Children Or Drugs:How Would You Chose?

      Tatianna Williams

      English 2- 4 block

        Mrs. Mckoy’s

       9/1/13

                                                              Children or Drugs: How Will You Choose?

   

      I truly believe that a mother should lose her parental rights if she gets caught two times or more abusing drugs. Studies show that nine percent of children in the United States lives with at least one parent that abuses alcohol and/or drugs. “Between one third and two thirds of child abuse is formally made up of substance abuse,” (Child Welfare1). “In 2004 approximately 295,000 of parents receiving drug abuse treatment has had one or more children removed by child protective services” (Child Welfare1). That really shows that many mothers today have abused their chances of getting clean to get their children back. Many children have been affected by the actions of their mothers.

       In many cases today children have had behavioral problems and mental health problems because of their parent’s substance abuse. The studies show that” kids with behavioral problems and mental health problems could and can stay in foster care longer than other children coming from other families”  (Child Welfare1). This happens almost every day when the governments have to step in and pay to get the children out of those abusive families. According to the reports, “the government has to pay almost $24 billion dollars and 5.4 billion goes to the child welfare costs” (Child Welfare1). This shows that mothers are not caring about their own children and how they are affecting their lives.

        Some mothers try to fight for their children back but they don’t want them back because they really care, they just want them back so people wouldn’t see them as a bad person. The statistics show “that child abuse occurs almost every ten seconds and more than five children die every day from substance abuse or any abuse” (Child Help1). It also says that “30% of children that have been neglected or abused continue the same cycle when they get older and have children of their own” (Child Help1).  This is very angering because I really care for children and I hate to see or hear about children going through such hurt. But I am really glad that there are other people that care for children and wouldn’t hurt them.  

     So, how many chances should a mother get? Some would say a mother should only get one; however, everybody deserves a second chance. Mothers who get more than one chance to get their child back might keep messing up knowing that they have multiple chances. On the other hand, mothers that get two chances might realize their mistake and want to fix it for their children.  They could become clean and help their children to see that their parents cared more for them and chose them over drugs.