Sonny was two years old when his little sister Alicia
was born. His mom was only 15.
Sonny’s mom, Leah, had a rough life. Abandoned
by her father at birth, her mother left her with an aunt for an
“overnight” when she was only five years old and never
returned. The aunt’s live-in boyfriend raped Leah when she
was only 12, and she became pregnant with Sonny. The angry aunt
began to abuse the girl, both physically and emotionally. Leah fought
back by getting pregnant again. The aunt’s abuse became so
serious that by the time Alicia was a year old, Leah finally called
Child Protective Services herself.
The young family arrived at our children’s emergency
shelter in physical and emotional shreds. Leah’s aunt had
never allowed Leah to parent the children, or even to be alone with
them. As a result, Leah had no idea how to manage her son’s
aggressive misbehavior.
Sonny, Leah’s three-year old son, would have
been a challenge for even an experienced parent. He was mean and
aggressive, copying the behavior he had learned from Leah’s
aunt at home. He called the staff names and hurt other kids. The
staff had to restrain him often from running outside to escape.
But consistent, loving guidance works wonders with troubled children,
and after a few weeks, Sonny began to quiet down. Leah enrolled
him in a Head Start childcare program while at the shelter, and
the staff dropped him off and picked him up daily while Leah was
in school.
Meanwhile, Leah was learning about child development
and appropriate discipline in the parenting group. With the help
of the staff, she began practicing the parenting skills she and
the other parents discussed every week. She learned how to have
fun with her children and how to make them mind. Even Sonny responded
well to his mom’s attention and instructions.
Leah and her children were in the children’s
shelter for six months while they stabilized their family relationships.
They were placed with an older foster couple who agreed to take
them, but only if Leah would be totally responsible for the children.
It was an excellent arrangement for everyone. Leah stayed in school,
Sonny continued with HeadStart, and Alicia went to a childcare center
while her mom was gone. Because the foster parents had quiet time
during the day, they enjoyed the children when they returned.
Leah, now barely 17, has a solid foundation and strong
parenting role models to follow. She and the children still attend
our Positive Parenting Group every week, and they call it their
“Family Night.” Leah plans to finish high school, and
she made a promise to herself that she would not get pregnant again,
at least until she is married.
It’s a promise for her kids.
You can make a difference in the lives of people
who are less fortunate than yourself:
When you look at everything that’s going wrong
in our community, it’s easy to feel helpless. Like there’s
nothing that one person can do that will amount to any good. But
there is. When you support an agency you can trust, an agency that
is already doing so much good in the community, it makes a true
difference. You make a difference.
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(Note: Please understand that our client’s
stories are deeply personal. The names and photos have been
changed to protect their identity.)
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