heartbreaking when children go astray

[jeaucamom]

Very devastated right now.... my daughter is choosing a life path that is very dangerous, and she is flaunting it in my face as her independence. I am just heart sick over it. Just don't know what to do. I am sure I am not alone... but the depth of despair after 19 years of devoted parenting is immense.

 

[kelseygirl707]

I am soo sorry, I wish I had advice, My husband and I are not parents yet, we are working in that, but I can guess at how much this hurts you.

 

[redhen]

Darn...

I know its got to be SO so hard to watch her make those bad choices...

 

[sparkles2307]

I did the same thing to my parents when I was 18 and I paid for it but I also learned my lessons and even now when I look back and see that they were right I am still pleased with the person I have become because of the stupid things I did. Just let her go, but dont support her decisions, make sure she knows you love her but you dont like what shes doing and that you will be waiting for her.

 

[redhen]

Yeah..sadly, sometimes kids have to learn some hard life lessons first hand....sometimes they get it..and sometimes they never do...

 

[Katy]

All I can say is hang in there.....they need our love the most when it's hardest to give it to them! I went thru some very rough patches with 2 of mine......we all survived it and they grew up to be productive young people (in their early thirty's now) with families of their own. Sometimes no matter what we say or warn them of, the only way for them to learn is to make those mistakes.

 

[line-rat]

Quote:
I am having the same problem with my granddaughter. so young and living very dangerously. i am very worried for her.

 

[Camelot Farms]

No words of wisdom, but I got this....

 

[Whispering Winds]

I am so sorry, went through this with our youngest. The other girls did stupid things, but they always turned themselves around before it consumed them. Youngest did not, almost went to prison, lost her two kids for awhile, (we still have the boy, adopted him because we took him when he was 5 months old and he is now 9 and no way could we give him back, no bonding and we love him like he is our own) There isn't much you can do, and please don't let people tell you if you had "raised her right" this would have never happened. I think this was the hardest thing to deal with. Sad truth was I knew things about THEIR kids that they didn't, and they themselves look like a fool. Good luck.

 

[jeaucamom]

Quote:
I think this is the hardest part... I am just crying and begging God to forgive me all the ways I must have failed her for her to make these decisions. The sad part is...lots of folks wouldn't even think alot of what she is doing is wrong. But we are Christians and everything she is doing is directly opposed to the way she was raised. God only knows the millions of mistakes I have made as a mom and the horrible examples I have set for her as a single mom. So much of this IS my fault. It makes me wonder how my other two who are still so sweet and sane are going to make it..