Happy birthday Mike!

My tv is rarely off in my room, except for when I go to sleep. Even in those instances, I always set a shut off timer of 30 minutes on it so that I can fade out of consciousness with dim lights and mild voices from the tv appeasing me into tranquility. Habit.

What is strange is that birthdays have little affect of me. I rarely revel in the know that I am now older and a celebration seems so unnecessary. One could say this is partly due to a little parental neglect. I do however, love to reflect on the past year much like you, and go through whatever photos or videos I possess. It's good to kinda review what's been goin' on, and set aside new goals for the new year. Speaking of birthdays, I cannot for the life of me understand why a select few high school girls always feel compelled to pretentiously acknowledge and declare the fact that they were merely born *insert number* years ago, insist all to bow down and worship, and demand generous celebrations (So I've watched too many episodes of Sweet 16 lol).

What you've chosen for your speech topic is pretty interesting. It's easy to forget that neglect, the passive abuse, is in fact still abuse. Potentially, it could also be the most devastating if done correctly. It's also the toughest to recognize, even for the parents in question or child.

Now, I'm off to classsssss.

Happy birthday, Mike!

To be honest, I'm well-aware of neglect. To me is probably second to sexual abuse in severity. Making a child feel all alone, causing starvation, assuring isolation, etc. is unthinkable to a good parent. Why anyone would treat a child like that I do not know.

Hey there and Happy Birthday. At the moment my TV is on playing Hannah Montana... just because I haven't had the energy to turn it over since my son went off to his friend. Talk about revealing too much eh?

I am a family lawyer so I get to see all kinds of child abuse on a daily basis. I was never neglected but I was sexually abused and so I do have some first hand knowledge and a lot of second hand knowledge of all the forms of abuse from my clients.

is there ever an excuse? Hell yeah... there are loads of excuses, I hear them every day but is there ever a good reason? Never. Child abuse affects everyone, not just the child... the whole family, friends, anyone that child has a relationship then or in the future. Not all abuse is deliberate, in fact some of the worse is not. Actually, come to think of it I think I WAS neglected, in a way.

When I told my mother that I was being sexually abused and had been for years, raped, assaulted, emotionally numbed and assaulted on almost a daily basis... her response was... you're fifteen now old enough to cope with it yourself, just don't let yourself get into that position again... and don't tell you're father or the whole family will be upset. For years she sent the abuser (a family member) Christmas and Birthday cards in my name and told me I was a trouble maker when I didn't want to sit next to him the car at my grandmother's funeral. As we got in he fondled me, as we got out he put his hand up my skirt and no one noticed... probably because they didn't want to... so yeah, I suppose that was a form of neglect and know what... now, years later it is that and not the abuse itself which hurts most.

I, too have a habit of being very open, more than is good for me so I know where you're coming from... but I would rather it be that way. I don't keep anything inside any more. Let it all hang out I say, for better or worse.

I am happy now, at peace with myself, my mother, my family and the person who abused me (who is now dead). I hope you are too... if not it will come as long as you let it.

Abuse is never good but sometimes, if you let it, it makes you stronger.

Blessings.

Neglect can be one of the worst forms of child abuse.

I knew kids growing up whose parents traveled and left them at home for weeks at a a time. My own parents were gone most of my junior & senior year .

Kids need their parents around- if for no other reason to show the kids that they are WORTH being around.

Happy Birthday pal. :king:

If I ever make it to the islands, you've got to show me around.

Okay, I'm sorry about shooting you in the butt.

You can be so cute sometimes.