinello Strong, and they reside in Fort Stewart, GA. Both these people are criminals, however, the military doesn't obviously think so, as they've done nothing about the child support or the unacceptable behavior of one of their soldiers. A true tragedy in our country, and there doesn't seem to be anyone doing anything about it!
2 - daryl d
Thanks for your story. Parent who leave their children are absolute jokes. I knew someone who abandoned his daughter about twenty years ago and then when she was all grown up, he tried to make her a part of his life again. While I appreciate his efforts, it was far too late and it still makes him a very bad person. But I guess he will be judged by a higher power, not me.
3 - name
like everyone else should, i cant stand parents who leave their children. my neices have to live at my house, sleep in my bed, and eat food that my mother, who is only a step-grandmother to them, cooks! however, i still feel sorry for them because their mother and father who are in their late 20's won't take care of them. oh, and did i mention i am a teenager and my siblings are heading into middle school???!? yes, these are milestones we are hitting, yet my family is stuck taking care of two little elementary schoolers. and i do not blame them one bit. i blame my stupid ass sister and her ex husband whom she married when she was still a teenager. i love my sister a LOT, but at the same time i want to go find her and beat the living shit out of her even though i know it wont work, since shes been going wild since junior high. stupid bitch.
PLEASE COMMENT. thanks.
4 - Josh
Yeah. My daughter's mom left us four months ago. I hear you.
5 - Victim [edited] El Paso
My deadbeat Mom [personal identifying information deleted by comments editor] now lives in El Paso, TX with her adulterer deadbeat husband [personal identifying information deleted by comments editor]. He is a soldier in the military and my deadbeat Mom wouldn't even call me back after I contacted her first and I'm 10 years old now. She will never have a place in my life after what she has done to me. She won't even pay the court ordered child support and it's just $160 per month. If she tries to contact me, it will be a worse mistake than the mistake she made by abandoning me, because I will call the police for her harassment. She is one of the biggest losers and sorriest people I have ever known of, since I don't even know her, and don't want to. I'm thankful for my Dad and Grandmother, they are the people who are my family. I've been told I'm very intelligent and articulate, so she's the one who is missing out. It takes more than being an egg donor to be a mother.
6 - marie
my mother left me when i was 6 months old ..... she had another baby a year after me she kept her and all her other children .... she comes to my house and acts like i'm a piece of crap and tells me how i ruined her life....
and my father well i went to live with him when i was 12 and he was so angry all the time he one day kicked me out and i didn't hear from him till last october (2011) i'm 16 now and both my parents still really hate me for no reason ... plus growing up in an abusive house hold .... it's not fun.