So many kids have experienced one of their parents leaving, it bears
the full weight of responsibility for many long-term mental health issues.
Abandonment can take many forms: the parent who walks away and
refuses to have any further contact with the child, the absentee parent
who rarely communicates with or sees the children only rarely, and the
parent who slowly drifts out of the child’s life over time.
Children who are abandoned by a parent may face significant
problems. A child who is abandoned often feels an overwhelming sense
of rejection. The thought that one parent no longer loves her, wants her,
or even cares about her is potentially devastating to self-esteem and the
future ability to form healthy, loving relationships. A child who has been
abandoned may develop an intense yearning for the absent parent — a
longing that can interfere with development.
Children who have been abandoned need to be assured that:
- they did nothing to cause the parent to leave
- they are very much loved and lovable
- adults sometimes have a hard time relating to others, and may do the wrong thing as a result.
Most children who have experienced abandonment by a parent will
benefit from relationships with other adults who can serve as role
models and provide them with experiences that would have been shared
with the absent parent.
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