When Families aren't Perefect.....

 
















This post is going to talk about some social problems we face as a society. I know that these topics are sensitive to all of us but I think it is really important to be educated and to teach them because they affect us all in one way or another. 

ABUSE:
What is Abuse? 
Abuse consists of actions or attitudes that are intended to hurt or control. "Abuse is the physical, emotional, sexual or spiritual mistreatment of others. It may not only harm the body but it can deeply affect the mind and the spirit destroying faith and causing confusion, doubt, mistrust, guilt and fear" (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
 Definitions:

• Child Maltreatment- encompasses child neglect and child abuse in their various forms.

 Statistics:

• wouldwive, younger children tend to be more vulnerable to physical abuse, and pubescent and adolescents are at relatively higher risk of being sexually abused.
• in the US over a 1 year period, 1 in 7 kids between ages of 2 and 17 were victims of maltreatment.
• parents and adult caregivers are responsible for child maltreatment in 80% of the cases. 

Risk factors:

• Poverty is positively related to child neglect but not abuse.
• poor child-parent relationship.
• low parent envolvment.
• low parental warmth.
• authoritarian parenting style
• single parenthood
• poor marital quality.
• dissatisfaction with the child.
• unrealistic expectations.
• stress.
• low impluse control
• those who have witnessed or been abused themselves are more likely to become the abuser later on, they are more likely to have violence in their relationships as adults.

Physical Abuse:
"With regards to physical abuse in the United States, research suggest that at least three fourths of parents have used some form of physical discipline at some point in theri parenting (such as spanking), and more than half have used tactics such as hitting with fists, striking children with sticks or belts, kicking, pushing or even throwing children." (Barnett et al, 2011) 
 
   I just want to talk a little about spanking. Spankig has been used for a very long time in parenting, Frequent, reflexive and thoughtless becomes less effective over time. Spanking will teach child what NOT to do but it won't teach child WHAT to do.
Children who are punished physically versus those who aren't are more likely to fight other children, use aggression to solve problems and to bully.  
Child psychological Abuse:
"..psychological abuse can be more harmful than physical abuse....at it's heart is a repeated pattern of demeaning, devaluing and conveying to a person that he or she is unlovable, worthless, or unwanted."    

I know feel like I need to talk about another major social problem, DIVORCE

• Research shows that 40 to 50 percent of first marriages and about 60 percent of remarriages are ending up in divorce. 
• those who suffer most are the children . "Children who experience their parents divorce are less likely to graduate from high school, go to college or graduate from college once they  start. they are twice as likely to doubt their parents religious beliefs and less likely to attend church services. They are at greater risk for early sexual behavior and pregnancy. They are more likely to experience a divorce when they marry."

• Spiritual advice on divorce
  •