A broken home can either break a child or make them stronger; it ultimately depends on the individual's perspective and how they receive their circumstances. During our growing up, we feared Dad more than Mom why because Dad was a disciplinarian compared to Mom. You dared not do some things other kids do.
Both of them were involved in our day-to-day activities; I won't say they trained us without the help of God; of course, nothing is possible without the help of God. After the demise of Dad, Mom single-handedly trained all of us to who we are today, and by the grace of God, we are doing wonderfully well.
Sometimes single parenting can do it better than co-parenting. Some parents are absent like they are present, and some parents are just donors not worthy to be called parents 👌 Numerous cases illustrate the impact of parental absence on a child's life. My question is, why bring a child when you are not ready?
I recall a girl from my school who came from a broken home. Her mother left her and her two siblings with their father, a transporter who barely had time for them. One day, during a conversation, she opened up about her struggles. As a teenage girl, she was responsible for caring for her younger siblings before attending school. Their father would leave home early, leaving the children to fend for themselves.
From her behavior in school, she lived freely then, as no one cared. It was evident that she lacked parental care and guidance. Tragically, she eventually turned into a hook-up girl, attending to different men, leading to significant damage in her life. She didn't finish secondary school before she got pregnant and that points to the effects of her parent's absenteeism in her life.
We also have seen a child who lives with both parents and yet, you can't see the impact of both parents in the child's life. My neighbor has five kids and all of them lack parental upbringing. They misbehave at every point. How can my child, a teenager bring home a boyfriend to sleep under my roof? Impossible! The Bible says: Train up a child the way he should go so that when they grow up, they won't depart from it. My neighbor's case is different. Both parents are involved, but the quality of parenting is missing. They are present like they are absent.
This raises the question: what happens when a parent is missing in a child's life? The absence of a parent can result in feelings of neglect, emotional instability, low self-esteem, and a lack of direction, which can severely impact a child's development and future choices in life, depending on the individual's perspectives.
The upbringing of a child matters, regardless of how many parents are in the child's life. A loving and supportive single parent can foster positive outcomes in a child's development; what matters most is the quality of parenting given because it is crucial in raising a child for future endeavors.
The images are mine.
This is my response to the #hivelearners writing editions on the topic: A parent absent.
