Did you know that every second of every day, 7,000 children are left abandoned in the U.S.? That number is staggering, but it is also a direct result of child trafficking. Children are sometimes taken under the guise of a relative or on the corner of a busy street. Sometimes, the mothers of these abandoned children never return, and they are carried into the wild, or far out in the desert or swamp. In other cases, they are delivered to orphanages, or strangers’ homes.
Adolescents aged nine to 12 are most likely to resent their new household responsibilities, and the topic can disrupt their academic performance. The anxiety prompted by intrusive thoughts about their own abandonment can make it difficult for them to concentrate, and the drop in school performance is often the result of this. Feelings of self-blame and a lack of self-worth also cause problems at school. In addition, nine to twelve-year-olds tend to worry about their parents’ finances, and are likely to be concerned about their family life. This can cause a drain on the remaining parent’s resources.
The United States has laws that make it a criminal offense to abandon a child. In most cases, a parent must legally hand over a child to the local welfare service or a temporary foster care program in order to be reunited with them. This legislation is known as a “safe haven” law, and is intended to protect children from such abuse. It is estimated that around two million children are handed over every year. It is important that the laws that protect these children are enforced so that they can reach the best possible future.
A classic example of a story that depicts a child being abandoned is the biblical story of Moses. In the biblical story, a Jewish mother abandoned an infant into the Nile, hoping that it will be found. The mother eventually finds the child and he is given a higher social status, education, and a more powerful position. This story is based on true events, but demonstrates the effects of child abandonment on the social and psychological state of the child.
There are no single comprehensive study of child abandonment, and the history of abandoned children varies from one culture to another. But there are important factors that should be considered before beginning a study of this topic. There are several resources available for those interested in this topic. The Collection de Ecole francaise de Rome 1991 is a useful resource for researchers and policymakers. The book also includes essays by five different scholars who studied abandoned children in different European countries over the past five centuries.
Many well-intentioned parents fail their children in subtle ways. And while their reasons may be perfectly valid, abandonment has an enormous effect. Whether the reason for abandonment was a traumatic event, the child experiences a devastating impact on his or her mental health. He or she may become isolated, have mood swings, alienate potential intimate partners, and suffer from low self-esteem. He or she may even develop an addiction.