Emotional abuse, including verbal attacks, shaming, and blaming. Emotional neglect, including failure to provide attention, contact, or nurturing. Most of us, no matter what our background, find parenting challenging and want to do the best we possibly can. Sometimes, adults who were physically or emotionally abused as children do not know any other way to behave with their own children. Other times, parents who are isolated, under stress, or living with limited resources find themselves losing control with their children.
Family life is complex.
Housing, parenting, employment, substance abuse, lifelong learning, health and financial stability are interconnected issues. We can't oversimplify such complicated conditions, but we do know that all families need support in order to raise safe, thriving children. Across this country, a movement is afoot. This movement embraces families, supports parents and maintains that children deserve to live out their greatest potential. That movement is the family support movement.