I just saw this ...

[donna723]

I just saw this about the Nebraska 'drop off' laws. It has just been changed to an age limit of thirty days. No more school-aged kids or teenagers being abandoned.

 

[hearts and roses]

Good!

 

[Star*]

the most heartbreaking one of all was the Mother who never even told her teen daughter she was going to leave her - OMG i just cant' imagine what issues that brave kid will have.

There's been times when i WANTED to leave Dude somehwere but we always said they'd bring him back. Doesn't sound so funny after reading this.

BUT - to spark more conversation -

THIRTY DAYS??? I was hoping for more like under age 10......to avoid more tragedies like baby Caycee.

Just a sad world...

 

[hearts and roses]

The 30 days limit does raise the question regarding parents of older babies who are overwhelmed. What if you're a mom with two or three little ones under the age of 5 and they are really bringing you to the brink...you worry that you may do something to harm them. Is there a place you can bring them without being charged with abandonment?

Or does the 30 days act as a sort of 'return policy', just in case you didn't realize what you would end up with after 9 months? I mean, it's sickening that these laws even need to be created. Ugh.

 

[DDD]

Add me to the disappointed list. Of course it is a wonderful safeguard that newborns can be dropped "no questions asked"...yes, it should cut back on the dumpster babies BUT even as a "then upper middle class" Mom I had very dark thoughts when overwhelmed with a toddler who could not sleep and brought constant fear and havoc to my life.

Older babies/children need protection and the parents need support too.
It is sad. DDD

 

[mrscatinthehat]

I have some distinct feelings about this. Not sure I can bring them up without getting fiesty about it. I think the law was ok. I come from the perspective of if it saved one kid then it did its job. If there was a risk to the kids being hurt (physically, mentally or any other way) then if a parent/ guardian sees they need an "out" it should be available without repurcussions. The hardship a child would face after being dropped off would be great yes but how hard would it be to a child to live in chaos and mayhem (how many of us aquired difficult children from that kind of environment). I just don't think it should be our place to judge if someone needs help and can't find it (for whatever reason) and they are making a decision that will save a child from something bad I don't disagree with it. I may be a minority but I liked the law the way it was.

beth

 

[susiestar]

I understand both sides of this. Beth, I totally see your point. Much better to drop your child off and step out of his or her life for good than to abuse the child in any way (although the abandonment IS a kind of abuse). Hopefully we as a society would then step in, but that doesn't always happen in reality. AND in reality the laws are set up to try to force the parents to keep or take back the child (reunification rather than best interests of the child). How awful would it be as a child to be dropped off somewhere and abandoned, and then have the state find your parent and force them to take you back. That is what can happen now.

We just simply are unprepared to take care of our children. We parents here fight so hard, for so long for almost ANY help. And there are parents who can't or won't fight that fight.

I don't know what the 30 day ppolicy will accomplish. Often the first 3- days are wonderful, it is about 6 weeks that colic sets in and can change everything. I don't have a real solution to propose though.