DOMESTIC VIOLENCE – AN 11-YEAR-OLD’S COMMENTARY

I was recently approached by an 11-year-old young lady regarding my work in the area of domestic violence. She had a problem and was seeking some help or guidance in how to manage it. We talked. I shared some wisdom and information, and she set forth to resolve it─at 11 years old! She then asked if she could write about it for my blog, and I agreed. When I first read the article, the editor in me wanted to “clean it up,” but I have chosen to share the post as I received it. What I find most amazing is the passion and desire to make a difference that exists in a child of such a young age. Her true identity will be kept confidential.

WHEN PARENTS FIGHT, KIDS HURT

True story

It was the beginning of the school year when me and one of my close friends were at art. I looked over at her arms and saw that there were scars all up and down her arms. I asked her what they were from, she had told me that her parents had been fighting. She also told me that she would come home to an empty house. Then bad news hit me, she said that the scars were from cutting. So she thought that if she were to cut everything would be ok.

If you have a child that walks home and comes home to an empty house like my friend did then you should do something about it. None of us would want a child to see their parents fight because they will take it like if they hurt themselves it will be ok so parents/guardians get more involved in the kids lives so this won’t happen to your kids. I don’t want what happened to my friend happen to your kids. I’m in the 5^th grade and I did some thing about it, so if I can then you can to.

Nothing fancy about this post. No pictures, no spell check or grammar check─Just an article from an 11-year-old trying to reach out and wake up some adults. The child who is/was cutting is only 10 years old. The writer of the article went to the school guidance counselor, confided in her, and they both attempted to help the younger child. This was her coping mechanism for the parents’ absence from home, times she was left all alone, as well as the times of them arguing when they were there with her. What sort of life is that for a 10-year-old? Is this real enough to get your attention? Verbal abuse, even when it goes both ways, only serves to harm our children. Let’s take that into consideration next time a situation arises for shouting and screaming. Choose differently.