It's really a shame that people will pass judgement upon the parents without knowing all the facts. I remember when my son was 13 and I had to endure the wrath of angry mother telling me that she did not want my son hanging out with her son. My son and her son were throwing ketchup packets at cars. They were picked up by the police. I didn't blame her for being angry. I felt ashamed. What this mother did not know was that my husband and I had been going to family therapy trying to get help for our son. We raised our son with strong Christian values, went to church every week, both my husband and I worked at the same jobs, we provided a stable and loving home. The mother of my sons friend did not know any of this, she only knew that her son got in trouble with police because he was with my son. I get it. Had the roles been reversed I probably would have reacted the same way.
One good thing that has come out of all the chaos my son has caused is I have true empathy and compassion for other families that have difficult children.
I have been able to take something so ugly and negative and turn it around by sharing here on this site. I will forever be grateful for this site and what it offers.
There will always be people who will blame the parents. We as "those" parents have to do our best to rise above it. We have to own that we did all we could for our children and accept that it was enough. We have to develop thick skin when it comes to what others think about us. It took me a long time to get to where I am in regards to not caring what people think about me as a parent and with that came a great freedom.
I do not have time in my life for those that want to judge or condemn me. The old saying "walk a mile in my shoes" is so true.
