No matter what your state calls it's version of Child Protective Services, they all have the same basic reason for existing. They exist to protect the children. From what? Child abuse and neglect. Not from life. Children are not going to have a perfect life no matter how you look at it. So what am I getting at?
Families are there for a reason. We have kids and we raise them the best we can (most of us anyway). Life isn't perfect but we try to protect our kids, love our kids, and teach our kids. We try to prepare them the best we can for the life ahead of them. Kids need that love and security. They can actually have long term "issues" when they are suddenly ripped away from the things they know and love. Are there times that is a good thing? Yes! If a child is being abuse or neglected, GET THEM OUT OF THERE! However, what if their life just isn't the way you think it should be?
I have had more friends that have had CPS called on them than ones that haven't. Are any of them abusing their kids or neglecting them? Not a single one that I know of. So why was CPS called? Because their lives weren't perfect or because they were going through a tough time. Examples, one family was in the process of moving. The family is larger than ours and the mother was overdue with another baby. They had no help in moving. CPS was called because there was *GASP* laundry on the floor. Example 2, CPS was called because the mom was loosing "too much weight" and the kids caught the flu. That's right, the kids got sick. Horrible, right? #3, a baby was crawling around on the porch and slipped. The mom picked her up and went inside. CPS was called and when asked what happened to the baby the answer was, "I don't know. The mom picked her up and brought her inside." So, a baby isn't allowed to crawl around outside and fall. #4, kids 1 kept hitting kid 2. Mom kept telling him to stop and after she had had enough, she spanked him. CPS was called for her "beating" her child. Oh, so she should just let him keep on hitting the other kid. That makes sense.
There are many more stories than I can possibly recount on one blog post, but you get the point. Why is it that we seem to think that if ANYTHING happens in a family that we don't agree with, we just call CPS. Would breaking up a family really make anything better for the child(ren) involved? In most cases, all it does is make a stressful time much worse on the family and leave lasting scars on the child. If you see something you think needs to be changed, offer to help. See if there is something you can do. Often the parent just needs a hand up or someone to be there for them. And realize that life isn't perfect and not everyone is going to parent the way you would. Each family and child is different and that is the way it is supposed to be. So stop trying to tear families apart. If you really want to make a difference, be there for someone when they need you and unless there is abuse or neglect (in which case, please step in) then don't call CPS. You are really doing more harm than good.
