Another important feature of the Guide is that it provides parents with insights and recommendations on how to cope if their child is missing for an extended period. We don't always think about the long-term effect that a missing child has on parents, siblings, and other members of the family. The Guide offers families practical ideas on how to survive this ordeal and begin to rebuild their shattered lives. The abduction of a child is a tragedy. No one can fully understand or appreciate what a parent goes through at such a time, unless they have faced a similar tragedy.
Every parent responds differently.
Each parent copes with this nightmare in the best way he or she knows how. No one else should pass judgment on how a parent should act or what a parent should do if a child is missing. As we have discussed, resources are available to help families when a child is missing. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, State missing children clearinghouses, and nonprofit organizations are just a phone call away. These parent volunteers offer emotional support, firsthand knowledge and experience, and guidance to help families cope with the trauma of a missing or exploited child.