May 9, 2023
Being a mother is a big responsibility. Being a good mother sets the foundation for the child to feel connected. be able to thrive as an adult. and have successful relationships throughout their life. The challenge that I see providing supervised visitation for the last 30 years is the fantasy that all mothers are wonderful at raising their children.
Not all mothers are created equal, and when a mother's deficits put a child in a compromising situation, maybe moms should not always have full custody of their children. It's a very difficult dilemma because in our society and in the courts, there is often a pervasive belief that mothers are the best parent. This assumption may sometimes prove very detrimental to their children's developmental growth and potential as a human being. We should never fall prey to these types of biased beliefs, but moreover realize that every parent is different.
Not everybody is prepared to be a parent for a variety of reasons, and some will never have the skills. What do we do for the child who has a narcissistic parent, a parent who suffers from mental issues, or a parent who suffers from addiction issues such as drug or alcohol abuse? This is a difficult issue and sometimes other family members must step in to help with rearing the children.
We are again at Mother's Day and it should be a day of celebrating the wonderful mothers many of us have and had. Many of our mothers compromised their lives to make sure we had what we needed and gave us the love we required to develop properly.