Nebraska law allows abandonment of teens

I think that in some instances this might not be too awful. Case in point is a friend of mine whose 16.5 yr old daughter came to her pregnant by a casual fling (the loser dad had a 3 month old already with another girl). My friend told her daughter that since she chose adult actions, she could then live with the adult responsibilities, she needed to get a job and her own place to support herself and her child. My friend was told by the local social services agencies that she could not force her child out of the house, and that if she "kicked" her out, the state would come looking to my friend for child support until her daughter turned 18. This girl was raised in a good home with examples of rights and responsibilities, but the state stepped in and basically told her that she did not have to take responsibility for her actions. They provided her with a school nurse, social worker and all of the "assistance" she needed including child care. what do you do with a child who constantly throws your value system out of the window and still expects to be taken care of?

relsmom
Awesome! Exactly what I mean. The State needs to be put in their place and our society goes back to personal responsibility as the anchor that holds us together. Social Services is a make-works program. My friend was turn in by her doctor because he daughter had a bruise from a play-ground accident. The child is still in therapy from being yanked out of a wonderful home for a week.

Great Post!

Any person that would even consider dropping a child of any age off is most likely doing the child a favor. It is probably the first responsible decision that person has ever made. Many children are hurt everyday and we know form listening to the news that child protective services and state agency's to many times over look the ones that really need their help. I am not one for the easy road but if it saves one life then great. I never did understand the laws the only allow infants to be dropped off a life is valuable no matter the age. I do wonder how this will effect the illegal aliens when they can't get medical treatment for lack of insurance or funds for their children. They may see this as the best way for their children to have a good life even if they are good loving parents.

Any person that would consider dropping any child of any age off is most likely doing the child a favor. It is probably the first responsible decision that person has ever made. Many children are hurt everyday and we know from listening to the news that child protective services and state agency's often over look the children that really need help. I never did understand the laws that only allow this for infants. A life is valuable at any age. I am not for the easy road but if this saves a life then that's all that's important. I do wonder how this will effect the illegal aliens who can't get medical for lack of insurance or funds. They may see this as a way to give their child a chance even if they are good parents.

If we had a more intelligent attitude and approach to birth control in this country in general and toward teaching it in high schools maybe we would not have so many teen-aged and young mothers. I'm sure the frustration of becoming a mother so early in life causes many issues that can lead to substance abuse and other irresponsible behavior for a mother and potential child abuse and abandonment. Our teen pregnancy rates are among the highest of the indstrialized countries - we should be embarassed by that - are we trying to become a third world country?

Teaching abstinence as the only option in this day and age is absurd - all it does is keep kids ignorant about vital health care information that can prevent pregnancy and prevent the spread of disease.

Birth control pills and other prescription and non-prescription methods should be made more available to teenagers and everyone else for that matter, at very low cost. Like it or not, teenagers are out there having sex and much of it is unprotected resulting in pregnancy and the spread of STDs. Isn't preventing pregnancy early in life that ruins lives and keeps or puts young women and their children into poverty and preventing the spread of diseases that can kill, cause infertility and cause serious illness more important than forcing Christian family values on everyone?

From the government and the insurance company's perspective paying for birth control is a lot cheaper than paying for a birth and a child. And then there's the loss of productivity that the teen-aged parents might have produced had they been able to continue their educations and lives unfettered by a child.

A lot of insurance plans don't cover even the cost of birth control. They'll pay for Viagra - but not birth control pills and forget about abortions - go figure. Oh yeah - men make the rules on these things. What was I thinking. Again from a business perspective - the cost of birth control and/or abortion is much less than the cost of a birth and well baby care.

If I had teenagers, there would be a box of condoms under the sink along with the toothpaste, the shampoo and the toilet paper. And if I had daughters they'd be on the Pill by the age of 14 or 15. I wouldn't be an ostrich. I wouldn't advocate the behavior, but I would want them to be prepared if and when they chose to become sexually active - to be responsible young adults. You can't be with them 24/7. Pretending they are not having sex is called denial. And besides - who wants to be a grandmother at my age - although plenty of people are.

Fewer children born to teenagers and people in their early twenties might lead to less parental frustration, less poor parenting, less child abuse and less child abandonment, as well as fewer unplanned pregnancies.

Awesome law -- can I dump my neighbor's kids in Nebraska?!?

http://lifeisacookie.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/family-values/

AWESOME law -- can I dump my neighbor's kids in Nebraska?!?

http://lifeisacookie.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/family-values/

I am the aunt of a young man, residing in Washington State. The child is 14 years of age and out of control. I am finding in this state he has more control than I do. I have been raising him for over ten years now after raising four of my own. When we tried to get him a mental evaluation, he ran away. Running away is not illegal in the state of Washington. He tried to claim child abuse, however CPS served us paperwork stating that it was unfounded. He has ran away now 11 times and we have to keep picking him up from where they find him. He has criminal charges on his record, so lets give him diversion (obstructing justice charges). We have a youth at risk petition in place, asking the courts to help us. He sat in court, pleaded no contest, was released back to us with a court order saying that he could no longer run back to his little gang want a be's. Guess what, three hours after returning from ccourt, he ran. Guess what, he knows they have to serve him to charge him with contempt, so he is now on the run. It is not always bad parenting. There are children in this world who are very stong-willed and refuse help as they find the loopholes better than us parents. Here I sit, wondering what we are supposed to do as guardians, as we end up financially paying for everything he does and he is beyond our control. We do not want to throw away this child, as he is a very important part of our family. We continue to have to wait on the system and all of their loopholes, while we continually replace the things he breaks in the house, the things that he keeps stealing, and have to sleep with our doors locked. We are fighting hard to keep the marriage in tact and the remaining family together. Laws like Nebraska, would help in Washington, however I think there should be some stipulations on the reasons you can leave your teen.

I am a teen patent coordinator and I will never understand. I have to deal with pregnant or parenting teens daily. What I can't understand is how anyone can abandon their child, no matter what the reason. I was taught that your mother is the best friend you will ever have. Some of these kids I deal with have never had a parent they can count on. Thank the Lord I was born in a different generation! I am the closest friend some of these wonderful children have. They have blessed my life more than they will ever know.

I really feel kids of all ages need this and I wish more states did it. I am a mom of 3,and over the years they have brought me so many kids that needed help,I was a single mom but I made room,I made what food i had enough to feed them. I helped the kids get back on there feet,til he parents swore they would be better parents. the kids went home and it hurts me to say out of about 40 kids i have helped 4 have died when they go back home.My kids have grown up now,but I do have some kids that have heard how i can help,and from time to time one comes to my door and it's always open for kids. Right now I am about to get custody of 2 little boys,that the mom is 22,on her own and she just don't want them anymore. she eels it's to much and has no home or money to care for them.and I just can't watch the kids get into the foster care around here because it's really bad,at least in my home I know they will be safe and together, to grow up as brothers! If we had laws that gave people safe places for these kids,I know less would be hurt or even killed,or sold for drugs and yes it happens! We need people to open there eyes and see the things that is really going on in the USA,and lets start helping people here too..

I don't know how this will work once someone actually drops off their unwanted kid, but I think it's at least an effort in the right direction. I've taken in several kids over the years who were abused, unwanted, or neglected by their families. Most of these kids were great for me, but I can see why their parents found them to be a problem. I just think that ANY LAW, intended to protect a living breathing thing, is a good thing. As we see in the news every day, people kill their kids, people sell their kids, and people throw their kids away. A Safe Haven law such provide exactly that - a Safe Haven for any unwanted child.

As I watch Caylee's mom about to be released from jail, I wonder - could this law have save that poor childs life. Yes I am assuming like many of you that she has left this earth and that her mother was responsible. Some young parents are incredibly grounded and wonderful, but there are so many that are underprepared for the responsibilities 24 hours a day 7 days a week, maybe this is an out that should be made available universally.

I'm a Nebraskan, and most folks here think its a great law. You can't punish your own kids effectively any more, so the only threat parents can use to get their kids to behave is "straighten up or mom and I will drop you off at the hospital and you'll spend the rest of your youth in state custody." The kids' ears perk right up when they hear that.

We also want to encourage folks from other states to take a vacation to Nebraska, spend some money and consider dropping off their bratty, spoiled kids at one of our many convenient safe-havens. We'll take them, no questions asked. I heard that some towns in Minnesota were chartering busses to Nebraska for parents and their misbehaving children.

The little ones who aren't cute enough or are already too spoiled for adoption will be sold to a broker in the middle east. He says they will be trained as housemaids and servants, but, again, no questions asked. The teenagers are being organized into work crews to repair our rural road system.

Its a win-win situation for everyone.

Safe Haven laws are great, except for one minor problem... they allow a parent to do it all over again, time after time.  The best solution would be to track down the parents of the dropped off kids and sterilize them so they don't screw up again.