Last week, a Scot was sentenced to 15 years in prison for shaking a 15-week-old baby so hard that his brain was damaged to the point of needing full-time care for the rest of his life. The story can be read here. It’s easy to imagine such criminals as vile monsters when you think about how they treat defenseless and harmless babies. Once again, the country was affected earlier this year by the disappearance and subsequent death of 3 years of age. Old Mikaeel Kular. La news broke when it became known that his mother, Rosdeep, was charged with the crime. You can read more details about it here.
It’s horrible to read and think about these kinds of stories. They generate very intense emotions in us when dealing with anger, pity, compassion and feelings of injustice. Thinking about helpless babies and children who are abused and killed by those who have a duty to care for them only increases our feelings. Because these are headlines from time to time, but I’m sure there are many cases of child abuse by women across the country who don’t report the. Use Abuse?in this article to talk about crimes such as: pedophilia, physical aggression, lack of physical resources, emotional abuse and neglect. Of course, there’s more, but it’s a blog and you get an idea!I recognize that both parents abuse their children horribly. I recognize that it’s not just single mothers who abuse their children. But, as for the scope of this article, I speak mainly from the perspective of a single mother. We’ll discuss some of these issues.
- “It occurs when a child’s basic needs are not met and can affect their physical health and development.
- Do these needs include food.
- Clothing.
- Cleaning.
- Shelter and protection?Circumstances that put the child at risk” (Niddrie Child Protection Policy).
Why would a mother neglect her child?
Negligence often occurs when something that enters a woman’s life replaces her care with that of her child(s) Many women claim they love their children, but, for example, they spend money on a bag of heroin instead of food, electricity and clothing. . Others, out of solitude, admit that suspicious men in their homes have access to their children only by company. Carelessness occurs when women’s interests and needs become the priority. When something rules us, does it take precedence?It would be naive of us to dismiss women as aggressors and to believe that a mother’s instinct to care for her children will always nullify other desires in her heart. In some cases, this is simply not canceled.
Being a single mother is hard work. You are alone with a responsibility of 24 hours, 7 days, without any pause, without leaving stress and without “passing the witness”. It is very easy to get frustrated and angry, especially but the Bible is very clear about parents: Ephesians 6. 4, “And you, parents, do not provoke the wrath of your children, but believe them in the discipline and warnings of the Lord. “Colossus 3: 21, “Fathers, do not irritate your children, so that they do not be discouraged”.
By the time you are ruled by anger and physically punish your child, anger will quickly take hold and spill over the child. To know the essence of our anger and violence, we must examine our hearts, confess the truth, repent, and seek God’s help. . Philippians 4. 13: “I can do anything that strengthens me,” even facing inner anger and ending violence in our home(s).
While I would like to acknowledge that women and men in general are physically abusive and violent towards their children, I suggest that when we express anger it is more likely to occur verbally; We attack with our words. Matthew 15:18 reminds us that what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart and contaminates the person. When I was a child there was a nursery rhyme: “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me!” This is a lie. Bones and bruises heal much faster than the emotional pain we can cause with words. I remember once sitting with a woman and she told me that she just doesn’t love her children and that she wasn’t sure she did. The mother assured me that she had not said anything to her children, but I never felt as sorry for anyone as for those children that day. These kids knew it! All of our words and actions have an impact, whether it’s yelling, expressing mean and angry words, or telling them that they are too fat, too thin, or too stupid. Proverbs 18. 2 reminds us that death and life are in the power of the tongue. In Proverbs 16:24 we learn that words of grace are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
So how can the church help a woman who is struggling to handle this compared to her children?
No mother needs to be a single mother in a church. We have a God-given family church that must support us and therefore as a church, we have God’s responsibility to connect with our sister(s) in Christ. . We must offer them a break. Take care of the children so she can rest. Keep your children company and spend time with them. The absent parent does not remove the need for a male model in children’s lives. I challenge the good and pious men in our congregations to realize. who can play a role. Women, we must be on the side of those who are struggling. Help them clean their houses. Invite them to dinner. Give him some slack. The list is endless. We have to show what good, pious parenthood looks like. That’s how I think God wanted the orphan to be taken care of. Many women struggle and many children carry the heaviest burden.
May God help us to live as local organisms for their glory and to reach broken hearts wherever we find them.